Book: More than Conquerors (Planting Faith Series Book 2)
Author: Carole Towriss
Genre: Biblical Fiction
Release Date: March 25, 2024
Kassandra‘s privileged and pampered life explodes when she meets a woman with next to nothing. When a glimpse into the lives of those less fortunate turns into a mission to help them, her father offers a choice: act like the daughter of a politarch and marry the man he has chosen––or leave home forever.
Unimaginable loss shakes Jason‘s world to its foundation, and he struggles to keep his faith in the Jewish God. He faces losing everything generations of his family have built, and one of the city’s elite seems determined to make that happen.
A visiting Jewish preacher shakes up the synagogue—and then the town—with outrageous claims. Paulos’s teachings fascinate Kassi but contradict everything Jason believes. As pressure amps up on every side, they must decide how much they are willing to risk to follow The Way.
Carole Towriss is a Californian living on the East Coast. When she isn’t writing, researching, or editing her latest book, you can find her (and her cat) watching British television, googling obscure facts, or talking to one of her four kids.
More from Carole
More than Conquerors is the second book in the “Planting Faith” series. Each book is set in a city where Paul established a church. Book 1, Soldinto Freedom, took place in Philippi and featured the woman with the spirit of prophecy and the jailer. I’m currently writing a novel set in Athens, and I hope to follow that with one set in Corinth.
I like to write about people who are mentioned only a few times in Scripture. Jason is mentioned only once, in Acts 16, and Kassandra is one of the ”prominent women” who came to faith under Paul. Paul, Silas, Timothy, Luke, and Lydia are all here, but they are minor characters.
I hope you enjoy getting to know Jason and Kassandra, and experience what it was like to be part of one of the earliest churches.
My Impressions
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. You are Mine. “
Carole Towriss is a new-to-me author, but I was thrilled to see the way she takes a few verses in Acts 17 and weaves them into a an exciting story with lots of Scripture. With a compelling narrative replete with danger, intrigue, and Romance, plus Biblical history, so many words Paul spoke in the New Testament come alive and are shared in small doses. I especially loved the emphasis on Isaiah’s teaching, but of course the Law and Moses, which the Jews greatly supported, are also leaping off points for Paulos.
Imagine the unease of the synagogue leader, who at first is proud that Paulos is showing his synagogue honor, then discovers Paulos using the Jewish law to launch into a discussion of Jesus Christ, a heretical criminal in the Jewish mind. Trouble brews!
I loved how Towriss connects the Jewish characters of the story to the Greek portion of the story. It was interesting to see the differences in the two cultures. I enjoyed seeing a mixture of wealthy, influential people vs. those who were considered lower class or even worthless. We see the power of Roman rulers vs. those they ruled, often including their own households. Secundus is such a typical example, and makes me glad I don’t live in that world.
I loved seeing how Paulos shows the Greeks that they, too, are recipients of God’s grace and love. Many Greeks did not find sense in the capricious gods of their own country or Rome, and were ready to hear about a God who did not demand a sacrifice on a whim or have unclear expectations.
Did I mention that there is danger in this novel? Kassi faces it, Jason faces it, Paulos and his friends face it, and all the believers face it. They will have to rely on passages like the one from Isaiah at the top of the blog, or other Scripture reminders Paulos gives them: “Moses once told the Israelites, ‘Adonai will fight for you; you need only to be still.’ We do what we can, and then we stand firm in faith. Rest in the knowledge that Yahweh holds our lives in the palms of His hands, and nothing is allowed to touch us unless it is first filtered through His fingers.” This advice will definitely be tested!!
I certainly headed back into my Bible several times while reading this enthralling novel! Don’t miss it!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent! A new-to-me Biblical fiction author to start catching up with!
A rebellious suffragette and a steadfast sailor—tied by duty, divided by secrets, and tempted by a love that changes everything.
A born sailor, Jonathan Kennebrae thrives in his role running his grandfather’s shipping enterprise. That is until his grandfather delivers a crippling ultimatum—Jonathan will marry Melissa Brooke or lose his inheritance and everything he’s worked for. Though Jonathan finds himself drawn to Melissa, he can’t help feeling his intended may not be who she appears to be.
Melissa Brooke is tired of being voiceless. She’s been the perfect daughter all her life, doing what she’s told for the good of the family. Except she has a secret. Melissa lives a double life, teaching literacy to struggling immigrant women and fighting for the suffragette movement. If she goes through with the wedding, she’ll be forced to abandon her life’s work. Yet refusing the union could cost her any chance at an inheritance to fund her cause. To make matters worse, she can’t deny the tender feelings blooming between her and her fiancé.
Best-selling, award-winning author of The Debutante’s Code, first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series, Erica Vetschloves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum. You can connect with her at her website where you can learn about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online where she spends way too much time!
