Tag: 4 stars

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Hidden Danger by Gail Pallotta Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Hidden Danger (Discipleship Series Book 1)

Author: Gail Pallotta

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release date: August 21, 2024

After Emily Hanover’s left standing at the altar in Blue Mountain, North Carolina, she goes to Sky High Campground to put her life back together. Because it’s February and few people come here this time of year, she’s alone on the premises. When noises in the middle of the night frighten her, she gathers her courage and peeks outside. A man carrying a body over his shoulder emerges from the dark shadows onto her front yard. Horrified, she collapses onto the floor.

The next morning, she visits ex-military. officer turned security guard, Nick Lancaster. He listens intently to Emily, but dismisses her claim of foul play as a hunter carrying a deer. Finally, after he sees a freshly dug hole in Emily’s yard and finds two more in the woods, he agrees—there’s suspicious activity. Then he and Emily embark on a mission exposing murder and a far-reaching sinister plot, neither suspecting danger can bring romance.

Click here to get your copy

About the Author

Award-winning author Gail Pallotta’s a wife, Mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. A 2013 Grace Awards finalist, she’s a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award winner, a TopShelf 2020 Book Awards Finalist and a Top Author pick. She’s published seven books, poems, short stories and several hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums. She enjoys connecting with readers.

More from Gail

The story behind Hidden Danger started with my love of mysteries and suspense, which began many years ago when I discovered Nancy Drew. Then I wanted to become a detective. That didn’t happen, but I turned my heroine, Emily Hanover, and the hero, Nick Lancaster, into amateur sleuths.

The granddaughter of a minister who planted churches in the far reaches of the Western North Carolina Mountains, I grew up at the foothills of them. As I pondered the setting for a good mystery, the area with lots of underbrush and caves offered opportunities for suspenseful scenes.

Emily works as a newspaper reporter, a job similar to one I had in a public relations department under a retired Associated Press guy. My husband was in the military. After all these years of marriage, I’m familiar with that type of personality, so Nick is an ex-military guy turned security guard.

Emily goes to the campground to find peace and comfort after she was left standing at the altar  on her wedding day. To say she has a chip on her shoulder over men is an understatement. The only true love Nick ever had died while he was overseas. Guilt because he couldn’t be by her side plagues him. He believes he’ll never love another.

Emily meets Nick because her first night at the campground, she sees a man carrying a dead body. Or, does she? Thus, a mystery in the Western North Carolina Mountains begins.

My Impressions

“She could trust Jesus no matter how confusing or turbulent her life grew. He remained the same and He still loved her.”

Emily Hanover certainly has had some turbulence in her life, and it’s about to ramp up! Gail Pallotta, author of Hidden Danger, has put Emily in the unenviable position of being jilted at the altar. To escape reminders of her ex-fiancé, Emily leaves her job as a crime reporter at a small paper for a vacation in the North Carolina mountains. Choosing a small, empty campground, instead of peace and quiet Emily finds disturbing things going on. But can she convince the security guard that what she saw is worth investigating?

Camp security guard Nick Lancaster, fresh out of the military, is barely holding his life together after his fiancée’s death. Yet something about Emily attracts him. And Emily seems to be good at attracting trouble! Will the two broken-hearted young people put aside their hurts and help each other as it appears there is murderous danger nearby?

I was most impressed by Emily’s ability to see beyond the outside of a person. “She focused on the man’s twisted half smile. What turned him into a criminal?…The more important question was—what had gone wrong with his heart? His mind?” At this point, I wouldn’t have cared about the person, I’d be getting myself far, far away fast! It is very interesting what Emily is willing to do as she uses her Father’s eyes to see the worth of a person. 

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:

“Love isn’t like tea in a pitcher. Love never runs out. There’s plenty of it to go around for everyone.”

“Sometimes I have this voice inside my brain that tells me to do something because it’s the right thing to do.”

“she’d been so lost in pain, she didn’t know she needed a friend.”

“Admitting her spirit was injured had freed a tiny piece of dirt from her heart as though the mountain breeze had blown it away.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great!

Blog Stops

Leslie’s Library Escape, February 8

Texas Book-aholic, February 9

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 10

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 13

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 14

Blogging With Carol, February 15

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 16

For him and My Family, February 19

Stories By Gina, February 18 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, February 18

Simple Harvest Reads, February 19 (Author Interview)

Betti Mace, February 20

Book Looks by Lisa, February 20

Lily’s Corner, February 21

Giveaway

To celebrate he tour, Gail is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a print copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54150

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, Purchase, Wild Heart Books

Maggie’s Journey by Lena Nelson Dooley Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Maggie’s Journey

Author: Lena Nelson Dooley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: January 7, 2025

A secret adoption, a quest for identity, and a love that could change her life forever.

Margaret Lenora Caine has never fit the mold her mother set for her. When Maggie discovers proof she was adopted, the rift between them only tears deeper. Feeling the sting of betrayal, Maggie requests permission to visit her grandmother in Little Rock, Arkansas. There she’ll set her sights on her dream of becoming a successful dress designer and maybe find her true identity in the process. Her father’s one condition is that she must be travel with her young aunt and her father’s handsome business partner, Charles Stanton—the man who once held her affections.

Charles Stanton, a thriving businessman, has taken a calculated risk by joining forces with Maggie’s father in a joint venture. When asked to chaperone his new partner’s sister-in-law and daughter on a cross-country trip, Charles sees it as an opportunity to strengthen their business ties. Though he initially sets his sights on Maggie’s charming and composed aunt as a potential wife, Charles soon finds himself increasingly captivated by Maggie’s resilience and charm.

With each passing mile, the bond between Maggie and Charles deepens, challenging both Maggie’s plans and her heart. Will the love growing between them help her embrace her identity—or complicate her search for what truly matters in life?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Multi-published, award-winning author Lena Nelson Dooley has had more than 1,000,000 copies of her 50+ books sold. Her books have appeared on the CBA, Publisher’s Weekly, and ECPA bestseller lists, as well as Amazon bestseller lists. She is a member of American Christian Fiction and the local chapter, ACFW – DFW. She’s a member of Christian Authors’ Network. She likes to create characters and stories that grip her readers hearts.

Book Excerpt

“Mrs. Caine.” Angus McKenna came to an abrupt stop and cleared his throat before starting again. “I’ve come to ask you something that . . . I never dreamed I’d . . . ever ask anyone.” His voice rasped, and he stopped to take a gulp of air, staring off into the distance.

She couldn’t take her eyes from him, even when the baby in her arms squirmed. “How can we help you?”

New tears followed the trails down his cheeks and disappeared into his beard. He grabbed a bandanna from his back pocket and blew his nose with one hand. “I’ve just lost the most important thing in my life.” He paused and stared at the ground. “I don’t know how I can go on without her.” His voice cracked on the last word. Once again he paused, but much longer this time. His prominent Adam’s apple bobbed several times. “I’ve been crying out to God, but I don’t think He’s listening to me right now. If He were . . . ”

What a thing for a man to admit to them. Florence knew he must be near a breakdown. He did need help, but what could they do?

