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Up from Dust by Heather Kaufman Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Up from Dust: Martha’s Story

Author: Heather Kaufman

Genre: Biblical fiction

Release Date: January 23, 2024

Martha of Bethany is no stranger to adversity. After her mother’s untimely death, Martha shoulders the responsibility of raising her siblings–quiet and studious Lazarus, and wild and rambunctious Mary. She finds solace in friendship and the beginnings of first love, but just as Martha begins to imagine a new future, hardship strikes again and her dreams crumble into dust.

Ten years later, Martha’s friend pleads for the new teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, to come and heal her husband. When Martha discovers that the carpenter-rabbi is connected to her past, she’s not sure she can trust him with her future. But as he continues to perform miracles, the invitation to believe becomes harder to resist, renewing Martha’s hardened heart, even as she faces an unknown future.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Heather Kaufman is the author of multiple books and devotions, praised by Kirkus Review for writing “a charming and well-crafted tale.” She delights in highlighting the goodness of God through storytelling. When not reading, writing, or accumulating mounds of books, Heather can be found exploring new parks with her husband and three children near their home in St. Louis, Missouri.

More from Heather

Up from Dust: Martha’s Story is the first of three books in my new series, “Women of the Way.” Each book focuses on a female follower of Christ, diving deep into her history before touching upon the events we know from Scripture. Book one is on Martha of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus and Mary.

Let me ask you a question: What comes to your mind when you think of Martha?

Busy? Angry? Worried?

How about: Teachable? Trusting? Strong?

I’m afraid we’ve distilled poor Martha down into a personality type, turning her into a cautionary tale for Christian women. When Scripture as a whole presents a much different picture.

The seed of this story was planted in my heart during an Easter sermon in 2016, when I was startled into a deep admiration for this remarkable woman of faith. “Why haven’t I been encouraged to be more like Martha?” I wondered. Martha . . . a woman who learned from her mistakes and took the living God at His word. A woman who confessed Jesus as the resurrection and the life while her brother was four days dead in a tomb. Her trajectory in Scripture from worry to radical trust is one to emulate and it led me to ask: What happened in this woman’s heart?

In Up from Dust, I linger over Martha, imagining what her life was like before Christ. The story traces all the “many things” that worried and troubled Martha’s heart and the Christ who pinpointed her pain, met her in the midst of it, and lifted her up. We watch Martha come of age as she works through her mother’s death and the heavy responsibility of raising her siblings. We journey with Martha as she experiences first love and learns to shoulder the mantle of womanhood, even while coping with a father who is stuck in his loss. When grief comes to Martha’s own heart, she is presented with a choice. Will she cling to her hurt more than to Adonai, the way her father has done? Or is there a better way forward?

May this story encourage you to remain openhearted even when life feels unbearably hard, to pin your hopes to Jesus, the only One able to lift you up from the ashes of grief.

While you read, consider listening to the Up from Dust playlist! It’s full of inspirational music that ties into the themes from the book. Give it a listen HERE. Happy reading (and listening)!

Surrendering with you to Him,

Heather

My Impressions

“How can I begin to tell of the many things I have found? Or of the One who found me? I see His hand in my story like a weaver’s shuttle through the warp, steady and sure, pulling here, loosening there, doing the work necessary for beauty. How do I tell of His capable hands, the ones that rescued me?”

“Before I can share the many ways I was found, I would have to begin with the day I was lost.”

And so, in the prologue, ( I hope you read prologues!) we have the reason for Heather Kaufman’s imagination of Martha’s life long before she ever met Jesus. As with other great Biblical fiction, Kaufman takes a few verses and passages we know of a Biblical individual. These are not changed from Scripture. But where Scripture is silent, the author suggests possible life events that send Martha, Mary, and Lazarus on their life trajectories until they encounter Jesus. “Maybe she or he reacted this way because…” In the meantime, Kaufman’s Martha becomes so real, so human, you will sympathize, you will judge, you will hold your breath as you hold her secrets, and you will wonder how she survived growing up in her father’s house. You will begin to understand a woman’s plight in Jewish society in the first century. Kaufman presents challenging relationships well. Some romantic, some familial, some friend-based. You will sigh, you will cry, you will ask, “Why?” But hopefully, when all is said and done, you will turn to the Biblical story to check out what truth we do know, and you’ll never view Martha or her siblings as 2- dimensional again!

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

Notable Quotables:

“Yahweh keeps providing beacons of light in your life to guide you when you need it most.”

“None of us is worthy. We are all naked and undone before the holiness of God.”

“Who can stand before this holy God?”

“Those who align themselves with His Son.”

“Sometimes love engulfs us suddenly, like a consuming fire.”“…Other times it comes over us slowly, like a sunrise.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! An excellent Biblical times novel that offers a great look at the political and cultural settings of the times, and how a Jewish woman would fit into them. A Bible-honoring possible solution for how life made Martha who she was.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 27

Texas Book-aholic, March 28

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 30

For Him and My Family, March 31

The Lofty Pages, March 31

Splashes of Joy, April 1

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 2

She Lives To Read, April 3

Cover Lover Book Review, April 4

Artistic Nobody, April 5 (Spotlight)

Labor Not in Vain, April 6

Mary Hake, April 6

Holly’s Book Corner, April 7

Pause for Tales, April 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Heather is giving away the grand prize package of a $15 gift card to Amazon and a paperback copy of Up from Dust!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2aa71/up-from-dust-martha-s-story-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

Trapped in Yosemite by Dana Mentink Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Trapped in Yosemite

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Christian Fiction

Release Date: February 27, 2024

When a massive earthquake levels the region, secrets and unknown dangers are exposed…

The ground in still-icy Yosemite National Park isn’t stable, and K-9 handler Von Sharpe fears the worst. But his worries are pushed aside when he sees an SUV viciously forced off the road…with his ex-fiancée at the wheel. It’s only when Stella Rivers steps out of the vehicle that the very ground under their feet cracks and breaks with the onslaught of a terrifying earthquake.

When her meeting with a mysterious client is ambushed, Stella witnesses the man being gunned down by a sniper and becomes a target herself. With the threat of aftershocks triggering landslides and floods, the new mom has no choice but to run to save her baby girl—even if it means teaming up with the man who has no idea he fathered her child.