More from Erica
Do you ever wish you could turn back time? That’s what I recently got to do, as I read through my very first published novel, The Bartered Bride, that is now being re-released by Wild Heart Books.
What a blast from the past. I was amazed at all the feelings that rushed back in as I revisited Duluth, MN in the last century. Melissa and Jonathan hadn’t changed a bit in sixteen years.
The story idea first came to me as I sat in church awaiting the start of the service. There I was, a not-yet-published-author, minding my own business when the plot sort of burst into my head. An arranged marriage set in Duluth, and using the “Gales of November” and the wreck of the Mataafa…
I jotted down a few notes, because face it, the best idea for a novel could pop into my head, and if I don’t write down the gist, I will forget it in two minutes.
I wrote The Bartered Bride in about six weeks, and I sent it through my critique group of the time. Then my agent submitted it to the publisher in the spring of 2008.
And we waited.
And waited.
And waited.
We heard nothing for months. My agent sent word that the publisher was still considering it, and I was to be patient. It wasn’t a no, but it also wasn’t a resounding yes!
I had already started the sequel to The Bartered Bride, a story called Marriage Masquerade, so I finished that one, and then with summer upon me, I wrote a new story, Clara and the Cowboy, about an heiress to a ranch and one of the cowboys who rode for her father. Maybe the publisher would like that series better. I heard nothing all summer on either of the two series I had proposed and submitted.
Then in September of that year, I went to the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. The conference was being held in Minnesota, just a hop up the road from where I live. I ferried agents and editors from the airport to the hotel, I met people, I sat in workshops, all the time wondering if I would ever be a published author. Would my writing ever be ‘good enough’? Was I wasting my time?
Imagine my surprise when the publisher to whom I had submitted The Bartered Bride took the stage at a general session and announced that they were offering a contract to me for that book! Not only that, but when I had an appointment with the editor later, she offered not only a three-book contract on the The North Star Brides, but an additional three-book contract for the Brides of Money Creekof which Clara and the Cowboy was book one!
I had sold six books! The rest of the conference, you could have bought me for a dollar.
Melissa and Jonathan will always have a special place in my heart. They were the couple that started it all. I’m so glad they are getting a new start, and hopefully they will touch readers’ hearts as much as they have mine.
My Impressions
“For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29: 11
Never have I been so happy to be living in the present day, as when I read a historical romance like Erica Vetsch’s The Bartered Bride. In 1905 Duluth, MN, it is still considered acceptable for marriages to be arranged as a business merger for high class families. Both the intended groom, Jonathan Kennebrae and the intended bride, Melissa Brooke, want nothing to do with this plan. Forced to socialize, an attraction is born, but when secrets are revealed, will the fledgling love overcome the shadows of distrust?
I loved seeing how Melissa, who is a pawn in the businessmen’s dealings, begins to find her voice and stand up for herself. Unfortunately, will she be able to differentiate between those out to use her and those who truly respect her and her beliefs?
Both Melissa and Jonathan are firm believers, and it is interesting to watch their prayers. Jeremiah 29:11 is one verse quoted more than once that both believe, yet when the path isn’t smooth, both wonder why God is failing. “Lord, how could You do this to me? You promised me hope, and a future. Plans that were for my good. He lied to me. All Your plans are dashed. It’s over. Did You lie to me, too?” It strikes me as ironic that because her plans are dashed, Melissa assumes that God’s plans are, too.
Jonathan, too, has a prayer that he prays for those around him who are attempting to driving his destiny. I love how he finally realizes God has answered his prayer- just not the way he expected!
I am always glad to have a character lead-in to the next story, and Noah’s appearance does that while adding an important element to the story. It may be summer now, but I could feel the snow and horribly cold winds and see the waves of the storm on Lake Superior, known for its coldness.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive opinion was required, and all opinions are my own.
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! I didn’t want to live it, but I enjoyed reading about Jonathan and Melissa’s journey to love!
A buried secret in Harmony Springs could cost a pastor and a teacher their careers—and their second chance at love.
Lydia Jefferson buried her dreams long before the death of her husband. Now she’s locked her heart to men for good. In Harmony Springs, she’s finally found freedom from the shameful failure and loss of her past—until her childhood sweetheart arrives to be the new pastor.
Samuel Allen never thought he’d love again, not after his fiancée walked out of his life. But when his first church assignment sends him to Harmony Springs, he finds himself face to face with the woman who disappeared from his life seven years before. Could this be a second chance at love? Unfortunately, she wants nothing to do with him.
When an orphaned child brings Lydia and Samuel together again, can they face the pain of their past and learn to trust each other enough to build a home?
Lauralyn Keller loves to combine history and romance in stories that touch the heart. She lives in beautiful Colorado and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, hiking, and reading.