“I’ve decided . . . it would be best to find another family to raise one of my girls.” He stood straighter. “I’ve watched you with Margaret Lenora . . . ”

“Is that what you’ve named her?” Florence gazed at the sleeping baby, and her heart ached for the child. To grow up without a mother.

“Yes.” Angus looked straight at Joshua, and her husband gave a slow nod.

“Your husband has told me . . . how much you’ve wanted a child.”

For a moment, anger flared in her chest. Joshua shouldn’t share her secret with anyone. She took a deep breath to keep from saying something she’d regret. Even though she didn’t even look at her husband, she could feel his gaze deep inside. She was grateful he couldn’t see the ugly jealousy and covetousness that resided there.

My Impressions

“Part of her was missing, but she didn’t know what part it was.”

Do you skip prologues? In some cases, they are very much an essential part of the book, not just an excerpt taken from deeper on in the book. If you skip the prologue to Maggie’s Journey by Lena Nelson Dooley, you’ve just missed some vital information, plus a glimpse of life on the Oregon Trail. 

When we meet Maggie Caine, she is turning eighteen, and very much frustrated with her life. Maggie has great clothing designing abilities and hopes to follow in the steps of her maternal grandmother, who is a famous designer in Arkansas. However, Maggie’s social- climbing and uptight mother wants Maggie to have nothing to do with working a common job when she could be a socialite. When the friction between the two reaches a climax, it is decided Maggie will visit her grandmother accompanied by her youngish aunt and her childhood friend, Charles Stanton. 

Boy, could I ever identify with Maggie’s wish to be her own person! Discovering a well-kept family secret, Maggie begins doubting her parents’ love and care. And she is afraid her inner lack will make her appear lacking to the world. “Something deep inside her was missing, a piece of her heart, maybe a piece of her soul…could she ever find it again? Maybe if she could, she’d feel whole, a complete human being. Accepted for who she really was, with no one trying to change her into something else.”

Maggie’s mother struggles with feelings and thoughts from her past that influence who she has become. When she takes an honest look at herself, even she is repulsed. I love Joshua’s response:

“My love for you isn’t conditional, Flory. You don’t have to earn my love. It’s a gift. Just as God’s love doesn’t come with strings attached.”

A few parts of the story were not as obvious to me as I believe they are meant to be. This could be just my interpretation. 

I certainly did like how loyal and or loving Maggie’s father is to all the people in his life. He reminded me of my own father! The character of Charles took a little longer to grow on me. 

Family secrets, tensions, the Old West (steam engine time), and romance, plus themes of adoption, old friends-to-more, and reconciliation, all combine to make this a good read. 

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:

“You are who God created you to be. The Bible says He knew each of us when we were in our mother’s wombs. He knit us together there. You were special to Him when He created you, and you’re special to Him right now.”

“I want to be me, not someone you’re creating.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great! I am anxious to read the sequels!

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, January 23

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 24

Artistic Nobody, January 25 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 25

Texas Book-aholic, January 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 28

Devoted To Hope, January 29

Guild Master, January 30 (Author Interview)

Sylvan Musings, January 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 31

Books You Can Feel Good About, February 1

Simple Harvest Reads, February 2 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, February 3

Holly’s Book Corner, February 4

Pause for Tales, February 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lena is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54139

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Purchase

Rebel Light by Marilyn Turk Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Rebel Light

Author: Marilyn Turk

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: 2018

She ran away from the war only to find herself in the middle of it. Who will protect her now?

It’s 1861, Florida has seceded from the Union, and residents of Pensacola evacuate inland to escape the impending war. But Kate McFarlane’s impulsive act of rebellion changes her life and that of many others in ways she never expected.
As a result, Kate finds herself with an eccentric aunt in an unfamiliar place. Lieutenant Clay Harris, a handsome Confederate officer, offers a chance for romance, but his actions make Kate question his character. When a hurricane brings an injured shipwrecked sailor from the Union blockade to her aunt’s house, Kate fights attraction to the man while hiding him from Clay. She’s determined to warn her sea captain father about the blockade, but needs someone to help her. Who can she trust – her ally or her enemy?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Award-winning author Marilyn Turk writes historical and contemporary novels laced with suspense and romance. She especially likes finding little-known historical tidbits to include in her books. In addition to fiction, Marilyn is a contributor to Guideposts’ Walking in Grace and other anthologies. She and her husband are lighthouse enthusiasts, have visited over 100 lighthouses, and served as volunteer lighthouse caretakers at Little River Light off the coast of Maine.

When not writing or visiting lighthouses, Marilyn enjoys reading, walking, kayaking, fishing, gardening and playing tennis. She also sings in the choir at her church and leads a women’s Bible study group.

She is a member of ACFW, Faith, Hope and Love Christian Writers, AWSA, Word Weavers International and the United States Lighthouse Society.

More from Marilyn

When I moved to Florida, I “met” my first lighthouse in person, the Pensacola Lighthouse. I was hooked on lighthouses from then on. I’ve always been interested in Civil War history as well, since so much of it took place in the south where I live, and I’ve been curious about what it was like to live in Florida during the war. Research on the subject got my creative wheels turning, and the story of Rebel Light was born. The book takes place in the beginning of the Civil War in Florida and shows the effects it had on the people living in the area. I loved the story of Katherine, the only child of a seafaring father, as she matures after leaving her familiar home in Pensacola and finds herself in an unfamiliar place where she has to abandon the rigid societal  confines of her former life and become an asset to her hardy great aunt in Apalachicola.

These characters are like my good friends, and I love them and their personalities. In fact, I love them so much, I wrote a sequel to Katherine’s story, Revealing Light, and thus the whole series of the Coastal Lights Legacy was born.

My Impressions

“‘the key to God’s light is in His Word.’”

I found many reasons to like Rebel Light by Marilyn Turk. It takes place during the Civil War, but in a place I don’t normally think about being part of the War- Florida. It also is set in lesser-known (to me)cities: Pensacola and Apalachicola. (I had to look up my own map.) It involves a major storm. The strict, eccentric character, Aunt Sally, turns out to be one of the best, solidly likable and godly secondary characters. The main character, Kate, has to grow up in many ways through the book. We see both people who are extremely prejudiced and others who understand that all are created equal- and treat others as such. We see true faith lived out, attracting others. 

Kate, a sea captain’s nearly grown daughter, decides to stow away on her father’s ship, rather than flee to a relative’s home away from Pensacola. Her father then leaves her in the care of an aunt she barely knows and a beloved, free servant. Kate moves from a life of semi-luxury to feeling like a field hand as she works the farm with her aunt and others. Can Kate stop thinking of herself first and begin to put others’ needs before her own? She will have plenty of opportunities to make a choice either way. And will she find the love she is looking for, or will she be known for being single as her aunt has been for so long? 

I loved that the repeated answer comes from different people when problems arise- “Pray!” The establishment of daily oral Bible reading with household members creates a very real unity that becomes unbreakable. 

If you enjoy clean, historical fiction about the Civil War with threads of faith, Rebel Light is a great book to pick up. I picked up the next three in the series when I finished this one! 