Trapped in a dangerously unstable wilderness with a killer closing in, Von and Stella are running out of time to get to safety. And every fissure reveals a new secret that will shake them to their foundation…

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and the recipient of a Holt Medallion. She’s written over fifty titles in the suspense, lighthearted romance and mystery genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense and Poisoned Pen Press.

More from Dana

I won’t ever forget October 17th, 1989. I was finished with my student teaching duties, chatting with my mother while we watched the World Series. It was an epic matchup of two Bay Area teams. As we watched, the floor lurched and the entire house began to rattle and pitch. We ran outside and watched the street undulate like ocean waves. We’d later come to learn it was a 6.9 earthquake on the Loma Prieta fault. The shaking only lasted 20 seconds but 63 people were killed, 3,757 were reported injured and 12,053 displaced. The damage estimates reached as high as $10 billion, with 18,306 houses leveled. Approximately 2,575 businesses were impacted and 147 were destroyed. The part I will remember most was the collapse of a section of the freeway in Oakland which trapped people in the pancaked structure. I remember watching the close space rescue teams work night and day to find survivors.

Little did I know that memorable event would someday lead to a book! This novel combines the iconic California setting of Yosemite and the big fear buried deep in every California’s mind…the big one, the massive earthquake we know will be coming someday. Of course you know there will be a happy ending in the novel, but I hope you will feel the edge of your seat suspense that keeps you turning pages. God bless you, dear readers!

My Impressions

“Stella Rivers scoured the dense shrubbery like she’d been doing for the past hour as if the branches might somehow reach out and snatch her van off the mountain road. Ridiculous, but the isolation raked her nerves.”

Yikes!! Dana Mentink knows how to build tension in the first sentence, and in Trapped in Yosemite, that tension only gets more and more taut until the last sentence!

Stella Rivers is an arborist with something to prove and a nine-month-old daughter to support on her own. She becomes a human target while going to an appointment near Yosemite. As Stella flees, her vehicle is destroyed, and she is rescued by her former fiancé, Von Sharpe. Von is ex-military and grudgingly leads tours in Yosemite at his brother’s wilderness survival camp.

Stella is keeping a huge secret from Von and has put up a wall around her heart. She vows to stay away from Von and to never make him as important in her life as he once was. “She wouldn’t and couldn’t make him her everything, the source of her happiness and fulfillment.”

Von doesn’t understand how to deal with a young child, but his precious Malinois is like a child to him. Burned once by Stella, Von finds himself protecting her from incredible natural and human disasters. Von doesn’t believe God gives second chances, and he’s not about to give himself or Stella any grace.

I loved the eventual solution to Stella’s mysterious stalker. I didn’t see it coming until just before the reveal.

If you love high-octane romantic suspense with mystery or secret baby trope, you will enjoy Dana Mentink’s Trapped in Yosemite.

Notable Quotables:

“Why hadn’t he told her the truth? Truth and facts were what kept people alive.”

“If you aren’t tied together by God, the world will tear you apart in short order.”

I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher via Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. I also purchased my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

“‘You weren’t put on this planet to be happy.” ‘Tate’s equanimity only infuriated Von further. ‘Yeah? Then why am I here, oh, wise sage?’ ‘To learn how to love.’”

“‘I try very hard not to dwell in what ifs.’ That would turn into a spiral of intrusive thoughts that would hold her hostage. “

“Love couldn’t be enough without the bedrock of faith.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! My fave Dana Mentink romantic suspense yet!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 21

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 21

Bigreadersite, March 21

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 22 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 22

Texas Book-aholic, March 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 23

Lakesidelivingsite, March 24

Pause for Tales, March 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 24

Betti Mace, March 25

The Sacred Line, March 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 26

Daysong Reflections, March 26

EmpowerMoms, March 27

Life, Love, Writing, March 27

Cover Lover Book Review, March 28

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, March 28

Blogging With Carol, March 28

Tell Tale Book reviews, March 29

Simple Harvest Reads, March 29 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, March 30

Splashes of Joy, March 30

Blossoms and Blessings, March 31

To Everything There Is A Season , March 31

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 31

Holly’s Book Corner, April 1

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, April 1

Life on Chickadee Lane, April 2

Labor Not in Vain , April 2

Lily’s Corner, April 3

Lights in a Dark World, April 3

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, April 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize package of a $100 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2a8f5/trapped-in-yosemite-celebration-tour-giveaway

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, Purchase

Luck of the Irish: A Cozy Mystery Anthology by Cozy Authors

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Luck of the Irish Cozy Mystery Anthology

Authors:Kate Darroch, Jessica Thompson, Kathleen Kalb, C A Phipps, Amy Grundy, J R Lancaster, Jaclyn Weist, Jessica Brimer, K Rose, and W Jenkins

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Release Date: March 17, 2024

A fabulous collection of Cozy Mysteries from your Favorite Cozy Authors –  published on St Pat’s Day, so they ALL feature The Luck of the Irish. ALL PROCEEDS go to help children living in ghastly conditions in internment camps.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Authors

Living on the picturesque Devon coastline, Kate combines her passion for cozy sleuths and her experiences living in many countries to create compelling Travel Cozies.
Màiri Maguire, a Scots Irish schoolteacher from 1970s Glasgow, the heroine of Kate’s debut novel, Death in Paris, has earned Kate many international book awards, including Incipere’s Best Christian Fiction 2022, consolidating her reputation as a notable author.

Kate hopes her readers will enjoy Màiri’s adventures as much as she enjoys Father Brown, Sherlock Holmes, and that old movie, the Perils of Pauline.
Next, Kate created Huntingdon Hart Investigates. Hunt is a dryly witty, prescient, tongue-in-cheek combo of James Bond and Sherlock Holmes, who’s in endless pursuit of a much older woman.
Kate’s most recent opus is the Christian Second Chance for Lasting Love series, Sweets By the Sea, a depth saga of Recovery and Redemption which her readers insist is even more adorable than her Cozy Mysteries. The first book in the series is Thanksgiving in Welcombe Bay, which has been rapturously received by Readers Favorite’s critics.