More from Lauralyn
Baking is one of my favorite activities. I find it relaxing, and it’s so fun trying new recipes. You might have noticed that there are generally some kind of dish or treat in my stories that characters really like. For Lydia Jefferson in The Reverend’s Second Chance, that treat is a cookie called cinnamon jumbles. It plays a part in her love story with Samuel Allen, the new pastor for Harmony Springs.
I asked ChatGPT how to make the best cinnamon jumbles. Here’s what it came up with.
Cinnamon jumbles are such a cozy, nostalgic treat! They’re chewy cookies with the perfect balance of cinnamon sugar, and they’re pretty easy to make. Here’s a recipe that will give you soft, chewy cinnamon jumbles with a nice little crunch on the outside.
Best Cinnamon Jumbles Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
1 tbsp ground cinnamon (for rolling)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this step.
Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix just until combined. Don’t overmix—this will keep your cookies tender.
Roll the Dough: In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon for rolling. Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into balls. Then roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until evenly coated.
Bake: Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball slightly with the back of a spoon or your fingers. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers are set.
Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips:
Softness: For softer cookies, don’t overbake them. The cookies will continue to cook a little as they cool on the baking sheet.
Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh. They should stay soft for about 3-4 days. 😊
I (Lauralyn) hope you enjoy this cookie recipe. Maybe you can even make them and enjoy a few with a nice cup of coffee or tea while reading The Reverend’s Second Chance. Lydia would approve.
God bless,
Lauralyn
My Impressions
“… ‘not forgiving hurts you in the end. It hurts your relationship with God too.’ He pointed to the cross over the altar. ‘Considering what He did for us—dying to forgive our sins—I think we should take our example from Him.’”
The easy, gentle romance and historical Western aspects of Lauralyn Keller’s The Reverend’s Second Chance were a breath of fresh air this week. I was certainly in the mood for this novel, which is easy to read and reminiscent of the style of Janette Oke or Kim Vogel Sawyer books. This is a marriage of convenience story, where much of the book’s action takes place after said marriage.
Lydia and Samuel had been childhood sweethearts who were separated by poor decisions and time. Shocked to find themselves together in the same small town, Samuel realizes his feelings for her never changed. Lydia, however, is determined to stay far away emotionally.
I was thankful to see that Lydia had good friends and a mother-in-law who loved her enough to see the roots of her problem with Samuel are anger and bitterness. “Forgiveness doesn’t come easily…you owe it to yourself to forgive him. It’s only going to eat at you more and more until bitterness is your constant companion.”– Dorothy
When the marriage occurs, Lydia brings no love. Instead, she brings a walled heart, determined not to be hurt again. Maybe she can forgive, but trust? Again, Lydia’s confidants point out that love is more than a feeling, but a choice. “Love is hard,” Cassie said. “It means making the decision every day to love the person you vowed to cherish. Sometimes you won’t feel it, but you can still choose it.”
With all the feels of Little House on the Prairie or When Calls the Heart, this story from the 1880s Montana Territory will serve up a generous slice of small town life with its challenges, friendships, and victories. I must applaud Ruby and Alice, 6-year-olds, as adorable scene stealers! My fave adult characters are John and Dorothy, with their non-judgmental ways and sage, godly advice.
Book 2 in the Second Chances in Harmony Springs series, I thought this book stood well on its own. Highly recommended!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Some family you’re born with. Some family you choose.” -Cassie
“…you can’t let fear hold you captive. We can’t change what’s going to be. But we can choose to trust, no matter what may come.” -John
“You can’t control the feeling of anger, but you can control how you act.” – Cody
Welcome to the Blog Tour for What Brings Us Joy by Teresa Wells, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: What Brings Us Joy Series: The Truitts of Texas #1 Author: Teresa Wells Publisher: Scrivenings Press LLC Release Date: July 15, 2025 Genre: Christian Historical Romance
1895: After losing their Georgia home, eighteen-year-old Delia Truitt and her family move to Blooming Grove, Texas, to work for a relative on a ramshackle farm. Set on helping her family dig out of their impoverished circumstances, she plans to open a dressmaker’s shop, combining her sewing skills and her keen fashion sense. But owning a business takes money she doesn’t have.
Unless she can finish her quilt in time to enter the county fair. The prize money would be just enough to open her shop. Determined and resourceful, Delia sets her sights on success—until her heart takes an unexpected detour when she meets handsome Clarence Parker.
Bent on respectability, Clarence refuses to let his past get in the way of his future happiness, especially after falling for spirited Delia Truitt. But his hopes shatter when headlines declare members of his former gang have broken out of jail and are heading his way, set on revenge. Though Clarence doesn’t regret testifying against the outlaws, he fears his future with Delia is in jeopardy. Clarence will protect her from the killers, even if it means risking their future together.
Can Clarence keep her safe? And will Delia love him after she finds out about his past?
A former teacher and librarian, Teresa Wells treasures a story threaded with redemption and hope. She loves people, history, and studying the Bible. Teresa is a member of Novel Academy and American Christian Fiction Writers Association, where she volunteers behind the scenes. She lives with her family outside of Dallas, Texas. What Brings Us Joy is her first novel.