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

Notable Quotables:

“Sometimes when things don’t work out the way we expected, we have to understand there must be a reason. We must look for God’s plan in the matter. What lessons can we learn? Is there anything He wants to teach us?”

“Mr. Harris, the good Lord’s taken care of me this long; I don’t expect He’ll stop now. I just trust Him to do it, that’s all. Didn’t He say in the Good Book, ‘Fear not, for the Lord is with thee’?”

“…sometimes de Lawd puts thoughts in yo’ head at just de right time. So I don’t argue with Him. If dere’s one thing I’se learned in my life, it’s don’t argue with de Lawd. If He say do somethin’, you just go ahead and does it.”-John

“But these days we can’t always do what we want when duty calls.”- Joshua

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great! I’ve got the next three books in the series waiting on my Kindle for me!!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 17

lakesidelivingsite, January 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 19

Pens Pages and Pulses, January 20

Life on Chickadee Lane, January 21

Texas Book-aholic, January 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 23

Betti Mace, January 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 25

For Him and My Family, January 26

Holly’s Book Corner, January 27

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, January 28

Pause for Tales, January 29

Stories By Gina, January 30 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, January 30 (Guest Review from Melissa)

Giveaway

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

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54133

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

To Choose the Longshot by Lisa Prysock Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: To Choose the Longshot

Author: Lisa M. Prysock

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: November 5, 2024

In a world where wealth and status reign, can true love prevail?

Miss Delia Lyndon, a young woman born into the prestigious Spencer-Lyndon family, is initially enamored with Thaddeus, the son of a prominent local stable owner, when he begins vying for her hand in marriage. She is keenly aware of how a union between the two families would seal their status as one of the most beloved couples from Lexington. However, when Jake, a handsome and charming newcomer, arrives on the scene, he catches her attention, casting doubts and fears in Delia’s heart. Torn between two suitors, Delia must navigate societal expectations, family pressure, and her own desires. Will she choose the man who seemingly has it all – wealth, charm, and a shared background in Kentucky’s elite circles – or will she follow her heart to the humble yet captivating Jake?

Jake Williams is determined to prove his worth in the competitive world of horse racing. Despite his humble beginnings as a farmer, he refuses to be intimidated by his rival’s malicious attempts to sabotage his chances, both on the racetrack and in winning Delia’s affections. With his trusted steed, Horizon, by his side, Jake faces each challenge head-on, guided by his unwavering faith.

When mysterious events begin occurring leading up to the annual Phoenix Stakes horse race, Delia must look beyond appearances and uncover the truth that lies beneath.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lisa M. Prysock is a USA TodayBestselling Author who writes both Christian Historical Romance and Contemporary Christian Romance books—”Romance with a Dash of Food, Fashion, Faith, & Fun.” She writes both traditionally and indie published novels.

Kentucky inspires her writing and is home. Happily married to her husband of more than 24 years, she homeschooled two of their five children, now grown. When she isn’t writing, she likes to cross stitch, crochet, sew, scrapbook, read, swim, dance, take walks, travel, explore historical homes, garden, cook for her family, learn to play the piano and violin, and read great books.

More from Lisa

Hello Celebrate Lit Friends and Readers! I’m back to share a looksie at Book 2 from Kentucky Debutantes of the Gilded Age. I’ve really enjoyed my deep dive into all things Kentucky Derby and the world of horseracing in To Choose the Longshot.

Most of us have heard of Churchill Downs and Lexington’s Keeneland. But before Keeneland was the Lexington Association Racetrack. The annual spring race generally opened each year on that course with a featured race known as the Phoenix Stakes. It dates as far back in history as 1831! You can take a peek at the fascinating horse names of all the winners from 1831 to 2012, here. Of course, I’ve fictionalized names of winners and many events around the races in my series, but it’s fun to peek at real-life history when crafting our stories.

Leading up to and through the Gilded Age, the time period and setting of this series, the Phoenix race was generally sponsored by the Phoenix Hotel in Lexington. And more than Kentucky horseracing history, in Book 2, readers will get to come along for a glimpse at another course located in Baltimore, Maryland when the story takes our main characters to Pimlico. They referred to this track as the Old Hilltop in the early days of American horseracing history.

And atop Pimlico sits the famed weathervane. Did you know that painting the Preakness Stakes weathervane is a grand Pimlico tradition dating to 1909? The vane style is unique, commissioned by the Maryland Jockey Club, bearing the shape of a thoroughbred and jockey ever since the original arrow-shaped one was struck down by lightning. The new vane was christened by the colors of the silks carried by that year’s winner, Effendi.

I had a great deal of fun writing To Choose the Longshot starting with the very first page. The novel opens with a runaway bride! It’s always a wonder what makes a bride runaway, and my imagination went to work at once creating the situation that causes this bride so much consternation.

Readers get to learn more about Veronica’s sister in Book 2, Miss Delaney Lyndon. Everyone calls the shy and demure middle sister, Delia. And all of Lexington expects one of the Lyndon sisters to marry into the Sullivan family, since these two families are “Kentucky horseracing royalty.” But who will Delia choose to marry? Will she marry her handsome, wealthy, and daring beau, Thaddeus Sullivan, or will a rugged newcomer and underdog in their midst from the Adirondacks, Jake Williams, turn her head?

I cannot fail to mention that the beloved character of Aunt Mae from Book 1 makes an appearance in Book 2. She certainly has her hands full attempting to help Delia reach a decision about who she should marry, knowing it will impact the future of Velvet Brooks Farm for generations to come. But if anyone can help steer Delia to a decision, it’s Aunt Mae. As our heroine grapples with perceptions and tries to balance expectations with what’s in her heart, find out what happens next with a deeper look at the world of horseracing, sure to give horse enthusiasts plenty to cheer about.

Happy reading!

Blessings!

Lisa

My Impressions

“Two different futures stared at her, and with both in reach, what did the Lord want her to do?”

This was my first time reading a book by Lisa Prysock. I enjoyed reading To Choose the Longshot. A double-entendre title, this historical fiction deals with Kentucky horse racing in the Gilded Age. It also plumbs the heart of one Lexington horse farm heiress who cannot decide which beau she should choose. 

As the reader, there is probably little doubt which beau Delia should choose. But childhood friendship, neighbors, peer and social pressure, combine with human desires to muddle thinking. 

I really appreciated Aunt Mae’s thoughtful, guiding questions for Delia as she considers the two men who are pursuing her. What a great idea to spend much time, just waiting on the Lord, being peaceful and quiet, seeking His direction foremost. How often are we willing to devote large chunks of time to that, though we long for answers we think we desperately need?

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:

“Sit up straight and be somebody.”

“Perceptions aren’t always a reflection of the truth.”

“One thing I do know—the truth has a way of coming out.”