Jessica Thompson is the award-winning author of the Amazon best-selling mystery novels “A Caterer’s Guide to Holidays and Homicide” and “A Caterer’s Guide to Love and Murder”. Her latest novel, “Shoot Shovel and Shut Up,” is a classic mystery that won second place in the Firebird Awards. Jessica’s “Beyond the Woods: A Supernatural Anthology” is a family-friendly collection of her own campfire stories. Jessica is also Assistant Finance Chair for the Storymakers Guild.

More from Kate

Recipe for Irish Stew and an introduction to the book and why my fellow authors and I created it.

The Luck of the Irish: a Cozy Mystery Anthology from 10 Cozy Authors

Editors:  Kate Darroch and Jessica Thompson

You will love this Cozy Mystery anthology crammed with Cozy Mysteries from 10 Cozy authors

Renowned, like Kathleen Marple Karb, and New, like J R Lancaster

Let’s start our St Pat’s Day Celebrations the right way, with delicious things to eat and drink! Food for the body.

Irish Stew

A Royal Chef cooked this yummy Irish Stew Recipe at Sandringham House

Learn his delicious, although not strictly traditional, Irish stew recipe – and surprise your loved ones with a dish fit for a King!

Darren McGrady    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9HWZe9cSrM

Continuing our St Pat’s Day Celebrations, the right way, with Fascinating Mysteries full of Luck! Food for the mind.

The title says it all! Ten Cozy Mysteries from beloved Cozy Authors to give you food for the mind throughout the celebrations!

And winding up our St Pat’s Day Celebrations the right way, with a thought for those less fortunate… Food for the soul.

Why did 10 Authors get together to give you this super collection of Cozy Mysteries? Because we were aghast at the plight of children in border internment camps. We funded all costs of publication. 100% of all book sales proceeds goes to RAICES

Help these kids in dire need. And have fun reading Cozy Mysteries at the same time.

My Impressions

“Some people might say I’m nosey, but I prefer attentive.”

Luck of the Irish: A Cozy Mystery Anthology is a bit different than what I expected, perhaps. Different writers, yes, there are ten, so there is a variety of style and presentation. All are necessarily short, so each can be read in a quick sitting, which is nice.

All the stories contain an amateur sleuth of some capacity who reluctantly or quite happily tries to solve a crime the police cannot. Often, small towns are involved. What I most found missing was humor, that while not a cozy requirement, is something that I believe adds much to the genre. I also missed any real faith lessons, although none were promised. Some situations bordered on the out-of-bounds for me, and one story I didn’t finish. I felt it was cruder than necessary.

There were some stories I did enjoy. My fave was JR Lancaster’s A Foliage Farewell, where a horticulturist who rarely leaves his house travels to a country manor to discover why the rich man’s prized conservatory plants were dying. This story reminded me of Encyclopedia Brown from my childhood.

I also enjoyed A Tale of Fickle Fortune by Amy Grundy in which a leprechaun statue is thought to bring good luck to its possessor, if returned to giver in alotted time.

I also liked Jessica Brimer’s Clover in Murder, for the reasoning behind murder and a twist at the end of the story.

Yet another story that caught my attention for its surprising twist at the end is Leprechaun Gold by Jaclyn Wrist. The sleuth and the police are friendly to each other. The clue of the stamp and how it plays out amazes me. But more so, it’s the ending that amazes me. I want to rewind that ending or interview the one character, and ask, “Now, just HOW did you know that was the right thing to do again?!”

I also thought CA Phipps had a good story with Luck of Shadows and a woman named Patience who grants people’s last wishes.

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

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐

Good. Recommended with caveats.

Blog Stops

I have edited this post. Celebrate Lit is no longer promoting this book.

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

Gladwynn Grant Gets Her Footing by Lisa R. Howeler Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Gladwynn Grant Gets Her Footing

Author: Lisa R. Howeler

Genre: Clean Cozy Mystery

Release Date: July 11, 2023

A little bit of mystery, a dash of romance, and a whole lot of heart

After being laid off from her job as a librarian at a small college, Gladwynn Grant isn’t sure what her next step in life is. When a job as a small-town newspaper reporter opens up in the town her grandmother Lucinda Grant lives in, she decides to take it to get away from a lot of things – Bennett Steele for one.

Lucinda has been living alone since Gladwynn’s grandfather passed away six years ago and she isn’t a take-it-easy, rock-on-your-front-porch kind of grandma. She’s always on the go and lately, she’s been on the go with a man who Gladwynn doesn’t know.

Gladwynn thought Brookstone was a small, quiet town, but within a few days of being there, she has to rethink that notion. Someone has cut the bank loan officer’s brakes, threatening letters are being sent, and memories of a jewelry theft from the 1990s have everyone looking at the cold case again.

What, if anything, will Gladwynn uncover about her new hometown and her grandmother’s new male friend? And what will she do about her grandmother’s attempt to set her up with the handsome Pastor Luke Callahan?

Find out in this modern mystery with a vintage feel.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lisa Robinson-Howeler is a writer and photographer from Northeastern Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband and two children, her dog Zooma and her two cats Pixel and Scout. She is a former small-town newspaper reporter. She is also a wife, blogger, and a homeschooling mother. She blogs about fiction, faith, photography, and life.

More from Lisa

I can’t say that Gladwynn Grant’s character is based completely on my grandmother, but, in some ways, I did. I named her Gladwynn after my paternal grandmother who I grew up living over the creek and through the woods from.

Gladwynn was her middle name but I’m not really sure how she spelled it because she never really used it. She usually just wrote G. as the middle initial. When we did a search on Ancestry, we saw that some spellings on her documents were Gladwin and some were Gladwyn. I guess her family wasn’t sure either, but if I remember right (I don’t have the document right in front of me) on her birth certificate it was spelled Gladwin.

I liked the spelling of Gladwynn with a “y” and two “n’s” though so that is how I spelled Gladwynn’s name for the books.

My grandmother was tough and to the point. She wasn’t mean but she didn’t pull punches. She was not super maternal or affectionate. Again, though, she was not mean.

She lived through the Great Depression and raised children during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Her youngest, my dad, was in the Air Force when Vietnam broke out. He was never sent overseas but he helped build bombs and work on airplanes during that time.

She knew about hardship, trials, and heartbreak. Her husband died of cancer when he was in his 60s and she spent the next 35 years without him. She began to lose her eyesight to macular degeneration in her 80s.

None of what life threw at her stopped her from living her best life.