Connect with Teresa by visiting teresawells.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.
My Impressions
“There is nothing of worth apart from God. We were made to fear Him and keep His commandments. Apart from Him, we are nothing.”
I enjoyed this historical romance by new author Teresa Wells. A story of two individuals’ dreams, the novel is woven around the setting of a small Texas town just before the turn of the twentieth century. Each chapter starts with a quotation regarding “crazy quilts” a popular fad among women from about 1875-1900.
Delia Truitt’s family has been forced to leave their Georgia home and rely on the goodness of her father’s brother. Unfortunately, the job and home he offers them give little hope to the newcomers. Delia is independent and progressive. She may not be the best homemaker, but she has a wonderful ability to sew, and uses it to make crazy quilts. They are, as she tells her new beau Clarence, her identity.
Clarence Parker, meanwhile, has a background that he is forced to share with Delia’s family as he asks to court her. As Clarence explains more to Delia about his change of lifestyle, he says, “‘He said God could redeem my past.’ He stopped pacing and faced her. ‘Even though I can’t go back and change things, I can move forward in the right direction.’” Clarence, conscience clear, begins to dream of owning the hardware and carriage store, plus a wife and family.
Every good romance needs a meddler of some kind, right? There are a couple in this book, and one elicits my severe dislike. Why are her machinations not obvious sooner to the other characters?
Besides the romance progression, and dreams starting to fall in place for Delia and Clarence, we get to meet their families and see individual relationships. I really enjoyed meeting Delia’s sister and brothers. Delia’s parents are very caring and encouraging, though her mother is not a fan of her art.
Clarence’s family has had a tougher time. We meet Sallie, who befriends Delia, but there are underlying problems in this family rear their heads. One of Clarence’s early decisions has had repercussions that are lasting and divisive. Will the family ever heal from this? What about the baggage that Clarence carries?
Topics of truth, forgiveness, listening to God, and extending grace to others are sewn into the story’s fabric.
I recommend this book to historical romantic fiction fans and those who enjoy tales of old Texas. I received a copy of the book from JustReadTours. I also bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“There’s joy in following the path he’s laid before us. God uses willing people, no matter what the task. He’ll put my talent to use, no matter where He sends me.” – Eleanor Baskin
“Independence is a powerful drug, Delia. It can be life-giving, and it can be lethal.”- Clarence
“Sometimes we must walk a hard road before we find joy. And sometimes, hard roads must be walked, whether or not joy awaited.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great! I’ll be looking for more in this saga of The Truitts of Texas!
Tour Giveaway
(3) winners will each receive a $25 Amazon gift card, a print copy of What Brings Us Joy, and items related to the book!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight July 14, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 21, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
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.
In a town shrouded by secrets, a photographer and the reclusive heir of the Ballentine fortune join forces to unravel a deadly conspiracy.
Brooklynn Wright must win a photography contest to save her gallery, and the perfect sunrise shot at a remote inlet north of town is her best hope. But when she witnesses a smuggling operation at a hidden dock and is chased by armed men, her dreams of artistic glory become a nightmare flight for survival. Rescued by a mysterious stranger, Brooklynn is forced to take refuge with him in an abandoned mansion the townspeople claim is cursed—afraid to trust her grumpy protector but with no other choice.
Billionaire Forbes Ballentine returned to Shadow Cove for answers, not distractions. Haunted by the unsolved murder of his family twenty years ago, he’s spent his life in the shadows, hunting for the truth. He believes the network Brooklynn stumbled upon is tied to his family’s deaths, but protecting the cheerful photographer means jeopardizing the investigation he’s been chasing for decades. Especially when her presence stirs feelings he’s not prepared to face.
As Brooklynn and Forbes grow closer, so do the network’s ruthless enforcers. With everyone in town hiding something, they must navigate lies, betrayal, and deadly truths. When the network closes in, they’ll have to trust each other completely—or lose everything.
Dive into this gripping romantic suspense full of mystery, secrets, and danger, where two broken souls must uncover the truth while battling the enemies outside—and the wounds within.
Robin Patchenis a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Coventry Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. Working in marketing, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while homeschooling her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Visit robinpatchen.com/subscribe to receive a free book and stay informed about Robin’s latest projects.
More from Robin
A Mansion on the Maine Coast: The Perfect Setting for Capturing You
There’s something about old mansions that gets my imagination racing. Maybe it’s the grandeur, or the hint that secrets hide behind their towering windows. Or maybe it’s knowing that, once upon a time, entire lives were lived there.
When I first envisioned Capturing You, I knew the story needed a setting as breathtaking—and as mysterious—as the characters themselves. So I plucked inspiration from my visits to the coast of New Hampshire. I can’t help but admire the stunning mansions overlooking the Atlantic between Hampton Beach—a touristy strip filled with arcades and restaurants—and Rye, a quiet coastal community. I love to imagine the lives lived inside those walls and the histories written into their very foundations.