“When they finally wed, all of her problems would vanish.”- [Delia’s belief]

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great! A story about searching for God’s Will in the choice of a mate—set against the backdrop of Kentucky horse racing in the Gilded Age.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 19

lakesdielivingsite, November 20

Holly’s Book Corner, November 20

For Him and My Family, November 21

Texas Book-aholic, November 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 24

Labor Not in Vain, November 25

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 27

Stories By Gina, November 28 (Author Interview)

Devoted To Hope, November 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 29

Books You Can Feel Good About, November 30

Simple Harvest Reads, December 1 (Guest Review from Donna)

Pause for Tales, December 2

Leslie’s Library Escape, December 2

Giveaway

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

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54102

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, Purchase, Wild Heart Books

River of Peril by Sandra Merville Hart Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: River of Peril

Author: Sandra Merville Hart

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: October 15, 2024

Amnesia stole his memory, and now he’s fighting for the wrong side. 

Orphaned and alone at sixteen, Felicity has found solace in serving others as a volunteer nurse. When she discovers her Confederate soldier beau, Luke Shea, among the wounded in her ward, her worst nightmares come true. Luke’s shrapnel wound has stolen his memory, leaving him with no recollection of their love or his past. As Felicity struggles with the loss of the man she once knew, she turns her attention to the service of her broken country. But the more she learns about the brutal war, the more she realizes she can no longer stay silent. She becomes a Union spy, plunging herself into danger.

When Luke Shae awakes in a hospital with no memory of the last five years, he’s shocked to learn he’s been fighting against the Union he once so strongly supported. And when he learns of his past courtship with his nurse, Felicity, he struggles to understand the man he was and what happened in those missing years. Determined to atone for his Confederate past, Luke also joins the Union cause as a spy.

As danger lurks at every turn, only a Divine hand can not only protect their lives, but give them a second chance for love and the future they both crave.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Sandra Merville Hart, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author of inspirational historical romances, loves to discover little-known yet fascinating facts from American history to include in her stories. Her desire is to transport her readers back in time. She is also a blogger, speaker, and conference teacher.

More from Sandra

“History will never know how indebted it is to folks like you in ending the war.” ~ River of Peril

People spied on their government, their soldiers, and their neighbors during the Civil War. Union spies in the South lived dangerously. Everyday citizens, including enslaved and free black spies, became heroes to speed the war’s end.

Secret messages were sewn into hems, vests, and coats. Cyphered messages were hidden in bodices, hoop skirts, trees, hats, styled hair, books, custard dishes, hollowed-out eggs, and even in vaults with a dead body. Raised/lowered shades and clothes hanging on a line might also be clues for spies.

Some spies were already actors. Others disguised themselves to deliver secrets and to protect their identity. There were female spies who disguised themselves as men. If they could manage to remain anonymous, it saved them from their neighbors’ retaliation during and after the war. This was especially true in the South because the North emerged as victorious.

Many spies were caught during the Civil War and often imprisoned for days or weeks, up to a year. Confederate spies could sign an Oath of Allegiance to the United States to be released from Union prisons. Both sides executed spies.

For reasons already discussed, history doesn’t record most of Mississippi’s spies. Two Mississippi spies, Robbie Woodruff and Philip Henson, didn’t slip into obscurity.

Robbie Woodruff was a courageous farm girl who fetched Confederate messages from town and hid them in a hollow stump for couriers. Philip Henson, one of the Union army’s greatest spies living in the South, was captured and imprisoned for several months.

Key characters are spies for the Union in River of Peril, Book 5 in my Spies of the Civil War Series. The spies in my Vicksburg portion of the series (Books 4 – 6) are fictional. The stories show the type of challenges faced by historical spies.

My research for this novel began with a trip to Vicksburg, Mississippi. I was greatly inspired by the battlefield, the museums, and the people in the historic city. That inspiration—and a whole lot of research!—led to the writing of Streams of Courage, Book 4, River of Peril, Book 5, and Tides of Healing, Book 6.

Avenue of Betrayal, Book 1, is set in the Union capital of Washington City (Washington DC) in 1861, where a surprising number of Confederate sympathizers and spies lived. Boulevard of Confusion and Byway to Danger are set in Richmond, the Confederate capital in 1862. Actual historical spies touch the lives of our fictional family. The heroines in Books 1 – 3 are two sisters and their cousins. Another set of characters begin with Book 4, and three friends are the heroines in Books 4 -6.

Through both real and fictional characters, this series highlights activities spies were involved in and some of the motives behind their decisions.

I invite you to read the whole Spies of the Civil War Series!

My Impressions

“Sadness filled him. There could be no feelings between a man with no memories and a woman who knew them all.”

While volunteer nurse Felicity Danielson is relieved to be reunited with her Confederate soldier beau, Luke Shea, in the early Civil War years, she finds Luke has returned changed. Author Sandra Merville Hart’s River of Peril, book 5 of Spies of the Civil War series needs to be read in order, so there are no spoilers for other books. Also, you will enjoy seeing friends from book four again, finding out more of their story. 

 

Luke has returned with a head injury, which causes amnesia. He cannot remember anything that has happened in the last five years. Unfortunately, that means while he remembers his friends he knew before he was injured, he doesn’t remember that he is Felicity’s beau or a few other essential facts to his current life.

With everyone hoping to jar Luke’s memory, can Felicity hope he does not regain his memory as a way of saving him? How do Luke’s and Felicity’s political leanings lead to a dangerous life for each? When she realizes she no longer has Luke’s love, her co-worker at the hospital proves difficult, and her family situation changes, Felicity feels like Job. “Where are you, God? It’s just You and me. Alone, as always. That seems to be my lot in life.” Surprisingly, it’s often when we feel most alone that we turn more of our attention to and reliance on God. These hard times are often the best times of growth. Will Felicity discover this to be true?

I loved the fact that Felicity, in her pain, grief, and despair, is reminded that even her feeble prayers are powerful. “Yet prayer was a powerful thing because of the one who listened and answered.” Prayer is not dependent on us, but on the faithfulness of the One to Whom we are praying. 

I enjoyed reading about the historical aspects of the War and felt like I was in the middle of the besieged city, smelling the smoke, hearing and feeling the earth tremble by way of the cannon balls, and feeling the hunger and thirst. And… wondering who to trust, in a city full of uncertainty. 

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:

“She believed in him more than he believed in himself.”

“more bound the opposing sides than separated them.”

“’Tis a burden to me, losing five years of me life. I feel less a man.”

“How had he ended up fighting for the Confederacy when he supported the Union?”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Great! I enjoy learning about spies of the Civil War with Sandra Merville Hart!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 18

Devoted To Hope, October 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 19

Texas Book-aholic, October 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 21

CONNIE’S HISTORY CLASSROOM, October 22

Betti Mace, October 23

For Him and My Family, October 24

Holly’s Book Corner, October 25

Pause for Tales, October 26

Cover Lover Book Review, October 27

Life on Chickadee Lane, October 28

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, October 29 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, October 29

Giveaway

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

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5469

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle

A Perfect Flock by Mike Bogue Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: A Perfect Flock

Author: Mike Bogue

Genre: Christian Science Fiction

Release date: October 26, 2023

Tuck Jameson vows to stop his brother Clay from joining The Body, a religious cult that uses nanotechnology to turn its members into Christian automatons.

But Clay disappears—and in three days, his nanotechnology conversion will be complete. Desperate to find Clay, Tuck enlists the aid of former high school mentor Adam Shimura, now a black ops agent with potentially mixed motives.

Brother Moody, the cult’s Chief Elder, mobilizes his acolytes against Tuck. Worse, a shocking prophecy ups the ante, making Tuck realize the stakes involve not only him and Clay, but all of America—and perhaps, the world.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Why does Mike Bogue write speculative fiction? Because he finds it a perfect genre to explore timeless themes and timely science, as well as the collision between technology and faith. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys watching Godzilla movies, singing 1960s pop tunes, and munching Fiber One brownies. Single and retired, Mike lives with his cat Bendi in Western Arkansas, where he and Bendi regularly hold contests to see who can nap the longest in a single day.

More from Mike

“If brainwashing means losing my free will for God’s sake, so be it.”

Thus says a recruit for the religious cult The Body in my novel A Perfect Flock.

When planning the novel, I wondered—should Christians use technology to enhance their moral lives? What if technology forced us to be good? Should we use it? Should we advocate it? Would it make Christians, and therefore the Gospel, more appealing to non-Christians?

A Perfect Flock explores these issues. In the novel, technology that might have been a blessing becomes a curse in the hands of cult leader Brother Moody. Indeed, becoming Moody’s version of a perfect Christian might just cost you your soul.

In A Perfect Flock, you will confront the well-meaning but dark future into which technology may be taking Christians and society; experience a fast-paced quest in which an older brother is determined to save his younger brother from technological enslavement; and face the tension between free will and enforced will—if we had the technology to force others to become Christians, should we?

If you like near-future Christian science fiction novels such as Steven James’ Synapse, I think you’ll enjoy A Perfect Flock.

A technical note: The book was released last October 23, so it is available now.

Best of hopes and dreams,

Mike

My Impressions

“The Body was growing like a cancer every day and Clay would soon be a part of it, unless…”

A Perfect Flock by Mike Bogue is a very fast moving, gritty, twisty Christian sci-fi novel that will  have you quickly flipping the pages to figure out just who to root for. We get acquainted with Tuck Jameson, who no longer believes God cares about people, and who tries to tell others around him what they ought to do with their lives. 

We also get acquainted with Coach, a major player who was a favorite male figure of Tuck’s in high school, and has now come back to help Tuck rescue his brother Clay from “The Body.”

The Body turns out to be a cult-like group who believe, under the leadership of Chief Elder Graham Moody, that they can become sinless with the help of technology. Willingly, people give up their free will to become automatons, assured of a place in heaven, because of their perfection. Many important, rich, and influential people support the message and wish to spread it from Arkansas to the rest of America and to the world. Yet, a few dissenters such as Tuck , Ham, Coach, and April, see some underlying issues, especially when Tuck’s brother is picked to join the cult and become the Prophet.

I found it very interesting how much Truth was used in The Body’s message, yet skewed and taken out of context. I continually had to compare what Moody and others said with Scripture. I thought it very interesting when a certain prophesy was considered urgent, yet the person prophesying was not always accurate.  “‘how do we know anything about …prophecies is true?… ‘ ‘Because seventy-five percent of her prophecies have come true in the past.’” Yet, God’s Word says not to believe any prophet who is not 100% accurate. Little by little, as Tuck and his friends search for Clay, more and more cracks appear in this perfect religion. And more and more, Tuck must depend upon a power other than himself.

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

Notable Quotables:

“You think using technology to force people to be moral is a good thing?”

“I also need a friend who can help me see the light without shoving it in my face.”

“Luck had nothing to do with it…But grace had everything to do with it.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 5

For the Love of Literature, October 6 (Author Interview)

The Book Zone, October 7

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 8 (Author Interview)

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 9

Through the Fire Blogs, October 10 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 11

Artistic Nobody, October 12 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, October 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 13

Stories By Gina, October 14 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, October 14

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 15 (Author Interview)

A Reader’s Brain, October 16 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, October 17

Back Porch Reads, October 18 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Mike is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card and a signed copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5459

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, Purchase, Wild Heart Books

Trail to Love by Susan F. Craft

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Trail to Love

Author: Susan F. Craft

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: September 17, 2024

A widowed father…a heartbroken nanny…and a wagon train journey that will change their lives forever.

Since the death of her fiancé, Anne Forbes has given up on the life she thought she’d have. After taking a role as nanny to her two young nephews, she’s grown close to her brother’s family—a replacement for the one she never had the chance to start. But when she accompanies them on the wagon trail to their new life in South Carolina, a handsome and gallant widowed father who’s also part of the group catches her eye and her heart, making her wonder if God might have plans of love for her after all. If only the beautiful woman the man escorts didn’t have her sights set on him.

Michael Harrigan never considered remarrying after the death of his wife. No woman could ever compare. But when he meets the gentlehearted Anne while escorting his sister-in-law on their journey to the Blue Ridge Mountains, he’s taken aback by Anne’s lovely voice and her compassion. As they face the trials and adventures of life on the trail, he finds himself open to the idea of marriage for the first time in many years.
But when disaster strikes the wagon train, Michael and Anne must work side-by-side to save lives. In the midst of their struggles, can they find a way to abandon their separate trails of grief and hardship for the trail to love?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Susan F. Craft retired after a 45-year career in writing, editing, and communicating in business settings.

She authored the historical romantic suspense trilogy Women of the American Revolution—The Chamomile, Laurel, and Cassia. The Chamomile and Cassia received national Illumination Silver Awards. The Chamomile was named by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance as an Okra Pick and was nominated for a Christy Award.

She collaborated with the International Long Riders’ Guild Academic Foundation to compile An Equestrian Writer’s Guide(www.lrgaf.org), including almost everything you’d ever want to know about horses.

An admitted history nerd, she enjoys painting, singing, listening to music, and sitting on her porch with her dog, Steeler, watching geese eat her daylilies. She most recently took up the ukulele.

More from Susan

A History of Buttons

In my Christian Historical Romance, my main character, Anne Forbes, is a tailor and seamstress. When she arrives in Philadelphia from Scotland in 1753, she visits several shops and is amazed by the huge supply of buttons.

Buttons have been around for 3,000 years. Made from bone, horn, wood, metal, and seashells, they didn’t fasten anything, but were worn for decoration.

The first buttons to be used as fasteners were connected through a loop of thread. The button and buttonhole arrived in Europe in 1200, brought back by the Crusaders.

The French, who called the button a bouton for bud or bouter to push, established the Button Makers Guild in 1250. Still used for adornment, the buttons they produced were beautiful works of art.

By the mid-1300s, tailors fashioned garments with rows of buttons with matching buttonholes. Some outfits were adorned with thousands of buttons, making it necessary for people to hire professional dressers. Buttons became such a craze that the Church denounced them as the devil’s snare, referring to the ladies in their button-fronted dresses.

In 1520 for a meeting between King Francis I of France and King Henry VIII of England, King Francis’ clothing was bedecked with over 13,000 buttons, and King Henry’s clothing was similarly weighed down with buttons.

In the 16th century, the Puritans condemned the over-adornment of buttons as sinful, and soon the number of buttons required to be fashionable diminished, though they were made from gold, ivory, and diamonds.

By the mid-1600s, button makers used silver, ceramics, and silk and often hand painted buttons with portraits or scenery.

The late 17th century saw the beginning of the production by French tailors of thread buttons, little balls of thread. This angered the button artisans so much that they pressured the government to pass a law fining tailors for making thread buttons. The button makers even wanted homes and wardrobes searched and suggested that fines be levied against anyone wearing thread buttons. But in la Guerre des Boutons, it’s not clear that their demands went beyond fining of tailors.

Towards the end of the 1700s in Europe, big metallic buttons came into fashion. At this time, Napoleon introduced the use of sleeve buttons on tunics. This time period saw the development of the double-breasted jacket. When the outside of the jacket was soiled, the wearer would unbutton it, turn the soiled surface to the inside, and re-button.

Thread buttons were used on men’s shirts and other undergarments from the late 17th into the early 19th century. Cheaper, they wouldn’t break when laundresses scrubbed and beat the material. They were also used on shifts and undergarments because they were soft and comfortable. Other types of thread buttons were death head buttons, star buttons, basket buttons, and Dorset buttons.  Some said that death head buttons were called that because they resembled a skull and crossbones, memento mori, a reminder that life is short and should be lived as well as possible.  Dorset buttons originated in Dorset in southern England where they became a cottage industry. Families, prison inmates, and orphans were employed in the manufacture of thousands of Dorset buttons each year, which were used throughout the UK and exported all over the world.

Bone button molds, slightly domed on one side and flat on the other, were common in the mid to late 18th century. Button molds were used to make both cloth and thread (passementerie) covered buttons.

Horn buttons were used mostly for spatterdashes and gaitered trousers. These strong durable buttons were competitive in price with other types but available in limited numbers in the 18th century since the making of them was slow.

Many colonial American buttons were made from seashells, wood, wax, and animal bones.  The bones were boiled for 12 hours, cut into small pieces, shaved around the edges and had a hole punched through them with an awl. The shape was up to the maker — round, oval, square, rectangular, or octagonal.

Brass buttons, functional and ornamental, were also popular in colonial America. In 1750 in Philadelphia, a German immigrant, Caspar Wistar, made brass buttons guaranteed for seven years. He later opened the first successful glass making factory in the colonies.

(I want to thank the William Booth Drapers of Racine, WI, for some of the information provided in this post.  Please visit their website at  http://www.wmboothdraper.com where you’ll find a treasure trove of books about 17th and 18th century fashion — shoes, slippers, hats, bonnets, buttons and trimmings, etc., and Packet books about sewing. Fantastic resource.  Thank you, William Booth Drapers.)

My Impressions

“…there’s something about this country. Being around the people on this train. Hearing about their hopes and dreams has inspired me in a way I haven’t been in years. I crave more than what I had. I dream of becoming an independent woman…a tailor…with my own shop.” ~Anne 

Susan F. Craft’s series, The Great Wagon Road, has added a new, exciting third book, Trail to Love. Can Michael Harrigan, a young widower, accompanied in the wagon train by his sister-in-law and her flirtatious friend, make a favorable impression on Anne Forbes? Anne has immigrated from Scotland with her brother’s family, acting as nanny but also employing skills as a tailor and seamstress. The dangers and problems the wagon train and Michael and Anne in particular run into are very believable. 

Anne seems so capable of doing almost anything needed, plus having a calming, take charge attitude, I was actually relieved to see her have a few flaws! However, I loved seeing how she chose to forgive others that wronged her, making friends out of those who could have been enemies. 

I was most impressed by Michael’s quick thought to turn to prayer in trouble and his leadership ability, as well as his quickness to help those in need. 

It was fun to see the beauty of the country through the eyes of someone who had never seen much of America before. It was really interesting also, to see how the adventuresome, entrepreneurial attitude of the settlers was something that drew one in and attached itself to others. 

A fave character in the book is Cate. So grown-up, polite, yet adventurous and loving all in one package. 

Author’s notes at the back offer some insight into different historical aspects of the story. 

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

Notable Quotables:

“You have lived more in these past months than some experience in a lifetime.” ~Iris 

“She had once held a piece of rare satin in her hands, made a wrong cut, and damaged it beyond repair. Would she repeat that mistake with this life-changing decision?”

“Frightened people do strange things.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great! This has been an enjoyable, learning series for me!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 8

Simple Harvest Reads, October 9 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 10

DevotedToHope, October 10

Lighthouse Academy Blog, October 11 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 12

Texas Book-aholic, October 13

For Him and My Family, October 13

lakesidelivingsite, October 14

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 15

An Author’s Take, October 16

Blossoms and Blessings , October 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 17

Life on Chickadee Lane, October 18

Karen Baney Reviews, October 19

Holly’s Book Corner, October 19

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 20

Cover Lover Book Review, October 21

Pause for Tales, October 21

Giveaway

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

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5462

ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Just Read Tours, Kindle, Launch Team, Purchase

K-9 Ranch Protection by Darlene L. Turner Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog Tour for K-9 Ranch Protection by Darlene L. Turner, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: K-9 Ranch Protection
Series: Crisis Rescue Team #6
Author: Darlene L Turner
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Release Date: September 24, 2024
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
A killer on the loose.
A K-9 keeping watch.
Police constable Izzy Tremblay knows her father’s death was no accident, so when she finally discovers a lead and is immediately attacked, her suspicions are confirmed. The ambush leaves her in the hospital with three hours of crucial memory missing, which she knows holds the key to finding her father’s murderer. For protection, she takes refuge with her ex-partner, Austin Murray, on his K-9 ranch while she races to uncover the truth. But with danger still lurking, can they stay alive long enough to take down a killer?
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Harlequin | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub
More Books In This Series

About the Author
Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning and a Publishers Weekly best-selling author and lives with her husband Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message.
Connect with Darlene by visiting darlenelturner.com, where there’s suspense beyond borders, to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

My Impressions

“We don’t hide our gifts. God gave them to us for a reason. Use it, Izzy.”

K-9 Ranch Protection by Darlene L. Turner has so many elements that make it exciting and fun! I loved learning about hyperthymesia in our female protagonist, Constable Izzy Tremblay. With her perfect memory, she can easily help solve cases. Until the one case closest to her, her father’s murder, officially ruled an accident, again turns into a dead end as Izzy suffers from amnesia. 

We also have the male protagonist, Austin Murray, a former crush, who left the force after an important crisis. He has turned to raising and training police dogs on his ranch. I loved his deep connection with his dogs, especially Névé, a beautiful, sensitive Malamute. Izzy doesn’t want to trust Austin again… but no one else believes her father’s death was a murder. 

You’ll read this romantic suspense, looking around every object and trying to see past the eyes of every character you meet. Just who could be the mastermind, “Padilla,” who seems to have inside info on Izzy and and Austin’s every move?

“They would never be safe from Padilla if they didn’t soon find answers to the missing pieces of her perfect memory. Somehow, they held the key.”

While searching for the killer, Izzy and Austin can only hope and pray to find him or her before he or she takes them or Izzy’s family out permanently. On the run physically, Austin deals with guilt over that long ago event and feels rejected by his birth parents. Izzy is upset with God because He is not clearly laying out His path for her. 

Can Izzy and Austin safely find the murderous mastermind and make peace with their pasts and with God? 

I did feel one character’s words didn’t line up with their actions timing-wise for me. But overall, a very enjoyable story!

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

Notable Quotables:

“It’s just the unknown and I hate the unknown.” She chewed on her lip. “It’s why I’m struggling with God right now. He seems to have hidden His path for me.”

“He was unworthy of love. His biological parents had proven that to him when they gave him up for adoption. They didn’t want him. And neither did any woman.” 

“Son, being adopted is a gift. It means God loved you enough to send you into our lives for safekeeping. Until one day, when you grow up and have kids, you can show them how love works. It’s not about the bloodline. It’s about love—pure and simple.”

“It’s hard to see God’s journey for us when we can’t even see around the bend in front of us. He knows the big picture.”

“Austin positioned himself beside Izzy, his woodsy scent wafting into her space. Don’t do that to me. It was getting harder and harder to keep herself from falling for this man a second time.”

“Well, God doesn’t seem to show me His path for me anymore or be listening to my prayers.” “Sometimes God shows us, but our blinders prevent us from seeing His plan.”

”Trusting in Someone you can’t see isn’t easy.”

“I don’t understand why God chooses some circumstances to take longer than others, but what I do know is, He knows best and I trust His timing. I trust in His journey for me. For us.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great! You have to love a K-9 trainer and an amnesia victim story!

Tour Giveaway

(4) winners will each receive a $25 Amazon egift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 23, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 30, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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

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

Winning the Mountain Man’s Love by Misty M. Beller Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Winning the Mountain Man’s Love (Brothers of Sapphire Ranch, Book 5)

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: September 3, 2024

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

As the second brother of six, Jonah Coulter has no shortage of family, yet he’s more than ready to find a woman who doesn’t see him as her second choice. Haunted by the loss of his sister Lucy and the rejection of his former fiancée, he sets out to find the aunt of a lost child his family has taken in. Maybe reuniting the girl with her only remaining family will give him the purpose he craves.

After fleeing her past and the man who killed her late husband, Patience Whitman has reinvented herself in the untamed Montana Territory. Relying on her gambling skills to survive, she’s determined to earn enough to buy the life she dreams of—a bit of land and a home of her very own, far enough away from people that she can finally find peace. But then a man shows up in town searching for her and says his family has taken in her niece, Patsy’s perfectly laid plans go awry. If Anna really is here in the Montana Territory, Patience can’t abandon the only family she has left.

As Jonah and Patsy navigate the treacherous landscape of their pasts and little Anna’s future, they must confront their deepest fears and learn to trust each other. But when Patsy’s dangerous past catches up to them, they must risk everything to claim the happily ever after they both crave.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain family saga filled with high stakes adventure, a surprise guardianship, and love that heals wounded hearts.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Misty M. Belleris a USA Todaybestselling author with over 1 million books old. She writes 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

A glimpse into our heroine’s world

In Winning the Mountain Man’s Love, Patience’s work as a gambler in the mining town Missoula Mills plays a significant role in shaping her character and her journey. But what was the reality of gambling in this time and place?

During the 1870s, the Montana Territory was a wild, untamed land, attracting adventurers, miners, and those seeking to make their fortune by profiting from the miners. With the influx of men and money, gambling became a prevalent pastime and a lucrative business. Saloons, gaming houses, and even street corners became hubs for various games of chance, including poker, faro, and dice.

For many, gambling offered a quick path to wealth, but it also led to addiction, debt, and desperation. The lack of regulation and high stakes often attracted unsavory characters, making the gambling scene a dangerous and unpredictable world.

Women like Patience, who found themselves caught up in this world, faced even greater challenges. They were often viewed as mere entertainers or worse, and their involvement in gambling was seen as a mark of moral failure. However, for some women, gambling provided a means of survival in a society that offered few opportunities for financial independence.

Despite the risks and the societal stigma, gambling continued to thrive in the Montana Territory throughout the 1870s. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that anti-gambling laws and reformers began to push back against the pervasive gaming culture.

Thankfully, Patience didn’t have to wait so long to leave the gambling world behind her, but that life certainly left its mark on her. I won’t share any spoilers, but I pray you enjoy Patience and Jonah’s story in Winning the Mountain Man’s Love!

Blessings!

Misty

My Impressions

“He knew what it was to be judged for the surface of things, for the mistakes and missteps. He knew what it was to need someone to look deeper, to see the true heart beneath.”

Misty Beller writes great historical fiction, using the Rocky Mountains and frontier times for her background setting. Winning the Mountain Man’s Love is the fifth book in the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch series and tells Jonah’s story. Because each story builds a little more of the reader’s understanding of the unique occupation and relationship of the brothers, I suggest reading these books in order. You will be happy for the answers found in each new book!

That said, Jonah has lost at life and love…again. To take his mind off this, he volunteers to be the one to leave the Montana territory ranch in search of little Anna’s aunt. All 8-year-old Anna can tell them is that her aunt’s name is “Patsy” and she has very red hair. Plus, her aunt came west to be married. 

Little does Jonah realize that in trying to bring healing to a new “family” member, he will bring heartache to himself and many of those he loves. I feel for Jonah. Because he has been unlucky in love, he feels like he is inferior in the eyes of women. Because he is never quite perfect enough in his family’s eyes, and is an easy target for their mocking laughter, great furrows of hurt have been plowed deep into his soul. 

When Jonah meets Patience, he quickly recognizes she may be Anna’s aunt. But she has seen so much meanness and abuse from men, she’s not about to trust another, even though Jonah seems so kind. She wants “freedom from the control of any man. Even this one, as tempting as he was right now. He wouldn’t always be like this. No man could be trusted.” Can Jonah convince her he can see past her surface, into her soul, like he himself longs to be seen? 

Yikes! The whole social question that is still very alive today- is a child better off with family, because they are related, or might they be better off where they have been placed for a while, and are loved? What is in the best interest of the child? I wanted to shake Patience a few times with her insistence on following her path. Maybe call out the social workers, too!!

Patience having two different names just about drove me crazy. I wanted her to be called one name or the other. But maybe, the way she seems to teeter back and forth on a couple of major decisions, the double name is on purpose? 

As always, just when it seems we could be ready for a happy settlement, the “Oregon Trail” music cues, and disaster strikes. This sets us up for more excitement, more chances to forgive, and more chances to restore relationships.  This also gives us a headstart on yet another brother’s story. 

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:

“God wants more than anything for us to turn to Him when trials come. He wants us to hide in His protection when it seems nothing can go right. To let Him show us just how much He loves us. He does hate sin, but He’s not a God of punishment. He’s made a way for us to be free, so that when we come to Him and ask His forgiveness, our sin disappears. Then He wraps us in His arms…and loves us.”

“It seems like scratching at a sore again and again for years would make it hard to heal.”

“Don’t let fear hold you back from reaching for something better.”

“But just ’cause you’re good at something don’t mean it’s where you belong forever.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Great! I’m always ready for the next Misty M. Beller story!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 3

Melissa’s Bookshelf, September 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 4

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 5

Truth and Grace HomeschoolAcademy, September 6

Devoted To Hope, September 6

Lighthouse Academy Blog, September 7 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Texas Book-aholic, September 8

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 8

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 9

lakesidelivingsite, September 10

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 10

Books You Can Feel Good About, September 11

Stories By Gina, September 12 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 12

Blossoms and Blessings, September 13

Holly’s Book Corner, September 14

Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 14

Cover Lover Book Review, September 15

An Author’s Take, September 16

Pause for Tales, September 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away he grand prize package 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.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5430/

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, Purchase

Weaving Roots by Heather Wood Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Weaving Roots

Author: Heather Wood

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction with Romance

Release date: June 25, 2024

Baltimore, 1828

Spinning. Turning flax to fine linen thread for her family’s weaving business keeps Betha’s hands occupied all day, but it’s the concerns spinning in her heart that never truly rest. How can she give her nephew Henry a secure, loving home when his father remains indifferent? How can she guide the boy who calls her “Ma” to know and follow the Lord for himself? And when past secrets and future changes collide, will she lose Henry altogether?

Colm Gallagher is passionate about teaching boys using innovative educational methods. But is his kind and thorough instruction enough if he is not allowed to give his students the ultimate truth of God’s Word? Confronted by his student Henry Young and the boy’s lovely but determined aunt, Colm considers if he has allowed practical considerations to outweigh his deepest-held beliefs.

Even as Betha and Colm are drawn to each other, family loyalties, financial pressures, and personal uncertainties push them further apart. Will the threads of their lives unravel or become knit together into something stronger?

Weaving linen is her family’s legacy. Weaving roots of truth and grace is her calling.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Heather Woodgrew up in the Chicago suburbs, loving history, classic literature, writing stories, and Civil War reenacting. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in Bible/Theology from Appalachian Bible College, she settled in Virginia with her husband David. Her early passions fuel her writing today, although she spends most of her days now working to infuse her love for God and good literature into the hearts of her four children.

More from Heather

I’ve gone through a lot of phases in my life. I’ve been involved in different hobbies and activities, only to have them fizzle out after a few years. So when I started writing, I thought it was the same thing—that it was another short-lived hobby and soon I would get back to my regular life.

My third book was about to be released when one day, it felt like God turned a light bulb on in my mind: This is what I’ve been preparing you to do all along. When I look back at my parents, my education, and the experiences of my life, I realized that God had specially equipped me to do exactly what I was doing: write Christian historical fiction about real American church history.

The epiphany was more scary than exciting. I’m a “one idea at a time” kind of author. I don’t have multiple projects going at once. I had no idea, as I went to publish my third book, if I would even be able to come up with a plot and characters for a fourth. Would I announce to my friends that this writing thing was here to stay only to find I never got another story idea? What about the sacrifices it would require of my husband and kids?

That was just in 2022. Releasing this summer is Weaving Roots, my fifth book and the first in a whole new series with entirely new characters. I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the series unfolds from the idea seeds God has planted! I regularly offer my writing up to God, willing to walk away if He were ever to ask me to do so. Until then, I will work diligently and trustingly at the work He has given me to do.

You see, while each book does start with an idea seed, it’s watered by real history. As I take my spark of inspiration to the history books, I delight in finding out what God was doing in the time and place I’m writing about. My plots grow up around the real people He used and the work He was doing (although I usually make people who really lived into minor characters at best. Most often, I merely refer to them off the page while using what I do know about them to inspire my characters). I always try to drop vivid characters into the world as it really existed and watch and see how they respond. I dig into Scriptures and the theologians and Christian thinkers of their era or the one before to round out my themes and take the book’s message deeper. As a result, I am always the first one who is convicted and challenged by the message God brings to my stories.

Weaving Roots introduces us to the father of the siblings in my Finding Home series when he was just ten years old in 1827. He’s a second-generation Irish immigrant in a family of linen weavers in Baltimore, more than a decade before the Irish Great Famine. To the best of my knowledge, no one in either Christian or general market fiction has written about this time, place, and people group. Not everything on the page will be what you expect, as this generation between Colonial and Civil War/ Victorian Americans was very unique in their beliefs, struggles, and priorities. Henry Young is brought to Baltimore by his father, who is looking for a fresh start for his son and himself. Henry soon finds that his new schoolmaster is not what he expects and his father has more major changes coming into his life.

I can’t wait to share Weaving Roots with you and see how God uses His words to bless and encourage you!

My Impressions

“God has a good plan bigger than our mistakes, and He chose you to be His before you were born. He created you out of His good purpose to be smart and gentle and brave and so I’d have reason to smile every day.”

Heather Wood’s novel, Weaving Roots, is as much about matters of the heart and the choices people make as it is about actions or events. 

Betha struggles as she mothers her young nephew, desperate to guard him from gossip and hurt. She very much wants him to follow God, and prays that her brother will take his father duties seriously. Nothing can keep her from striving to protect Henry. 

Henry has such a difficult life with his father, and life gets exponentially worse for him. Wood makes me hurt for him, and I feel Betha’s burden for him, too. 

Colm, the schoolteacher and a good friend, reminds Henry that they can’t make him trust God, and there are no guaranteed outcomes. He has to trust God for himself: “All we can do, really, is point you to a God bigger than all of it and let you know you’re not swimming this current alone.” How I love Colm and his wisdom! 

Colm has inner struggles of his own. When he finally chooses one course of action, he finds peace with God but struggles with the school board. Colm reasons with them, “would you have me withhold from my students the most effective resources I have to help them in life? This is a free school; do I have the right to educate as my conscience and experience dictate while the students have the right to pursue education elsewhere if they don’t like it?” (Storm’s a-comin’ here! )

I also enjoyed seeing the relationship between Colm and his brother, Patrick. They are so tight, yet when trouble comes, their differences threaten to tear them apart. Will there be any way to repair the camaraderie they once enjoyed?

It was interesting to learn about such things as camp meetings, the start of Sunday Schools, and the Lancaster method of education. Author notes at the back are always appreciated! 

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:

“When faith is passed down through so many generations, sometimes we can lose sight of the urgency of it.”

“The Bible wasn’t a neutral book, and the words in it didn’t leave room for a passive response. If a heart wasn’t changed by it, it very likely would find itself in sharp opposition to it.” 

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Great!

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, August 17

Stories By Gina, August 18 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, August 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 20

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, August 21 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 21

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 22

Devoted To Hope, August 23

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 24

Batya’s Bits, August 25

For Him and My Family, August 26

Labor Not in Vain, August 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 28

The Sacred Line, August 29

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Heather is giving away the grand prize package of a paperback of Weaving Roots, a special handstitched bookmark and a sticker designed especially for Weaving Roots, a copy of The Virginia Housewife, an 1820s cookbook referenced in Weaving Roots, and a $15 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/2ddab/weaving-roots-celebration-tour-giveaway