She still traveled and kept her house and property up. At the age of 86 I caught her on a ladder cleaning out the gutters. Around the same age she marched down the dirt road in front of her house with a walking stick and told the township road workers to make sure the drainage pipe they were putting in didn’t run into her field and flood it.

If she was afraid of things, she didn’t show it very often.

My family lived with her while I was in college and I learned so much about how to preserve and live a happy and fulfilled life despite the tragedies or trials of my life.

When I started thinking about writing a cozy mystery series, I wanted the main character to be a lot like grandma, but also more affectionate and sentimental than my grandmother seemed at times.

I only remember my grandmother telling me she loved me once or twice in my life, but I know she did because she showed it in her actions toward me.

I wrote Gladwynn to be bold and tough, but also to be affectionate and open with her feelings – a lot like my grandmother, but also a little different.

I think my grandmother would love the idea that I am writing a series of books based on her name and partially on her personality.

My Impressions

“The people in this county had a lot more skeletons in their closet than Gladwynn had ever imagined.”

After being let go from her job as a research librarian, Gladwynn Grant flees her hometown and her self-centered ex-boyfriend to resettle in a small town 200 miles away, Brookstone, PA, where her grandmother lives. Gladwynn takes a job as a cub reporter, where she gets so little respect, “She was beginning to think she should legally change her name to New Girl.” Lisa Howeler sets up the classic cozy in Gladwynn Grant Gets Her Footing.

Multiple- near murders, a ten year-old- unsolved jewelry heist, rumors of buried French treasure, an antagonistic relationship between the paper Gladwynn works for and the police and fire departments. Plus, don’t forget the six degrees of separation law- in this case, everybody either knows somebody well, or is related.

I wished for a list of characters at the front to refer to. Some, like Daryl Stabler, owner of prized land and all-around jerk, you won’t forget. But, I highly suggest either taking notes on characters or reading on kindle so you can refer back to names as they re-occur.

Gladwynn and her grandmother have a very unusual relationship. Both are a little snarky, Grandma likes to keep her social life private, which causes the investigative and protective side of Gladwynn to come out. Yet they love each other fiercely. Grandma keeps pushing a certain young man towards Gladwynn. But, by the time I finished the book and read the provided introductory chapter of the next book, I was getting a strong reminder of the love triangles of the Hannah Swensen Mysteries. I must admit I bought the next book in the Gladwynn Grant series and will probably devour it 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:

(Fave observation quotes.)

“people can do things totally out of their norm if they get angry enough.”

“That’s the weird things about memories, though. They follow you no matter where you go.”

(Fave wisdom quote.)

“It can’t be easy trying to step into shoes as big as Grandpa’s.” Luke sighed. “I like to think of it as following in his footsteps instead. I could never fill his shoes, but I’m more than happy to follow in his footsteps.”

(Fave spiritual truth.)

“It’s a weird world we live in.” “It’s a heartbroken world we live in,” Lionel said. “If only more people knew how God created them to love and be loved. Your grandfather did his very best to make sure everyone he came in contact with knew that.”

(Fave funny- ironic quote.)

“You’re learning. I’m proud of you.” She rolled her eyes as she sat down. “Grey gods indeed.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great! Looking forward to second Gladwynn Grant book later today!!

Great! Binge-reading second book later today. Gotta figure out love triangle!!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 13

Holly’s Book Corner, March 13

Texas Book-aholic, March 14

Devoted To Hope, March 15

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 18

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 19 (Author Interview)

Mornings at Character Cafe, March 19

Book Looks by Lisa, March 20

An Author’s Take, March 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 22

Blogging With Carol, March 23

Pause for Tales, March 23

Lily’s Corner, March 24

For Him and My Family, March 25

Mary Hake, March 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lisa is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a paperback copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2a7a8/gladwynn-grant-gets-her-footing-celebration-tour-giveaway

BLOG

If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: If the Boot Fits

Author: Karen Witemeyer

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: March 12, 2024

One fateful night will change their destinies forever. . . .

Convinced that his stepmother and half brothers have been wrongfully evicted by cattle king Eli Dearing, Asher Ellis uses the cover of an extravagant ball to break into the Three Cedars’ ranch house to search for proof. On the verge of discovery, he flees, but a boy’s cry compels him to make a daring rescue.

Spunky and independent Samantha Dearing balks when she learns the ball her father is hosting is nothing more than a matrimonial ambush. Taking a break from unwanted suitors, Samantha spots a thief fleeing her home. When the stranger ends up saving her brother’s life, she hides the only clue to his identity left behind–his boot–and resolves to find him herself.

When Samantha encounters the older brother of a student she tutors, all thoughts of the bootless mystery man vanish. Asher values family above wealth, a rare trait that opens her heart. Afraid she will discover his past misconduct, Asher tries to keep his distance, but when a series of suspicious accidents befall her, he vows to protect her, even though saving her life could mean losing her love.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Voted #1 Reader’s Favorite Christian Historical Author of 2023 by Family Fiction magazine, bestselling and Carol and Christy Award-winning author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. She and her husband make their home in Abilene, Texas.

More from Karen

Character Names and Word Games

One of my favorite parts of writing any book is finding the perfect names for my characters. Names are so important. They carry meaning and expectation. They add historical flavor and help create a picture in the reader’s mind about who that character is. They can also add hidden joy to a story for me as the author that may or may not be realized by the reader.

If the Boot Fits was inspired by the classic fairy tale, Cinderella. I give it a fresh western twist and mixed up the plot a bit, but it was important to me to fill this tale with subtle nods to the version I loved as a child. One of the main ways I did this was through the naming of my characters.

I worked hard to create names that would harken back to the original while still carrying meaning of their own. Instead of Cinderella, we have a hero named Asher Ellis—Ash being a synonym of Cinder, and Ellis playing off of Ella. For our heroine, I wanted something to play on the “charming” motif without being too on-the-nose. I ended up selecting Samantha Dearing—Dearing like endearing or charming. Samantha is the feminine version of Samuel which comes into play in the story since her father’s name is Eli. The three key older ladies of the story all of names inspired by royalty, as befits a fairy tale—Regina, Elizabeth, and Victoria. Asher’s step brothers are named Jonathan and Fergus. However, Jonathan goes by Jack, giving a nod to the mice from Disney’s Cinderella, Jaq and Gus. Asher’s horse is named Bruno in honor of the dog who saved Cinderella from the tower room. We have a cattle king with a foreman named Duke as well. Whether readers catch all of these nods or not, they made me as the author smile while writing the story.

Here’s another way to have fun with names and other key story elements. I’ve created a word search for you to enjoy. Have fun!

Click here to play.

My Impressions

I love Karen Witemeyer’s Western historical fiction novels. If the Boot Fits is quite an interesting retelling of Cinderella. I felt so sorry for Samantha Dearing who has always known that she is not good enough in her Texas rancher father’s eyes. Yet, I loved how Witemeyer slowly peels back layers of Samantha and her father’s relationship until it looks totally different than what Samantha has assumed it to be. Nice twists!

So many times I just had to laugh at expressions that Witemeyer had her characters use, ie, “gallloping geese!”

Plus, just fun and hilarious situations. I esp. loved Asher’s brother, Ferguson, and his great imagination involving the farm animals and his writings about them.

Other than the main characters and their romance, there are so many terrific secondary characters! I went from extreme dislike to extreme admiration for one character. I loved the sage advice that Aunt Regina has to offer Samantha.

“No one enjoys adversity, but nothing can draw a child of God closer to the Father. It is easier to rely on his strength when we’ve been weakened. Easier to trust his guidance when we know we are lost. Easier to seek his presence when pain makes us crave his comfort.”

Ashur’s mother, Bess , is a quiet presence who has a huge influence on the people around her. Her love, her kindness, her forgiveness, pave the way for both Asher and Samantha to follow suit.

So many faith moments to highlight and ponder!! I really love that Witemeyer uses so many situations in the story that can apply to our lives today! This is the number #1 reason I read fiction, for these terrific Biblical truth nuggets! Bravo!!

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

Notable Quotables:

( What I want to emulate.)

“She repeated the verse over and over in her mind until her heart started to believe.”

( What I want to remember.)

…waiting is one of the hardest things the Lord asks us to do. It strains our patience, faith, and self-control. Yet he promises good to those who wait on him.”

(What we all need to remember.)

“God created us with very different personalities and interests, which led to us viewing the world through very different lenses. One wasn’t better or worse than another. Both had value. And both had pitfalls.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!!

Blog Stops

Book Looks by Lisa, March 13

Melissa’s Bookshelf, March 13

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 14

Batya’s Bits, March 14

By the Book, March 15

Madi’s Musings, March 15

Texas Book-aholic, March 15

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 16

EmpowerMoms, March 16

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 17

Blossoms and Blessings, March 17

She Lives To Read, March 18

Where Faith and Books Meet, March 18

Blogging With Carol, March 19

Life of Literature, March 19

Simple Harvest Reads, March 19 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

ABBA’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 20

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 20

lakesidelivingsite, March 20

Alena Mentink, March 21

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 21

Splashes of Joy, March 21

Betti Mace, March 22

For Him and My Family, March 22

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, March 22

Cover Lover Book Review, March 23

Holly’s Book Corner, March 23

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 23

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 24 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 24

Lily’s Corner, March 25

Wishful Endings, March 25

Pause for Tales, March 25

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 26

Just Your Average reviews, March 26

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, March 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize package of a $15 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of If the Boot Fits!! (US only)

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2a7a9/if-the-boot-fits-celebration-tour-giveaway
ARC, Bethany House, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, Launch Team, NetGalley, PB, Purchase

Set in Stone by Kimberley Woodhouse Review

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Set in Stone

Series: Treasures in the Earth

Author: Kimberley Woodhouse

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Released: March 12, 2024

A dangerous scheme could bury their long-held dreams forever. . . . 

From the time she was little, Martha Jankowski has been digging in the dirt, much to the dismay of her mother. Now she dreams of being a paleontologist and is determined to make her parents proud by uncovering the next big discovery. When Martha finds what she hopes to be a fully intact dinosaur skeleton–one that could win her an acclaimed exhibit–she learns another team is competing against her and could steal her chance at being recognized for this momentous discovery.

Paleontology student Jacob Duncan has fulfilled his dream of digging for dinosaur bones at last. In a race against time, he and his team are bent on unearthing a complete skeleton to claim a museum exhibit with their names on it. But when Jacob meets their charming competitor Martha and uncovers foul play within his team, love and danger grow hand in hand until a menacing ruse threatens to destroy it all.

About the Author

Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than twenty-five books. A lover of history and research, she often gets sucked into the past and then her husband has to lure her out with chocolate and the promise of eighteen holes on the golf course. She loves music, kayaking, and her family. Her books have been awarded the Carol Award, Holt Medallion, Reader’s Choice Award, Selah Award, Spur Award, and others. A popular speaker/teacher, she’s shared with over 1,000,000 people at more than twenty-five hundred venues across the country. Married to the love of her life for three decades, she lives and writes in the Poconos where she’s traded in her hat of “craziest mom” for “coolest grandma.” Connect with Kim at

http://www.kimberleywoodhouse.com http://www.facebook.com/

KimberleyWoodhouseAu… http://www.instagram.com/ kimberleywoodhouse http://www.twitter.com/ kimwoodhouse

My Impressions

“But what good is it having dreams if they aren’t big?”

Woo-Hoo, Set in Stone, book two of Treasures in the Earth, by Kimberley Woodhouse, releases March 12! I absolutely love this series by Kimberley Woodhouse!

Set in Stone is just as exciting and suspenseful as its predecessor, The Secrets Beneath. Both involve a woman archaeologist, history, romance, and mystery. Set in Stone, as Secrets Beneath, can be a stand-alone.

This is a heart-wrenching story, at least for any daddy’s girl, of which I was one. Young Martha Jankowski is also one, idolizing her father, loving any time at home with him, and ecstatic when her archaeologist father lets her start “working”with him on a dig at age 6. But shortly after that, her parents return home from a trip, with her father maimed, unable to work any more, and greatly changed.

Unable to get her social-rule-conscious mother to show any love or approval, Martha hopes as an adult, by working her own dig, to gain her parents’ approval.

We meet Jacob Duncan working on an opposing dig, as the powers that be have pitted two digs against each other for dinosaur bones and speed. This is part of the Bone Wars that took place during that time, leading to sloppy practices, carelessness, and greed in a field demanding meticulous care. It is interesting to see how Woodhouse introduces Jacob and Martha to each other and how their lives become entangled both in matters of work and the heart.

If that were the only storyline present, Set in Stone would be interesting. But Woodhouse takes her novel a step above to “ominously mysterious” with the mystery over Martha’s father’s personality change and the invisible, ruthless owner of the other mine.

I loved the growth in the two main characters. The spiritual insights are as relevant for the reader as they are for the protagonists.

Don’t miss this exciting, mysterious second book in the Treasures of the Earth series.

Notable Quotables:

“…it doesn’t matter where God places you, it only matters that you use what you have to shine His light.”

“Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.”

Proverbs 17:9 ESV

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

Reverence in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Reverence in the Wilderness

Author: Andrea Byrd

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: March 5, 2024

She’s desperate to save the homestead she’s poured her life into…but is a marriage of convenience with him the answer?

Alone in the Kentucky wilderness, Keturah Elliot finds herself bereft of family and facing the looming threat of losing all she has left. After toiling alongside her demeaning father for two years, she cannot bear losing the homestead they built with their own hands. Keturah has no choice but to trust the Lord’s urging—she must marry to protect all she holds dear. But when a candidate presents himself in the form of a wealthy dandy from back East, can she find enough redeeming qualities to accept him?

Haunted by his mother’s death and a lifetime of failure and isolation, Daniel Scott sees little hope of a better situation when he’s sent to a remote Kentucky station. But when he meets a captivating Scottish woman in need of a husband such as he, he’s determined to break the cycle and prove himself once and for all.

Brought together by circumstances beyond their control, can these two opposites overcome their challenges to build the future they both crave?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Andrea Byrd is a Christian wife and mom located in rural Kentucky, who loves to spend time with her family in the great outdoors, one with nature. Often described as having been born outside her time, she has a deep affinity for an old-fashioned, natural lifestyle.

With a degree in Equine Health & Rehabilitation gathering dust and a full-time job tethering her to a desk eight hours a day, Andrea decided it was time to show both herself and her children that it is truly possible to make your dreams come true. Now with over 1,000 contemporary Christian romance novellas sold, Andrea is pursuing her passion of writing faith-filled romance woven with a thread of true history.

More from Andrea

In many ways, Reverence in the Wilderness is deeply personal for me.

To read about Daniel Scott is to receive a glimpse at my own husband. Dark hair and a golden-brown gaze…and my complete opposite in nearly every way. He is also talkative, entertaining, and gentlemanly. He definitely shares Daniel’s fun-loving and caring nature. Just as God blessed Keturah with Daniel, God blessed me with a man who perfectly complements me while keeping life interesting.

And, not to provider spoilers, but the miscarriage was drawn from one of my own experiences. During my most recent pregnancy, I experienced a threatened miscarriage. I just knew without a shadow of a doubt that I had lost my baby, and in that moment, I glimpsed the hopelessness one would face during a miscarriage. Thanks to the prayers of others and the good Lord above, I was blessed with a healthy pregnancy from then on out and now have a beautiful, healthy baby boy. However, there are so many women who must face that grief and loss in full force. And for always, my heart will break for them. As soon as I returned home from the hospital that night, I knew I had to represent their plight within these pages.

This book is dedicated to every woman who has ever experienced a miscarriage or threatened miscarriage.

My Impressions

“Ye need land, an’ I need a husband. But only if ye can pull yer weight.”

Whoo, boy, you know exactly what to expect out of Andrea Byrd’s historical romance, Reverence in the Wilderness, when you read Keturah’s words to Daniel. Well, at least you know two people are hurtling head-long for adventure, compromise, hurt, and possibly love. When Keturah’s mean-spirited father is killed suddenly, she realizes the only way to keep her land is to find a man to marry who can help her homestead it. So off she heads husband-hunting at the nearest trading post.

Daniel has been injured and left behind by his westward traveling party at the post to recuperate. But, Daniel knows it goes beyond that. Failure could be his first and last name, with rejection being his middle name. Can he ever prove his mettle before God and others, or did God make a mistake when He made Daniel, as his father believes?

Keturah believes God has answered her prayer for a husband quite quickly, and decisions are made that must be lived with. I will give credit to both Keturah and Daniel for seeking out advice. Says James Skaggs, the trading post owner,

“Marriage itself is an adventure, one that must be learned along the way…You cannot allow the fear of failure to cause you to turn from something that could be the best choice you ever make.”

Both Daniel and Keturah had fathers who greatly influenced them in a negative way. Although the fathers are not present in the novel, their attitudes towards their children have caused severe scars. In at least Keturah’s case, when things begin to go south, she sees the Heavenly Father through the lens her earthly father provided. “Had she somehow lost favor with her Heavenly Father as she had long ago done so with her earthly father?”

As difficulties multiply and walls build and become insurmountable, will the newly established family crumble in the dust or find its firm footing in faith and forgiveness?

A heart-rending story of two deeply damaged hearts searching for the ultimate love of the Father and the deep, abiding love of a faithful, caring spouse.

Trigger warning: miscarriage

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

Notable Quotable:

( What Characters Need to Learn)

“It is sometimes difficult to remember the truths of reality when you are being fed a lie.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! I want to read more by this author!

Blog Stops

Madi’s Musings, March 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 6

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 6

Texas Book-aholic, March 7

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 8

She Lives to Read, March 9

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 10

For Him and My Family, March 10

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 11

Lighthouse Academy Blog, March 12 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Betti Mace, March 13

lakesidelivingsite, March 13

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 14

Cover Lover Book Review, March 15

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 15

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 16 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 16

Holly’s Book Corner, March 17

The Lofty Pages, March 17

Pause for Tales, March 18

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 18

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2a550/reverence-in-the-wilderness-celebration-tour-giveaway

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, Misty M Beller Books, Purchase

Protecting the Mountain Man’s Treasure by Misty Beller Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Protecting the Mountain Man’s Treasure

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: February 6, 2024

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, loyalty…and a hidden fortune. 

Jude Coulter is far more comfortable in his family’s sapphire mine tucked in the Montana mountains than the bustling streets of New York City where he’s been sent to deliver a shipment of gems. His relief at boarding the train for the first leg of his journey home is short-lived when an accident renders him unconscious.

Angela Larkin worked hard to earn this assignment for the Treasury—an undercover mission to determine the source of the sapphires brought each year for auction in the city. When an accident causes her target to lose his recent memory, Angela jumps at the opportunity to create the ideal ruse. Jude seems surprised to learn the two of them had married and were returning from a glorious wedding trip, but he doesn’t question too strongly.

Yet when an unexpected threat arises, they find themselves dependent on the other to navigate the treacherous journey home. As the danger mounts, so too does an attraction neither of them anticipated. But can this love withstand the revelation of their tangled beginnings?

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain family saga filled with a pretend marriage, amnesia, undercover agents, and a love worth treasuring far more than riches.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Misty M. Belleris a USA Todaybestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

More from Misty

In my latest release, the hero and heroine travel up the Missouri River in a steamboat, and I loved the research for that portion of the story!

Traveling on a steamboat in 1869 was an experience like no other, and took about two months to travel from St. Louis, Missouri to Fort Benton in the Montana Territory. Passengers would step aboard these floating palaces to find ornate decorations, plush accommodations, and the promise of new scenery at every bend in the river. Despite the occasional discomforts of travel—such as noisy engines and the ever-present risk of boiler explosions—passengers reveled in the novelty and the relative speed of steamboat travel.

The Missouri was notorious for its shifting channels, snags, and sandbars, which could easily ensnare even the most experienced pilot’s vessel. Navigating this river required an intimate knowledge of its capricious nature, and the river pilots were worth their weight in gold.

River towns along the Missouri thrived thanks to the steamboats. These towns became hotbeds of economic activity, where goods were loaded and unloaded, and stories from faraway places were exchanged. The arrival of a steamboat was an event, often met with fanfare and excitement by the local populace.

I pray you love the peek at steamboat life in Protecting the Mountain Man’s Treasure!

Blessings!

Misty

My Impressions

“You, Lord, are a healer of hearts. The only One mighty enough to redeem us when it seems impossible.”

If you are a fan of clean, historical westerns with dollops of romance and faith, Misty Beller is an excellent author to follow. Ms. Beller has quite a few books out, and since I can’t quite keep up with her prolific output, Protecting the Mountain Man’s Treasure is the first book of this series I’ve read. It’s actually the third in the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch series but could be a stand-alone. I believe it’s probably better read in order of publication, though.

Desperate for a reason to follow Jude Coulter back to his home and source of his sapphire shipments, Angela Larkin, a treasury agent, uses Jude’s amnesia on the train to her advantage. How long can she claim to be his wife before Jude’s memory returns and he finds out her deception? Angela doesn’t like lying, but surely this is a case of doing something for the greater good.

As Angela and Jude travel first on the train and then on the steamboat together, they each find the other very intriguing and appealing. But Jude has made a solemn promise and Angela is out to catch a tax evader and worse.

How does God fit into this story? His hand is actually working throughout, though Angela wants nothing to do with God at first. I love that Jude and God had a lot of conversations about her!

“I’m continually amazed at how God brings things together in ways that only He could manage.”

I enjoyed meeting some of the Coulter brothers and other family friends whose stories are probably told in the first two books. I definitely want to go back and find out Two Stones’s story!

My one reservation about this book is it seems to have been hurriedly written and needs more editing. The number of grammar mistakes, missing words, and misuse of homonyms was quite unusual for a Misty Beller book and lowered the enjoyment.

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

Notable Quotables:

(Made me think.)

“…truth wasn’t only in the words she spoke, but in the meaning the other person understood.”

(Made me laugh.)

“…it sure would be nice if God wouldn’t have given people so much free will.”

(Made me cry.)

“She knew rejection well. It had been her friend every time she stepped foot out the door of their flat when she was a kid. No one looked past the races of her parents to see her. To decide if she was worth knowing.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Great!

Blog Stops

Alena Mentink, March 1

Wishful Endings, March 1

Lighthouse Academy Blog, March 2 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 3

Splashes of Joy, March 3

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 4

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, March 4

Madi’s Musings, March 5

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, March 5

Texas Book-aholic, March 6

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 6

Betti Mace, March 7

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 7

Devoted To Hope, March 8

For Him and My Family, March 8

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , March 9

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 9

Cover Lover Book Review, March 10

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 10

Blossoms and Blessings, March 11

Mary Hake, March 11

lakesidelivingsite, March 12

Melissa’s Bookshelf, March 12

Holly’s Book Corner, March 13

The Lofty Pages, March 13

Lily’s Corner, March 14

Pause for Tales, March 14

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2a3d3/protecting-the-mountain-man-s-treasure-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

What I Promise You by Liz Tolsma Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: What I Promise You

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release Date: February 1, 2024

A Family’s History Is Lost to the Ravages of WWII in Southwest France

1942
Noémie Treves, a young, pregnant Jewish woman, had her entire world shattered when she is arrested and taken to the Camp de Rivesaltes transit camp in Southwest France. No sooner does she arrive, though, than she assists in helping two young girls scheduled for transport escape to a nearby maternity hospital. The matron there befriends her and changes her name to help hide her. But nothing goes according to plan, and Hannah finds herself doing the unimaginable to save one precious life.

2022
Caitlyn Laurant is haunted by recent events in her life and hopes becoming a nurse on the mission field will help her forget. While in training, she and her friends travel to France where her grandfather was born. What should have been an easy search for his birthplace turns into anything but and reveals secrets that no one alive has ever heard.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping.

More from Liz

The Story behind the Cover of What I Promise You

In the late summer, I got the preliminary cover for What I Promise You. While Barbour Publishing always does a great job with their covers, and the one they sent was very nice, I wasn’t crazy about it because it didn’t tell the story at all. The mansion that plays such a big part in the novel was nowhere to be seen. Barbour is fantastic when it comes to working with me to get great covers, so I asked if we could include the real mansion that the story is based on. Turns out that they were having trouble getting copyright permission to use any image they could find of the maternity home.

That was disappointing. But I got brave and let them know that I took a picture of it when I was in France last year, and they could use it, but I’m not a very good photographer and I only used my iPhone. I attached the photo to the email and didn’t hear anything for a while.

Then in October, I wanted to include a preorder link to the book on social media or something and went to Amazon to grab it. And there was the cover. I went back and forth between the cover and my picture, and sure enough, it was the picture of the maternity home I had sent them! So I not only wrote What I Promise You, but some of my photography is on the front. I never thought that would happen. Am I in the wrong profession?? Just kidding!

My Impressions

“You can’t live your life looking over your shoulder. Keep your eyes focused on what’s in front of you.”

As I sat down to read yet another World War II novel, this one What I Promise You by Liz Tolsma, I had to wonder why. Why are so many novels being written about WWII? How is this one different than others I’ve read?

The first question might be self-explanatory as we as a nation are at a point where we have very few survivors of WWII still alive, and perhaps we are trying to grasp pieces of history before they’re gone forever. Certainly, that’s one promise we want to make our ancestors- that we will never forget the atrocities that went on in Europe, man’s inhumane treatment of his fellow man, especially during that time.

Tolsma’s novel stands out because it deals largely with the treatment and rescue and raids of women and children. To think that a few people, like Nurse Reiter, Eleanor, Aime, and Helene could affect so many! While the characters are fictional, several were loosely based on real, live, brave people.

Another way Tolsma’s novel stands out is the fact that it is not a dual timeline, but a triple timeline! We are with Noemie in 1942 Perpignan, France, in third person POV; with an unidentified narrator in Elne, France, in 1955, written in first person POV; and Barcelona, Spain and southern France with Caitlyn in 2022, written again in third person POV. Tolsma exhibits a great deal of skill to have separated all those story threads beforehand, then to slowly piece and wind them, bit by bit, back together again! I loved how not only is What I Promise You historical and romantic, but now another layer has been added- that of mystery.

The depth of this story! The emotions each time period evokes! My heart is raw! When will Helene stop trying to give more than she can, in order to atone for her perceived past sin? When will Caitlyn decide whether she is following God or her plans from her childhood? Who will God place in these young women’s paths who will be a light in their darkest times?

I personally loved all the French phrases and felt it added an authenticity to the book. A glossary is provided at the front.

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

Notable Quotables:

“To give your offspring the best chance they have at life is the greatest gift you can give them.”

“What is right is not always easy.”

“There’s always the choice to do right or wrong.”

“I can’t live my life in fear of what might be. If I do, I’ll miss out on what is.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! I think this is the first triple time-line I’ve read, plus with a mystery thrown in?! I’m loving these twists on historical fiction!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 27

Life on Chickadee Lane, February 27

Lots of Helpers, February 28

Lighthouse Academy Blog, February 28 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 29

For Him and My Family, February 29

Betti Mace, March 1

Devoted To Hope, March 1

She Lives To Read, March 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 2

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 3

Texas Book-aholic, March 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 4

Blogging With Carol, March 4

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 5

Lily’s Corner, March 5

Bizwings Book Blog, March 5

lakesidelivingsite, March 6

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 6

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 7 (Author Interview)

Southern Gal Loves to Read, March 7

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 8

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, March 8

Cover Lover Book Review, March 8

Connie’s History Classroom, March 9

Holly’s Book Corner, March 9

Pause for Tales, March 10

Labor Not in Vain, March 10

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, March 11

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, March 11

Lights in a Dark World, March 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and print copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2a3ce/what-i-promise-you-celebration-tour-giveaway
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Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin Review

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Embers in the London Sky

Author: Sarah Sundin

Publisher: Revell

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery

Released: February 2024

As the German army invades the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens escapes to London to wait out the Occupation. Separated from her three-year-old son, Theo, in the process, the young widow desperately searches for her little boy even as she works for an agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside.

When German bombs set London ablaze, BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood reports on the Blitz, eager to boost morale while walking the fine line between truth and censorship. But the Germans are not the only ones Londoners have to fear as a series of murders flame up amid the ashes. 

The deaths hit close to home for Hugh, and Aleida needs his help to locate her missing son. As they work together, they grow closer and closer, both to each other and the answers they seek. But with bombs falling and continued killings, they may be running out of time.

About the Author

arah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of Embers in the London Sky (February 2024), The Sound of Light (2023), Until Leaves Fall in Paris (2022), When Twilight Breaks (2021), and several World War II series.

Sarah’s novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. Until Leaves Fall in Paris received the 2022 Christy Award and was a semi-finalist for the 2023 Carol Award, The Sound of Light, When Twilight Breaks, and The Land Beneath Us were finalists for the Christy Award, and The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award.

A mother of three, Sundin lives in Southern California and enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers’ groups. Sarah serves as Co-Director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.

My Impressions

“On this day, our illustrious government banned the spreading of rumors. Are we to fight censorship in occupied lands by practicing it here?”

Air raid sirens. Criss-crossing search beams looking for enemy warcraft. Bombs screaming through the night air, people crying out in terror and loss. Embers in the sky as fires burn. Sarah Sundin knows few, if any, of her readers were alive during WWII, so she brings the war to us. Against this backdrop she recounts the story of a young Dutch widow, Aleida Maartens, and a famous BBC radio announcer, Hugh Collingwood.

Aleida is in England. She is very forthright, in stark contrast to her British compatriots, and very humble. She volunteers for the government department that oversees Londoners and refugees sending their children to the country to “safety.”

Aleida volunteers to interview refugees in various areas, hoping to locate her lost 3-1/2 year old son.

Hugh is a daring correspondent who is hiding a secret, who sees the future of reporting being live broadcasting and sets up a live broadcast whenever possible. He makes enemies as he criticizes the English government’s censorship of honest news and pushes for being allowed to report live from the front, as others argue for pre-scripted news from a studio. Yes, some war secrets need to be kept, but how much control should the government of a free land exert over its people during war? “But also sobering was the thought of adopting fascism in order to fight it. Surely a better way could be found.”

Will Aleida and High survive the war between countries? The war between social classes and statuses? The fear the threatens to overtake from within, and the resistance from the fellow Allies with differing views? And will Aleida ever be reunited with her darling son, or is their relationship another casualty of the war?

Sarah Sundin is a new-to-me author and one I will def be following from now on!

I received a copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“What we know and what we believe can be two separate matters. We know what we know, but we don’t always know what we believe.”

“List your fears. Name those monsters, so you can fight them.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! My first Sarah Sundin novel, I am now hungry for more of her captivating WWII fiction!