Naturally, when it came time to write Brooklynn and Forbes’s story, I borrowed from those daydreams.
In Capturing You, the eighteenth-century cliffside mansion functions as more than just a setting. It’s a character in its own right. Crumbling a bit with age, it stands guard over a small, secluded cove on the coast of Maine. The old home is a place of secret hiding places, bittersweet memories, and…because, you know, it’s a Robin Patchen novel…more than its share of danger. The Ballentine Mansion is the perfect backdrop for a story about a photographer who accidentally stumbles onto something she shouldn’t have seen—and a brooding recluse determined to keep her safe.
In the story, I hope you hear the waves pounding against the rocky shore, smell the salt in the air, and feel the ancient wood floors creaking beneath your feet. I hope you’ll find wonder in the whimsical spaces created by the original architect. And I hope you’ll experience nostalgia in a home that hasn’t had a family fill its halls with laughter in a generation.
Step right into that world with me—a world of danger and romance, courage and redemption, all wrapped up in a mansion that’s seen more than its share of joy and heartache. And maybe a little healing too.
I can’t wait for you to explore all its secrets with Brooklynn and Forbes.
Capturing You is available now. Immerse yourself in a fascinating mansion—and a suspenseful romance that’ll keep you reading all night long.
My Impressions
“There was only one thing Forbes wanted, one thing he’d lived for since he was eight years old. Justice.”
I have truly enjoyed The Wright Heroes of Maine romantic suspense series by Robin Patchen. In most of the previous books, we have seen Michael, Sam, Derrick, and others family members tackle huge intrigue challenges, often overseas. Now, in book six, Capturing You, and book five, we have moved on to their cousins’ family. Capturing You is unique so far in that the enemy is much closer to home.
Brooklynn Wright desperately wants to win the local photography contest. Free publicity for her struggling photography studio in town would be a boon, and she also badly wants to show her father she is competent in her field. Gavin Wright and others seem to see only fluff and lightweight when they see Brooklynn.
Unfortunately, Brooklynn’s great curiosity (which Ford Baker, identified as the handyman at the local mansion) would call a propensity to snoop. Brooklynn’s inquisitiveness turn her desire for the perfect photo into a run for her life on a Maine shore. Knowing she will be caught and probably killed, she is surprised to be rescued by Baker.
Afraid of her new protector, afraid of the men chasing her, knowing she can’t go home, Brooklynn doesn’t know what her next step is. But she does know, unlike Ford, that “God always made a way. All her life, He’d guided her. And He wouldn’t stop today. He was her protector, after all. Her strong tower. Her fortress.”
Ford is using an alias he’s had since childhood, when his parents and sister were murdered in their Shadow Cove mansion. Life has made him grumpy, pessimistic, quiet, and suspicious. When he starts to get to know Brooklynn, who is sweet, optimistic, talkative, and trusting, he finds himself wanting to protect her.
Ford and Brooklynn eventually begin to work together, but the trust is slow and fragile. Gradually, clues are uncovered which reveal a truth the two suspected: someone they know is behind the murderous game of cat-and- mouse. “She used to think of her town as one big family. Now it felt more like a spiderweb, everyone connected to everyone else, the silky fibers hidden until they trapped the innocent.”
I was in a race against the novel as I read, as if my figuring out the mystery before it was revealed could save their lives! Patchen’s characters certainly were alive for me! Fortunately, Brooklynn and Ford did not require my skills. Patchen threw in some twists that left me off the mark. Can Brooklynn and Ford discover who was behind the heinous crime 25 years ago and what connection there is to the smugglers today? Can Ford decide God does indeed care about him, despite the past?
You will not want to miss a book of this series! I would suggest reading these in order, although the book probably could stand alone.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“There’s no shame in knowing who you are, who God created you to be.”– Ford
“She needn’t worry. She only needed to ask Him to open the doors she was meant to walk through. To pray that His will would be done. It was a prayer He loved to answer.”
“Sticking your head in the sand isn’t a plan.”– Ford
“It seemed her grouchy friend was a lot like this old mansion. A little rough on the outside, but filled with beauty. And secrets.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! This is a romantic suspense series I am greatly enjoying! I am here for every book!
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.
His path to redemption lies in the hands of the citified newcomer who believes the worst of him.
Caleb Morgan has had everything stolen from him—his strength, the job he loved, even his good name. He’s determined to even the score with the man responsible, until he meets the captivating new owner of the Double E Ranch. Though he’s drawn to her compassion, he fears she may never see beyond his supposed wrongdoings, unless he can prove his innocence and reclaim his honor.
Eliza Roberts is a teacher, not a rancher. But if she has any hope of selling the ranch she inherited from her grandfather and continuing on to her new life in California, she needs to restore it to some semblance of order. If only the man her grandfather advised her to trust wasn’t refusing to help her.
When an offer of courtship arises from the current foreman, Eliza sees the practicality in the offer. So why does her heart keep wandering back to Caleb? And why can’t she shake the feeling that something’s not right at the Double E Ranch? Will she have the courage to follow the clues behind the strange mishaps at the Double E—and possibly embrace a different life than she imagined?
Barbara A. Curtislives in Connecticut with her husband, and they have one grown son, a blessing to their hearts. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and NovelAcademy.
More from Barbara
Though Elizabeth Rose Roberts, the matriarch of the Double E Ranch, has passed before the Blooms of the Bitterbrush series begins, each story reflects the legacy she left for the generations to come. May the journey of these four descendants be an encouragement to your heart as you follow the struggles, love, and joy of Elizabeth’s family through the years.
In Angel from the East, Nellie loves baking pies and had a special request from one of the little Billings girls.
“I love pie! I hope it’s pum-kin tomorrow!” Virginia shouted.
Hopefully, Nellie had prior experience making a pumpkin pie or possessed a later recipe with detailed instructions, as this early recipe from an 1876 cookbook might not have helped much:
Peel and cut your pumpkin into small pieces and put into a kettle with a very little water; cook from six to eight hours, stirring frequently to prevent burning. When done, rub through a colander. One quart of pumpkin, five pints of rich milk, four eggs, three cups of sugar, one scant teaspoon of ginger and 4 tsp of cinnamon.
I hope you enjoy the stories—and perhaps a piece of pumpkin pie to go with them!
Blessings!
Barbara
My Impressions
“But yet, God offered hope. Forgiveness. For charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
Inheriting a ranch from her grandfather, young Eliza Roberts leaves NYC for the untamed land of Idaho at the turn of the 20th century. Surprised at the run-down condition of the place Grandfather has spoken so glowingly about, Eliza decides to discover what changed the ranch’s fortune so quickly, before she heads on to California for a teaching job.
Eliza is pleased to find out that her grandparents were well-loved and respected members of the Caldwell, ID community. Their faith was evidenced to all by their actions. As Eliza hears stories of her grandmother’s great kindness and generosity, can she resemble her grandmother in more than just looks?
What secrets is the town so carefully hiding about the ranch’s history and former foreman? With two men obviously vying for her attention, which one, if either, is worthy of trust? Both Benton and Caleb greatly distrust the other, and the peace that Eliza brings with her is wearing thin. Can she trust God and the right people to help her find her heart’s desire?
I loved the gradual unveiling of the personalities of the different characters. Like peeling an onion, it has to be done slowly. We gradually see who Eliza decides to be, trusting God for wisdom. And these words were so timely for my life, yet today! “Remember, God cares for you so much. He’ll provide for your every need. Just ask Him.”
I’d love to have been a fly on the hitching post in this town! The gossip I might have been privy to, the people I might have seen and understood better by observing more closely (as in Gus, for one! Nellie had my attenae up, also! ) But it is the Rev. Thompson who doles out great advice: “And when you hear God’s words in a whisper, listen hard. And follow them. He’s the one who changes hearts.”
I also enjoyed the inclusion of Mrs. Billings and her three young, exuberant daughters! They light up the novel and lives wherever they appear!
I received a copy of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Love isn’t easy, but it’s worth pursuing.” -Rev. Thompson
“The old fight had waged in his heart—vengeance versus forgiveness. Every time he’d felt God’s spirit drawing him toobedience, the flesh put up a fight anew.”
“We’re safe in God’s hands alone.”– Nellie
“Trust and position are two different things.”– Gus
“That’s her legacy to you. To remember God’s goodness and faithfulness. You are so much like her.” – Gus
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent! I already have pre-ordered the second book, As Far as the West, the next book in the Blooms of the Bitterbrush series!
The cause of liberty brought them together. Will it also tear them apart?
Hannah Pierce is determined to keep her father‘s apothecary shop running, despite his failing health, the heavy burden of her mother’s recent death, and the mysterious disappearance of her brother. She’ll do whatever it takes to preserve her family’s legacy, including joining a dangerous ring of patriot spies…and falling for a revolutionary printer with a brave heart.
William Abbott always keeps his promises. He vowed long ago to never abandon those in need like his father did. So when new British acts of Parliament threaten Boston and endanger his family, he throws himself into serving the Patriot cause, using his position at the printing office to gather and spread intelligence. But when his clandestine role in the newly formed spy ring causes him to cross paths with the apothecary’s beautiful daughter, he may find himself fighting for more than the cause.
As tensions in Boston reach a breaking point, Will and Hannah find their bond deepening even as the noose tightens around the spy ring. When promises and determination are not enough to protect the ones they love, they’ll need to trust God if they are to survive what is to come.
Megan Soja is 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
In Secrets of the Revolution, my hero and heroine, Will and Hannah, are both drawn into participating in a Patriot spy ring in Boston. As I was planning their story, I drew inspiration from a group of famous real-life spies that operated in New York City during the American Revolution – the Culper Ring.
The Culper Ring was established in 1778 and successfully ran for five years without a single spy being discovered. Even today, we do not know the identity of all the members. They used a variety of methods to communicate, including ciphers, codes, and invisible ink, all of which served as inspiration for details in my story. I even used some of the numerical codes from the actual Culper Code Book to encrypt a letter that Will receives.
While researching the Culper Ring, I came across an especially interesting woman – Anna Smith Strong – and I knew she would be the perfect model for the part that Hannah plays in Secrets of the Revolution.
Anna’s role in the spy ring was to relay signals when information had been left at a specific location. Her family farm on Seaton’s Neck in Long Island provided prime location for her work, and she communicated through a brilliantly simple manner that went undetected throughout its operation. When a message was ready to be picked up amongst the coves of Long Island, Anna would hang a black petticoat on her clothesline, followed by a number of white handkerchiefs to indicate which location to use. Her clothing signal was easily spotted by fellow spy Caleb Brewster, who would periodically row out into the Sound, or Abraham Woodhull, whose nearby farm provided a clear view. The Culper Ring accomplished more than any other spy network during the war, thanks in part to Anna’s work.
As you discover Hannah’s role in Secrets of the Revolution, I hope that knowing Anna’s real history makes my story come to life all the more!
My Impressions
“That protest had been the spark, and it seemed each day, the flames grew stronger. How much would this fire of independence consume?”
I love a good historical fiction novel about the Revolutionary War period, and Megan Soja’s Secrets of the Revolution does not disappoint! Despite it being book two of the series, Harbor of Spies, Secrets stands alone well, while still leaving me with a desire to go back and discover the delights of book one.
Hannah Pierce is a young woman who is the sole support for her ailing apothecary father. With her oldest brother in England, unable to return, her mother’s death, and one brother who disappeared trying to reach the older, emotions are fragile in the Pierce home. Hannah’s father has been a wonderful, godly father, but his mind is becoming unsteady as it struggles to deal with the multiple losses. Hannah must care for the home, her father, fix any mistakes her father makes in medicine preparation and hide her father’s increasing mental lapses from the public. What a strong person Hannah is, and she is stronger as she remembers that God cares for the spaarows, and He will care for her. Wish: As more books are beginning to deal with dementia, and this can be a trigger, I wish these books would offer a trigger warning on their back cover description.
I love how Hannah and Will meet. Will works for a printer that supports the colonists’ cry for representation in England. Will is a man who is determined to take care of his stepmother, Mary, and step-sister, Libby. Before much time has passed, he has discerned a like-minded heart in Hannah and begins to fall for her a little more with each interaction. They encourage each other. “Thankfully, we serve a patient God whose grace is steadfast, even when we wrestle with the same doubts and mistakes time and again.”
Will promises to protect those he loves, and that circle quickly grows to include Hannah. But with the Redcoats first blockading the harbor, then arriving in Boston by the thousands, can he keep that promise?
Will has resented his father for years, for decisions his father made repeatedly, not putting his family first. But will Will do the same, as his desire to help the Patriot cause could prohibit his promises to Mary, Libby, and Hannah? My takeaway from this thread is that our perception of our earthly fathers can easily color our perception of our Heavenly Father.
Soja includes Will’s blended family as secondary characters and I believe we’ll see a few of them in book three, as well as some more of Hannah’s family. With some great twists, historical facts, smooth writing, relatable problems, and a cautious romance, plus truth nuggets, I highly recommend Secrets of the Revolution.
This isn’t a cliff-hanger, but, certain situations are definitely ripe! Bring on the Revolution! I need more!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“It was not a failure to close one chapter of her life and begin another. Sometimes the wisest decision was to walk away.”
“I refuse to allow my fear to keep you from doing what is right.” – Hannah
“God, You know the worries I wrestle with, the fears that keep trying to take root. Please pull them out. Keep them from growing in my heart and mind.”-Hannah
“Perhaps it is the times of weakness and lack that help us see our need for Him even more. When we cannot rely on ourselves, we must depend wholly on Him.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent! Highly recommended Revolutionary War period fiction!
Book: To Love a Beast (One Upon a Time in Texas Book One)
Author: Karen Witemeyer
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release date: June 10, 2025
Beauty & the Beast in 1800’s Texas.
Once known among New York’s elite as the American Adonis, Everett Griffin now lives as a recluse in the wilds of Texas. The treachery of a former admirer left his face and his spirit riddled with scars, so he hides himself away, his only companions a trio of trusted servants and an oversized dog. Locals whisper of the beastly man who lives in the gloomy manor outside of town and his tendency to attack anyone who dares approach. Everett relishes his fearsome reputation and uses it as a shield to guard his privacy. Until a young woman as stubborn as she is beautiful infiltrates his sanctum and lays siege to his defenses.
When an injury to her father jeopardizes the family’s book binding business, Callista Rosenfeld determines to fulfill the contract herself, and no insufferable client or woman-eating dog will deter her. Finding unlikely allies among Mr. Griffin’s staff, Callista secures her position and sets to work transforming the manor’s remarkable library. Her employer transforms as well, his ill-tempered growls subsiding to reveal a considerate, intellectual nature. Affection blooms as Callista and Everett discover hidden depths in each other, but the evil schemes of a vengeful hunter threaten to leave their love and their lives in tatters.
Voted #1 Readers’ Favorite Christian Historical Author of 2023 by Family Fiction Magazine, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Karen’s books have won numerous awards, including the prestigious Christy Award, Carol Award, and National Reader’s Choice Award. Karen is an avid cross-stitcher, and makes her home in Abilene, Texas with her husband. Learn more about Karen and her books at her website.
More from Karen
Having Fun with Character Names
I was a college student when the Disney animated adaptation of Beauty and the Beastreleased, and it instantly became my favorite fairy tale of all time. As a bookish young woman myself, I found Belle so relatable, and the rest of the cast delighted me as well. Throughout my Texas Ever After series and continuing with this new Once Upon a Time in Texas series, I’ve enjoyed paying homage to the Disney characters who inspired my western retellings. To Love a Beast is no different.
Let’s start with our beastly hero, Everett Griffin. The name Everett means “wild boar” and a griffin is a mythological beast with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. Quite fitting for our Beast. Next is the lovely Callista Rosenfeld, a book binder and novel lover. Callista means “most beautiful,” perfect for our Beauty. Rosenfeld references the enchanted rose that plays such a key role in the fairy tale plot.
Next, we have our supporting cast. Mrs. Potter is our motherly housekeeper who invites Callista to tea on a regular basis. Our stuffy butler playing the role of Cogsworth is Mr. Timens. Notice the TIME in his name that pays homage to the clock-faced Disney character. Everett’s valet and best friend is Ray Lightfoot, who’s name plays with the candlestick image with both his first and last name.
I love having fun with my character names and giving them additional story meaning. You’ll find more Beauty and the Beast Easter eggs in my story as well. Those elements make the story so fun to write, and I hope you will find it incredibly fun to read as well.
Happy Reading!
~Karen
My Impressions
“Your face does not define you, Griff. Your actions do. A woman of a discerning nature will see the man behind the scars. It’s up to you to determine what type of man she will find when she does so.”
I loved this historical, western, fairy tale retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Karen Witemeyer. Aptly named to Love a Beast, I was very happy to have the similarities between the original and this new tale easy to spot. From the names and their meanings to the personalities, I was delighted as the book followed my expectations, but infused an American West flavor into the beloved tale.
The manner of Everett Griffin’s formation into a “beast” is so unexpected, at least to me! With a few surprises like that and deviations from the original tale, I had to keep reading to see how the plot and characters would develop. Witemeyer utilizes her trademark humor and style to bring lightness to an otherwise sad tale until we reach its joyful resolution. Comments like “his ego left room for little else inside the coach,” left me smiling for quite a few pages.
I love how this Belle, Callista Rosenfeld, loves books also, but is an artisan book binder of considerable skill. She enters Manticore Manor in her father’s stead, when he breaks his hand and cannot fulfill his much-anticipated and needed contract with the Manor’s owner.
Callista is such an interesting character. She is afraid, for the future, for the rumors she has heard, but her love for her father and books drives her to courage. Her faith, inspired by her deceased mother, propels her most of all. “Courage, Callista. Just because you can’t see any evidence of his presence doesn’t mean that God isn’t with you. We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.”
Will Callista look at Griffin’s disfigurement with disdain and fear? Can Griffin scare her away as he desires? Or will she be able to look beyond the outer wrapping and growls and see the lonely artist beneath? Can Griffin get past his fear of what he believes Callista might want, and become the man she needs? What about Griffin’s family, who had entertained hopes of him marrying into high society in the late 1800s?
Don’t miss this retold fairytale set in the American West with faith nuggets for today!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“A man can’t solve a problem by hiding from it.”– Lightfoot
“he’d started to find his worth in being a child of God. Chosen and beloved by a Father who looks not at the outward appearance but at the heart.” [I want to remember these words!!]
“Hope sees possibilities where fear sees only barriers. Hope trusts that God will rescue and restore, and it enables us to endure the interim. Despite what people say, hope cannot be stolen or destroyed. It will only be lost if you surrender it of your own free will. So hold tight, Callie. Never let it go.”– Mama
“The world might seem dark and frightful, but as long as you have hope, you have power. Power to persevere.”– Mama
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions 