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A Summer on Bellevue Avenue by Lorri Dudley

January 25, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: A Summer on Bellevue Avenue

Author: Lorri Dudley

Genre: Christian historical romance

Release Date: January 9, 2024

In the world of the elite, reputation is everything…

Wealthy heiress Amanda Mae Klein is set to marry the man she loves, Wesley Jansen—the only person she trusts to help ease her anxiety among the social climbers of high society. Until the daughter of a union boss falls down a flight of stairs at Wesley’s office in the middle of the night…and the woman claims Wesley pushed her.

Seeking solace from the growing scandal, Amanda flees to the mansion-dotted seaside of Newport. Wesley follows to disprove the rumors and win back the trust of Amelia and her father. But soon, Amanda finds not only her social status but her life at risk. As dire events pit the two against each other, will their love find a way to survive?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household.

More from Lorri

Moguls, Millionaires, and Midas

Imagine parties where the dining guests could dig through a sand centerpiece for rubies, diamonds, sapphires, and other precious stones to take home as party favors. Or celebrating elaborate pet birthdays, where dogs are seated around a formal dining table and served liver, rice, and cake. Fancy dining on horseback as guests eat while riding. At the mention of the Gilded Age in Newport, Rhode Island, Robin Leach’s voice naturally pipes in my head, “These are the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”

Imposing wrought iron gates, expansive manicured lawns and gardens, and opulent French chateaus or Italian palazzos—the summer “cottages” of Newport’s famous self-made moguls of America’s Gilded Age stir the imagination and leave us wondering if we glimpsed a bit of what heaven may look like. What was accomplished, built, and achieved still impresses, and I had oodles of fun researching the era and its eccentric society walkers.

One of my favorite stories regarding the elites was the rivalry between “old money” Caroline Astor and “new money” Alva Vanderbilt. Legend has it that Caroline Astor frowned upon the Vanderbilts and did much to prohibit the new money Vanderbilts from having true social standing. Alva Vanderbilt concocted a plan to pry her way into old-money elitism by planning a fabulous costume party with all the who’s who of New York’s knickerbockers. Alva personally delivered Mrs. Astor’s invitation, and when Mrs. Astor refused to receive her, Alva Vanderbilt rescinded Caroline Astor’s daughter, Carrie’s, invitation. Hearing she was uninvited to the event, Carrie bent her mother’s ear and got her to acquiesce. Caroline Astor formally visited Alva Vanderbilt and attended the costume party, solidifying the Vanderbilt’s arrival into high society.

Living a little over an hour from Newport, I’ve toured many of the mansions and hiked the cliff walk along the luxurious shoreline. It was during one of these tours that the plot idea struck for Summer on Bellevue Avenue and the romance between two Gilded sweethearts torn apart by scandal was born.

My Impressions

“God has prepared you for this moment. Go and bloom where you are planted, because He has tilled the soil.”

People are the same in any century. Lorri Dudley takes us back to New York City and Newport in 1895. We are invited into the lives of the rich and famous of the time. So many times we think if we just had more money, life would be simple. In her latest novel, A Summer on Bellevue Avenue, Dudley proves that money can’t buy happiness. In the space of a few hours, the future happiness of two of the ultra-rich, Wesley Astor Jansen and Amanda Klein, is tossed up in the air and contorted into suffering by those around them.

The big question becomes, how will each of them behave in these new, undesirable circumstances? Amanda is nearly thrown to the wolves in the summer playground for the wealthy, trying desperately to fit in, avoid the whispers and the reminders of the past. Wesley tries hard to prove his innocence of sordid allegations, but evidence keeps mounting to the contrary.

I love how down-to-earth and kind both Amanda and Wesley are. They stand in sharp contrast to their social circle, which forbids becoming true friends with the servants or even treating them compassionately.

Katie is my favorite secondary character, as she reluctantly realizes Amanda’s gold heart and decides to trust her. Katie gives very solid, well-considered advice, unlike Amanda’s society mentor.

I love how Wesley rescues Amanda socially, but the biggest rescue is a change to her thinking. Amanda is very fearful of making a misstep in this elite society. Wesley uses an example to open her eyes to how that society really operates, freeing her to be who God made her to be. “The captain who taught me threw the crabs in a bucket—no lid or anything to keep them inside. I asked if they’d climb out, but the captain laughed and said to watch. As soon as one crab looked as though he was going to make it over the edge to his escape, the other little buggers pulled him back down into the bucket. According to the captain, not a single one had ever gotten away.”

“These are the crabs, and this gilded inner sanctum is the bucket. If someone gets too high within its walls, others will tear them down.”

Author’s notes at the end list some of the famous socialites of the time who are mentioned in the book and give a brief bio of each.

I recommend this historical romance for lovers of history, the Gilded Age, and any dealing with inferiority complexes.

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

Notable Quotables:

“A person’s value didn’t come from their bank account, bloodlines, or social connections. Their worth was determined by those they loved and who loved them in return and by God, who gave His son so they could have life.”

“I should warn you. Love makes a man weak.” “Vulnerable, yes, but love can also make a person stronger.”

“You’re a rose blooming in a thistle garden.” Katie smiled. “Show them not just the beauty on the outside but surprise them by what’s on your inside. My mama always says, ‘a little sugar makes bitter tea easier to drink.’”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great! Such a fun, relaxing story with lessons we can all heed!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 26

Devoted To Hope, January 26

Texas Book-aholic, January 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 28

Sylvan Reads, January 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 30

Betti Mace, January 31

Alena Mentink, January 31

For Him and My Family, February 1

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

An Author’s Take, February 2

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 3

Cover Lover Book Review, February 4

Blossoms and Blessings, February 5

Holly’s Book Corner, February 5

Life on Chickadee Lane, February 6

Pause for Tales, February 6

Connie’s History Classroom, February 7

Book Looks by Lisa, February 7

Lily’s Corner, February 8

She Lives To Read, February 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lorri 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/299bf/a-summer-on-bellevue-avenue-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

Bride by Beguilement by Debbie Lynn Costello Review and Giveaway

January 19, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Bride by Beguilement

Author: Debbie Lynne Costello

Genre: Historical Christian Romance

Release Date: September 25, 2023

Kirsten Macleod is in a bind. Her father’s last will and testament stipulates that she must either marry, lead the plantation into a first year profit, or forfeit it to her uncle. But marriage is proving no easy option. Every suitor seems more enamored with the land than with her. Until her handsome neighbor sweeps into her stable to the rescue… of her beloved horse.

Silas Westbrook’s last year at veterinary school ends abruptly when he is called home to care for his young orphaned sisters. Troubles compound when he finds an insurmountable lien on the only home they’ve ever known, and the unscrupulous banker is calling in the loan. The neighbor’s kind-hearted and beautiful stable girl, Krissy, provides the feminine influence the girls desperately need. If only he had a future to offer her. But to save his sisters from poverty, he should set his sights on Krissy’s wealthy relative Kirsten Macleod, the elusive new heiress. Surely this hard-working and unassuming young lady and the landowner could not be one and the same?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Debbie Lynne Costellohas enjoyed writing stories since she was eight years old. She raised her family and then embarked on her own career of writing the stories that had been begging to be told. She and her husband have four children and live in upstate South Carolina. She has worked in many capacities in her church and is currently the Children’s Director. She loves the Lord and hopes people will be uplifted and inspired by her writing. Debbie Lynne has shown and raised Shetland Sheepdogs for eighteen years and still enjoys litters now and then. In their spare time, she and her husband take pleasure in camping and riding their Arabian and Tennessee Walking horses.

More from Debbie

I’ve always believed that a great book can go unknown without a great cover. What makes me say that? You’ll never know what’s in the book if you don’t read the back cover and you’ll never read the back cover if you don’t pick up the book and you won’t pick up the book unless the cover grabs you. I loved the cover of book one. It was perfect for the story. That left me feeling a bit anxious about the cover for book two. With the hero being a veterinarian who owned a horse farm and a heroine with a sick horse, the cover needed a horse. But let me tell you, there just aren’t that many horse models out there.

Most publishers and book designers don’t allow the author to submit a photo to use. I mean that just isn’t the way it’s done—and understandably so. There is a certain quality that has to be adhered to. Can you imagine what covers would look like if we could use our phones to take our cover picture? Well…I just happen to know a very capable photographer so I took a gamble and asked the cover editor if I could submit a picture of my horse, Trigger for the cover. To my surprise, they asked for copies of the photographer’s work, which I happily supplied. The cover editor was quite impressed and okayed the idea.

So with a photographer, a beautiful young lady, some 19^th century clothes, and my boy Trigger, I was part of the photo shoot, explaining how I envisioned the pose. When the pictures came back I was ecstatic! They were exactly what I was wanting. And better yet, the cover designer liked them as well!

I’m now trying to figure out how I can get Trigger to hold a book so I can take his picture with the cover. If you have any ideas, let me know! If you’d like to see more pictures of Trigger, you can see him on my FB page with my ‘through the ears of a horse’ posts.

My Impressions

“If only forgiveness was enough. No anger remained, no bitterness, but no trust either. He had to believe in her, and he found it impossible.”

Preconceived notions almost caused me to miss this great historical fiction novel, Bride by Beguilement by Debbie Lynn Costello. I saw the cover, with a horse, a fence, a woman and a man with a “cowboy hat.” I thought, “Nope! Not really into cowboy stories!” But then I read the blurb. (Moral- look at book covers AND read blurbs!)

I really enjoyed this story about two young-adult neighbors, both left with the impossible task of managing their families’ land on their own, and turning a profit besides. Plus, Silas is left with two young siblings he hardly knows to rear on his own.

While I am not necessarily a horse lover, Costello is, and works her wordsmith magic weaving the romantic tension back and forth between Silas and Krissy while sprinkling her horse-loving fairy-dust over the reader as well. I personally cared about Briagha, Silas’s Arabians, and the land that seemed cursed, but was so valued. I did want to shake the two protagonists into better communication skills. And to give thirty lashes for their projection of their past relationships into their present. But perhaps I knew where the author was taking the story? Until… Costello presents some really great plot twists!

I highly recommend this book. The romance is great, I loved the little girls, and I had not one, or two, but four fave secondary characters when all was said and done. Read the book!

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

Notable Quotables:

“I ken you have prayed aboot your troubles, and you gave them to the Lord. In a perfect world, that would be it, and you would never fash again. But we live in a fallen world. You have to work daily at giving up the desire to take every problem on yourself. Every morning you need to wake up and lay your burdens at the Lord’s feet.”

“A backup plan doesn’t take too much faith…”

“There was no comfort. She drew in a deep breath. Yes, there was. The Lord was her comfort. His Word promised her that.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! Highly recommended!

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, January 19

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 20

Mary Hake, January 20

She Lives to Read, January 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 22

lakesidelivingsite, January 23

Lighthouse Academy Blog, January 23 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Betti Mace, January 24

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 25

Holly’s Book Corner, January 25

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, January 26 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 27

Britt Reads Fiction, January 28

Texas Book-aholic, January 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 30

Simple Harvest Reads, January 31 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, February 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Debbie is giving away the grand prize package of an apron kitchen set (as pictured), a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a signed copy of my 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/297cf/bride-by-beguilement-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, Launch Team, NetGalley, PB, Purchase, Revell

The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz Review

January 5, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: The Seamstress of Acadie

Author: Laura Frantz

Genre: Historical Romance

Releases: January 9, 2024

I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher through NetGalley. I also ordered a paperback copy for myself and a friend. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

(As part of the Launch Team, I am reviewing an ARC of the book.)

As 1754 is drawing to a close, tensions between the French and the British on Canada’s Acadian shore are reaching a fever pitch. Seamstress Sylvie Galant and her family–French-speaking Acadians wishing to remain neutral–are caught in the middle, their land positioned between two forts flying rival flags. Amid preparations for the celebration of Noël, the talk is of unrest, coming war, and William Blackburn, the British Army Ranger raising havoc across North America’s borderlands.

As summer takes hold in 1755 and British ships appear on the horizon, Sylvie encounters Blackburn, who warns her of the coming invasion. Rather than participate in the forced removal of the Acadians from their land, he resigns his commission. But that cannot save Sylvie or her kin. Relocated on a ramshackle ship to Virginia, Sylvie struggles to pick up the pieces of her life. When her path crosses once more with William’s, they must work through the complex tangle of their shared, shattered past to navigate the present and forge an enduring future.

About the Author

Bestselling, award-winning author, Laura Frantz, has been writing stories since age seven. She is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century and her novels often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Proud of her heritage, she is also a Daughter of the American Revolution. Though she will always consider Kentucky home, she and her husband live in Washington State.

According to Publishers Weekly, “Frantz has done her historical homework.” With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California. Foreign language editions include French, Dutch, Spanish, Slovakian, German & Polish.

Readers can find Laura Frantz at http://www.laurafrantz.net

*Subscribe to Laura’s seasonal newsletter and receive new release information, news about contests, giveaways, and reader events, sneak peaks and teasers, signings and appearances, and more! To subscribe, copy and paste this into your browser’s address window:

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My Impressions

“The evil had come. It pulsated all around her, thick and black and unruly as a horde of gray wolves with no restraining hand.”

All Sylvie Galant and so many of her fellow Acadians wanted was to be neutral, uninvolved in the land grab in the “New World” between England and France. The Acadians just want to go on living life in their beautiful, productive land as they have for generations. But that right is ferociously torn away from them by the English governor, who vanquishes them all from the land of their dreams to exile in the English colonies… if they survive to arrive. While all Acadians know Bleu Galant, Sylvie’s half-brother, fights for them and the French, they also know that the man responsible for rounding up the Acadians is Le Diable Blanc (the White Devil), Le Loup ( the Wolf).

Laura Frantz, winner of the Christy for historical fiction in 2023, has written yet another novel, The Seamstress of Acadie, equally deserving of a Christy.

No one has a way with words like Laura Frantz. Frantz writes so beautifully, I can almost hear music or see art accompanying her words. I could certainly see Acadie in all its beauty, then its denudation of its people and prosperity. Frantz makes you feel like you are on those transport ships of death. I could feel the rise and swell of the waves in the storm, smell the odors of sickness and fear, feel the terror of the hurricane, taste the loss of dreams and faith.

Still, people that go through the same horrific circumstances can come out different on the other side. Frantz points the reader to the fact that this is because some, like Sylvie, devastated, turn to their faith to bolster them and provide a purpose for their lives. Others continue to stew in their hatred, with disastrous results.

Some, like Sylvie, attempt to share the bit of light they find. “God Himself collects our tears and stores them in a bottle…God takes note of our suffering. It is no light matter to Him. I find that . . . comforting.” Yet few are willing to see that God can be present in and allow horrible circumstances and still be directing a person’s path. “There is no bottle big enough for Acadie’s weeping.”

Sylvie battles fear, loss of family, loss of homeland, prejudice, and finally her own treacherous heart, falling for the one man she should hate.

With a map, glossary, and short historical note at the front, the reader is well-prepared for this both painful and beautiful journey. In The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz, I found a new book to reread for her rest of my life!!

Notable Quotable:

“Perhaps the Lord was leading her in ways she hadn’t planned or preferred, but still he leadeth.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beyond Magnificent!! But read The Seamstress of Acadie for yourself. You decide.

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The Juliet Code by Pepper Basham Review and Giveaway

January 1, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Juliet Code

Author: Pepper Basham

Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction

Release Date: December, 2023

Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley Finally Reach Their Honeymoon Destination Only to Encounter a New Mystery in Need of Solving

Frederick and Grace Percy finally make it to Italy to enjoy a delayed honeymoon and explore the beauties of the historic city of Venice. To their surprise, their friend, Detective Jack Miracle, is also in the city, investigating a series of art heists starting at the house of eccentric millionaire, Laraby Covington. Drawn into a world of boat races, mysterious houses, and parties of the rich and unusual in Venice, Frederick and Grace learn of the existence of the Juliet paintings, (Renaissance paintings feature Shakespeare’s tragic heroine) rumored to hold a secret code to an underground vault of similarly treasured artwork assumed lost over the centuries. As Freddie and Grace are pulled deeper into the mystery and their beloved Detective Jack disappears, can they use their wits and work as a team to find the thieves and Jack before it’s too late.

The Juliet Code is a Freddie and Grace Mystery, sequel to The Mistletoe Countess and The Cairo Curse.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Pepper Bashamis an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroadsand Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

More from Pepper

The Ever After

I’ve always loved fairytales.

Especially the romanticized version (#romancewriter).

The wonderful sense of a two people meeting, overcoming obstacles to be together, and then the happily-ever-after?

Well, those are some of my favorite reasons to read and write fiction. However, I didn’t realize the challenge I took on when I agreed to write a second and third book with the main characters staying the same!

You know what I mean?

In most series, the main characters from book one become secondary characters in the consecutive books so that the secondary characters in book one can become the main characters in book 2 (everybody still following along? )

One of my favorite book series that do this so well is the Amelia Peabody series. I fell in LOVE with Amelia and Emerson in book one, but just loved watching their continued dynamic as a couple grow with each new book. I felt as if I got to know them so much better in their “ever after” while they engaged in all sorts of adventures together.

So…that’s what I hoped to accomplish with Freddie and Grace.

Where The Mistletoe Countess ends with a happily-ever-after, The Cairo Curse and The Juliet Code take over to show us more of the…ever after – my attempt at showing how two main characters continue to grow beyond the end of book one.

I didn’t realize what a daunting feat it would be. Watching two characters meet, fall in love, and show some growth in book 1 was what I was used to doing. But how was I supposed to continue that character growth in consecutive books?

Well, I had to grow myself as a writer to understand how small changes can make lasting differences especially when writing about a beloved couple.

I think The Juliet Code shows a little of that growth – of our Freddie and Grace have not only matured spiritually and, in Grace’s case, experientially, but also as a couple.

Do you have a series that you love where the main characters stay the same?

My Impressions

“Surely God knew exactly what He’d been doing when He bound Frederick to this darling woman in marriage, didn’t He? Was it some sort of cosmic trust exercise?”

Frederick Percy, Lord Astley, is slowly coming to the conclusion that his life as a newly married earl will involve much more adventure and sleuthing than he would have chosen. Lady Astley, Grace, is delighted to have their honeymoon turn into one murderous adventure after another, finding great exhilaration and satisfaction in the happenings.

Pepper Basham brings back one of my favorite fictional detective couples from the Mistletoe Countess and The Cairo Curse. It’s best to read the series in sequence to get the most enjoyment from this seemingly mismatched couple. Britain Freddy, hurt and lonely from his childhood, is the antithesis of American Grace, who is bookish, yet social, and impulsive. When the couple teams up with their detective friend Jack to find the missing Juliet paintings, confusion, and delusion, and danger abound.

Grace and Frederick communicate in sparkling repartée. Their conversation sizzles while remaining a clean read. As they learn more about each other, they learn how they complement each other and encourage each other to grow in their faith. Frederick encourages Grace with her fears, “And when you feel your courage is small, He is quite capable to lend you some of His.” Grace’s impetuosity will either cause Frederick to become overprotective of her, or learn to trust God.

I recommend this novel for those who appreciate historical romance, mystery , and humor intertwined with faith.

I received a copy of the book through Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own paperback for my keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“I know we haven’t the power to change the world, but we can start in our little corner where God places us. To help right wrongs. Bring about justice and mercy. Sprinkle joy where it’s needed.”

“It was quite delightful to think of herself as a character in God’s book instead of just a wandering character without an author or book at all. In fact, if He wrote her days and she was trying to love Him and others well, then she had all the reason in the world to live bravely, didn’t she?”

“God is the great wrong breaker…”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! This Freddie and Grace Mystery had me smiling, biting my fingernails, scratching my head, and growing in faith alongside the main characters.

Blog Stops

The Sacred Line, December 28

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 28

Bigreadersite, December 28

Texas Book-aholic, December 29

Devoted To Hope, December 29

Mary Hake, December 29

She Lives To Read, December 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 30

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, December 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 31

Blogging with Carol, December 31

For Him and My Family, December 31

Where Faith and Books Meet, January 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 1

Back Porch Reads, January 1

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 2

Life on Chickadee Lane, January 2

Connie’s History Classroom, January 2

Book Looks by Lisa, January 3

Aryn the Libraryan, January 3

Girls in White Dresses, January 3

Daysong Reflections, January 4

Holly’s Book Corner, January 4

Splashes of Joy, January 4

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, January 5 (Author Interview)

Wishful Endings, January 5

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, January 5

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, January 6

Blossoms and Blessings, January 6

Pause for Tales, January 6

Tell Tale Book reviews, January 7

Cover Lover Book Review, January 7

Live. Love. Read., January 7

Labor Not in Vain, January 8

Mornings at Character Cafe, January 8

Worthy2Read, January 8

All-of-a-kind Mom, January 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 9

The Lit Lady, January 9

Lily’s Corner, January 10

By The Book, January 10

To Everything There Is A Season, January 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Pepper is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon eGift card and a 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/293d6/the-juliet-code-celebration-tour-giveaway

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Purchase

The Gilded Curse by Marilyn Turk

December 10, 2023 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Gilded Curse

Author: Marilyn Turk

Genre: Historical Suspense

Release Date: July 31, 2023

In early 1942, a mysterious telegram draws Lexie Smithfield back to the island her mother thought was cursed. Now the only heir to the dwindling family fortune, Lexie plans to sell the family’s vacation “cottage” in the Millionaire’s Village on Jekyll Island. But someone else is interested in the cottage and is getting more desperate to find what they’re looking for, even to the point of murder.

Lexie’s childhood friend, Russell Thompson, is now the Jekyll Island Club’s superintendent and the keeper of members’ secrets, especially one that would shatter Lexie. When he learns Lexie is in danger, he stays close to protect her, but soon discovers an attraction to Lexie he didn’t expect.

Could the danger be from someone they know or is it possible that the threat of Nazi invasion on their coast is a reality? Or is the island really cursed?

Russell and Lexie must work together to discover the real danger and keep from getting hurt or killed in the process.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Award-winning author Marilyn Turk writes historical and contemporary fiction flavored with suspense and romance. Marilyn also writes devotions for Daily Guideposts, Walking in Grace, and contributes to other Guideposts publications. She and her husband are lighthouse enthusiasts, have visited over 100 lighthouses and also served as volunteer lighthouse caretakers at Little River Light off the coast of Maine.

When not writing or visiting lighthouses, Marilyn enjoys reading, walking, boating, fishing, gardening, tennis, and playing with her golden retriever. She also sings in the choir at her church and leads a women’s Bible study group. Marilyn and her husband have a combined family of four sons, one daughter, and four grandsons. She’s still hoping for a granddaughter someday.

She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Faith, Hope and Love Christian Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Word Weavers International, and the United States Lighthouse Society.

Marilyn is also the director of the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference.

More from Marilyn

When my agent told me a certain publisher was looking for Southern Gothic novels,

I wondered what those were. What I found out was that they were gothic-style novels set in the South, usually an old antebellum mansion, for example, “Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte.” Think “Jane Eyre” or “Wuthering Heights” set in the southern United States. I had just visited Jekyll Island, Georgia and toured the Millionaires’ Village there, so those mansions came to mind. These homes, which were actually vacation “cottages” of the rich and famous, were built in the Gilded Age of the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is said that the 100 members of the club represented most of the wealth in America at that time. However, the members aged and passed away, leaving their wealth or debt to their descendants, the Great Depression caused many to lose their fortunes, then two world wars wreaked havoc on the country, so most of those homes were abandoned. Thanks to ongoing renovation efforts by the state of Georgia, many have been rebuilt. My main character in The Gilded Curse, Alexandra Smithfield (Lexie), inherits one of those abandoned mansions right at the start of World War II. The family fortune gone, she intends to renovate and sell the mansion she hasn’t seen since childhood since her mother believed the island cursed, due to some tragedies that happened to their family while there. So Lexie is “cursed” in two ways – by inheriting something she can no longer afford to keep and by the imagined curse her mother believes. When suspicious events happen around her cottage, she wonders if her mother was right.

Today, you can take tours of the Millionaires’ Village and see the former “cottages” of Pulitzer, Vanderbilt, J.P. Morgan, etc. You can also stay at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, renovated and now part of the Jekyll Island Club Resort. Some of the characters in my book were real people who lived in 1942, particularly the Maurice sisters, two single sisters who loved the island and never wanted to leave it, even when the President of the United States wanted the island vacated during the war. One interesting thing about the Maurice house: efforts to renovate it have met one obstacle after another, leading some people to believe the sisters’ spirits are still there and very particular about what they want done to their house.

My Impressions

“Lexie was beginning to believe there were too many secrets on the island, including those that involved her. She promised herself she’d discover the truth and trust Russell to help her. Unless he was too busy keeping his own secrets.”

Marilyn Turk combines romance, suspense, mystery, and WWII to bring us the first book in the Suspicious Shores series, The Gilded Curse.

In 1942, Lexie Smithfield has returned to the summer playground of the rich and famous, Jekyll Island, to dispose of her family’s dilapidated cottage. Having lost her father to an accident, her mother to dementia, and her brother to the war, Lexie has no one to rely on but herself.

When Lexie returns, she finds a childhood friend, Russell Thompson, superintendent of the club, waiting for her. She also encounters former unwanted acquaintances, a surly gardener, and rumors of ghosts in her cottage.

The cottage has secrets and is most forbidding. Yet, someone is after something valuable in the old cottage. As things go from bad to worse, Lexie hears over and over in her head her Mother’s voice, claiming the curse of Jekyll Island has ruined their family.

With strange sightings off the coast and strange happenings in the cottage, can Lexie and Russell work together, overcoming social barriers, to find the truth before the curse claims its last victim? Can Lexie find her way back to God, or is He angry at her because she has ignored Him for so long?

I loved the topics broached in this touching story. PTSD, mental illness, respect for veterans, better treatment for mentally ill, social barriers, fears, fear of God. All are a natural part of the story.

And the history! I love learning new things, and I never knew some of these facts about WWII and our own shores.

I highly recommend this book. I immediately went to my fave retailer and bought the sequel, Shadow of the Curse, for more adventures with Lexie and Russell.

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

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent!! I’m ready to visit Jekyll Island!!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 11

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 11

Pause for Tales, December 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 13

Mary Hake, December 13

Betti Mace, December 14

Texas Book-aholic, December 15

Min Reads and Reviews, December 15

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 16

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 18

Holly’s Book Corner, December 18

Blogging With Carol, December 19

Cover Lover Book Review, December 20

For Him and My Family, December 21

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

Little Homeschool on the prairie, December 22

Connie’s History Classroom, December 23

Lily’s Corner, December 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Marilyn is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 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/293d1/the-gilded-curse-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

When Love Comes by Penny Zeller Review and Giveaway

December 5, 2023December 11, 2023 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: When Love Comes

Author: Penny Zeller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: December 5, 2023

Can love be found amidst broken hearts and unexpected loss?

Determined to heal her broken heart, Charlotte Eliason visits her aunts in Prune Creek, Wyoming. What should be a time of peace and calm becomes one of chaos and unwelcome surprises when she discovers her longtime foe, Tobias Hallman, is the new blacksmith. To make matters worse, her two meddlesome aunts are constantly inviting him to supper and encouraging friendship between the two sworn enemies.
Tobias Hallman has always wanted to be a blacksmith, so when an opportunity arises to own his own shop in Prune Creek, he seizes it. However, he doesn’t expect to cross paths with his childhood nemesis, the annoying Charlotte Eliason.
When tragedy strikes, close proximity soon forces two reluctant hearts to become allies in a quest to rescue Tobias’s orphaned niece. Can Charlotte and Tobias put aside their preconceived disdain for each other and find love in the midst of challenging circumstances? Does God have a plan for them and for a young girl grieving the untimely loss of her parents?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics.

Today Penny is a multi-published author of nearly two books. She is also a homeschool mom and a group fitness instructor. Her desire is to assist and nurture women into a closer relationship with Christ.

When Penny is not dreaming up new characters, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters and camping, hiking, canoeing, reading, running, gardening, and playing volleyball.

More from Penny

One of the most exciting things about writing a book is creating memorable characters. I couldn’t wait for Charlotte and Tobias to have their own story—and to revisit Aunt Myrtle and Aunt Fern. I hope you enjoy this short excerpt from When Love Comes.

Blessings,

Penny

“Charlotte! Oh, Charlotte!” Two jubilant voices garnered her attention. Aunt Myrtle and Aunt Fern waved at her from the north end of the boardwalk. Charlotte bustled her way through the crowds and toward the aunts.

My, but if they hadn’t begun to have a strong resemblance in their older years. Both had completely gray hair, and while Aunt Fern wore spectacles, her round face and pert nose matched her sister’s.

“Best not ever say they resemble each other,” Ma told her before she embarked on this trip. “Even if they do. For you might find yourself sleeping in the chicken coop for such a comment.” Ma and Charlotte had laughed over that, even as Ma insisted it would be detrimental to suggest their likeness.

“Look at you! You’ve grown into such a lovely young lady,” Aunt Myrtle wrapped her arms around Charlotte. “We’re so glad you’re here.”

Aunt Fern gave her a hug next. “Yes, we are. It’s been too long since an Eliason was here in Prune Creek. The buggy is thisaway. It’s a slight bit too far for us to walk to the Peabody house these days.”

“Too far for you, maybe,” chided Aunt Myrtle. She fingered her decorative hat. “What do you think about my hat, Charlotte? Mrs. Peabody was about to discard it when I salvaged it.”

Since she was taller than Aunt Myrtle, Charlotte could see the top of the hat and the fake bird immersed in a portable flower garden. “It’s lovely.”

“Well, it is not,” declared Aunt Fern. “Who wears a hat with a bird on it?”

Aunt Myrtle lifted her chin, nearly causing the hat to topple from her head. “Women of high society who take a fancy to the latest and most elegant fashions.”

“But you’re neither.”

“Pshaw. Hush, Fern.”

They walked down the boardwalk on the way to the buggy. As they passed the barbershop, a balding man with the thickest spectacles Charlotte had ever seen perched in the entryway. “Well, hello, Fern. Would you like a haircut?”

“You know full and well, Mr. Gorman, that I do not need a haircut.” Aunt Fern fluffed her gray curls and tossed him a disgusted look. “That vexing man asks me if I would like a haircut every time I walk by the barbershop. Far be it from me to allow someone with magnifying glasses for spectacles to see well enough to fashion my coiffure.”

My Impressions

“Sometimes the Good Lord places folks in our lives who become far more than mere friends.”

Penny Zeller takes us back in time to Prune Creek, Wyoming, in 1895. Charlotte Eliason has had her heart broken, and has traveled to live with her two perpetually bickering aunts.

Charlotte is shocked to discover that the young smithy her aunts want to set her up with is none other than Tobias Hallman, her childhood nemesis.

This old West romance is perfect for those who like the enemies-to-friends-to-more trope. Expect the meddling aunts to provide tons of humor. You’ve just got to love Myrtle and Fern! And little Lanie will both become endearing and break your heart! One of the best things about this book, is that it really can be read as a stand-alone, even though it’s part of a series. (But honestly, the books are too good to miss any.)

I think I would truly have enjoyed living in this town and having a front row seat to the romance and hilarity. I might forego an invitation to supper, though!

One thing Tobias doesn’t understand is how Charlotte can re-read a book four or more times, and he can’t resist needling her. “I do know, however, that if I read a book once I can be assured it will end the same way should I read it a second time. Now on the fourth time, the ending might change.”

One of my fave lines shows Charlotte’s maturity and trust in God. “God wasn’t caught unaware. He knows this is happening and the repercussions…We need to begin collecting prayers.” Sounds simple, but life is being turned topsy-turvy as she proclaims her faith, and encourages another to stand on her faith plateau.

I highly recommend When Love Comes. I received a copy from the author, and from Celebrate Lit, and I bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“I don’t regret the life God chose for me. What I do regret is the bitterness.”

“Don’t be like I’ve been. Forgive, move on, and await with anticipation the life God has planned for you.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I always enjoy Penny Zeller’s historical romances!! And we get a heaping helping of the hilarious great aunts in this one!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 6

lakesidelivingsite, December 6

Alena Mentink, December 7

She Lives To Read, December 8

Vicky Sluiter, December 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 9

Texas Book-aholic, December 10

EmpowerMoms, December 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 13

Devoted To Hope, December 14

Cover Lover Book Review, December 14

For Him and My Family, December 15

Holly’s Book Corner, December 16

Connie’s History Classroom, December 16

Splashes of Joy, December 17

Pause for Tales, December 18

Life on Chickadee Lane, December 19

Mary Hake, December 19

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Penny is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift and a signed 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/2924a/when-love-comes-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, Bethany House, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, NetGalley

Rocky Mountain Promise by Misty M. Beller Review and Giveaway

November 28, 2023 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Rocky Mountain Promise

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: November 21, 2023

Lorelei Collins possesses a soft heart for any animal in need, so when she finds a buffalo calf bawling beside its mother’s lifeless body, she can’t help but bring it home to raise on the ranch she and her sisters are building in the Rocky Mountain wilderness. Little does she realize that its white coloring is rare and considered sacred by Native Americans, which makes it highly valuable to them and the European trappers alike.

A flood of men visit their ranch to regard the marvel, some trying to woo Lorelei into marriage so she’ll bring the buffalo calf along as dowry, and others trying to steal the calf outright. When the men’s advances become more sinister, she approaches Tanner Mason, the quiet and mysterious owner of the new trading post, with an idea: She and the calf will move to his post, along with her family’s trusted Blackfoot friend. This will solve both their problems, bringing customers to his trade room and protecting her family from the trouble brought on by so many strangers. Yet as the danger travels with her, Lorelei and Tanner are faced with a threat greater than anything they’re prepared for–one that will test the limits of both their abilities and the love growing between them.

USA Today bestselling author Misty M. Beller delivers an exhilarating addition to the Sisters of the Rockies series fraught with peril, adventure, and romance amid the majesty of the Rocky Mountains.

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

My latest release, Rocky Mountain Promise,follows the four Collins sisters who traveled west to accomplish their father’s deathbed request, and stayed on to run a ranch in the Wyoming Rockies. This particular book is Lorelei’s story, the third sister by age.

I loved writing Lorelei! She LOVES animals and has a heart to heal and nurture. Growing up on a ranch in the early 1800s, she understands that animals are important to survival, but she loves taking in any injured or orphaned creature she finds.

Like the orphaned buffalo calf with beautiful shades of white fur she discovered on the plains. The creature was only a couple weeks old, far too young to survive on its own in the wild, so she took it home to nurture until it could be released back into a herd.

Little did she know, white buffalos are extremely rare and considered sacred by the Indians, which puts them in high demand. I first learned about this belief when I was reading the non-fiction book My Life as an Indian, a memoir of James Willard Schultz, a white man who married into the Blackfoot tribe and lived among them for many years.

The respect for the white buffalo originally began with the Sioux, and they have a legend about the White Buffalo Woman that I won’t take time to share here (though you can read about it in Rocky Mountain Promise!). The deep respect for a white buffalo spread quickly among all the tribes and the trappers who lived in the Rockies and the surrounding plains, and such a creature (or even its hide) became one of the most sought after treasures in that day!

In Lorelei’s story, trapper and Indian alike show up in their cabin yard to see the remarkable white calf, some trying to woo her into marriage so she’ll bring the buffalo calf along as dowry. Others try to steal the calf outright. She ends up taking drastic measures to protect both the calf and her family. Any guess what she did?

I pray you love Rocky Mountain Promise as much as I do!

Blessings!

Misty

My Impressions

“Her mission was to save—especially animals. She was the one who came along after the hunters and found the helpless, those not mortally wounded, or the innocent that had depended on those now lifeless.”

It’s always a treat to read another historical romance by Misty Beller. Each book just seems to get better and better. In Rocky Mountain Promise, we have Lorelei’s ( the third of four Collins sisters) and Tanner’s story. The four sisters venture into the West in the 1830s, following their late father’s instructions.

Lorelei loves animals with a passion, especially helpless ones. She happens upon an orphaned baby albino buffalo and adopts him before she understands the Native American lore surrounding the white buffalo and the trouble he could bring to the ranch.

I enjoyed every minute of my time with Lorelei and Tanner. Lorelei is so sweet, such a great nurse/vet to animals or humans alike, so kind and free. ( I found the eldest sister, Rosemary, much harder to like because of her overbearing personality.) Tanner is amazing as well, so thoughtful, protective, going out of his way to help, honest, and wise as concerns both business and people.

There is so much to like about this book! The mountains will call to you as you read of the characters traveling through them. The romance is sweet and paced just right, interspersed with plenty of trouble and action. Anyone who loves animals will love Lorelei and her devotion to them. Tanner’s trading post is so well described I felt like I could have been there to receive and judge furs or shop for hard-to-obtain goods. I also loved the interactions between the cultures.

While this is definitely part of a buildable series, I believe the book could be enjoyed as a stand-alone.

Faith is woven quietly into the novel, but that faith is strong. “I don’t know what God’s plans are for Curly. All I know is we need to take the next step before us.” I wish we all, myself included, would be that obedient to what God places before us.

Will faith lift Tanner out of the belief in his own worthlessness? Thanks to people who should have loved him and had his back, he is sure he is a failure. “why did it seem he was always the villain, even when he tried to protect?”

I highly recommend this book. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit through NetGalley. All opinions are my own, and no positive review was required.

Notable Quotables:

“God hasn’t rejected you. You are good enough exactly the way He made you. Better than good enough—you’re perfect. Exactly the way He wants you.”

“Treasure is found in ashes.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! Misty Beller will keep you spellbound from the first page to the last as you enter her beautiful, romantic, and dangerous world of yesteryear.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 29

Life on Chickadee Lane, November 30

Pens Pages & Pulses, November 30

Betti Mace, December 1

Wishful Endings, December 1

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

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 2

Texas Book-aholic, December 3

Splashes of Joy, December 3

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 4

For Such A Time As This – Miriam Jacob, December 4

lakesidelivingsite, December 5

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 5

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 6

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 6

Life, Love, Writing, December 7

Avid Reader Nurse, December 7

Cover Lover Book Review, December 8

Tell Tale Book Reviews, December 9

For Him and My Family, December 9

Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 10

Exploring the Written Word, December 10

Holly’s Book Corner, December 11

Blossoms and Blessings, December 11

Lily’s Corner, December 12

Pause for Tales, December 12

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/2909a/rocky-mountain-promise-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, Purchase

When Love Comes by Penny Zeller Review

November 21, 2023 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: When Love Comes

Series: Wyoming Sunrise #3

Author: Penny Zeller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Releases: December 5, 2023

Can love be found amidst broken hearts and unexpected loss?

Determined to heal her broken heart, Charlotte Eliason visits her aunts in Prune Creek, Wyoming. What should be a time of peace and calm becomes one of chaos and unwelcome surprises when she discovers her longtime foe, Tobias Hallman, is the new blacksmith. To make matters worse, her two meddlesome aunts are constantly inviting him to supper and encouraging friendship between the two sworn enemies.

Tobias Hallman has always wanted to be a blacksmith, so when an opportunity arises to own his own shop in Prune Creek, he seizes it. However, he doesn’t expect to cross paths with his childhood nemesis, the annoying Charlotte Eliason.

When tragedy strikes, close proximity soon forces two reluctant hearts to become allies in a quest to rescue Tobias’s orphaned niece. Can Charlotte and Tobias put aside their preconceived disdain for each other and find love in the midst of challenging circumstances? Does God have a plan for them and for a young girl grieving the untimely loss of her parents?

A woman with a broken heart. A man struggling with the loss of his brother and the subsequent care of his young niece. And two silly aunts who discover it’s never too late for true love.

About the Author

Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics.

Today Penny is a multi-published author of over a dozen books. She is also a homeschool mom and a group fitness instructor. Her desire is to assist and nurture women into a closer relationship with Christ.

When Penny is not dreaming up new characters, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters and camping, hiking, canoeing, reading, running, gardening, and playing volleyball.

Penny is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and loves to hear from her readers at her website, http://www.pennyzeller.com, her blog, http://www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pennyzellerbooks. To sign up for her monthly newsletter with book news and other fun morsels, go to https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/262119/74964679867237940/share

My Impressions

“Sometimes the Good Lord places folks in our lives who become far more than mere friends.”

Penny Zeller takes us back in time to Prune Creek, Wyoming, in 1895. Charlotte Eliason has had her heart broken, and has traveled to live with her two perpetually bickering aunts.

Charlotte is shocked to discover that the young smithy her aunts want to set her up with is none other than Tobias Hallman, her childhood nemesis.

I think I would truly have enjoyed living in this town and having a front row seat to the romance and hilarity. I might forego an invitation to supper, though!

One thing Tobias doesn’t understand is how Charlotte can re-read a book four or more times, and he can’t resist needling her. “I do know, however, that if I read a book once I can be assured it will end the same way should I read it a second time. Now on the fourth time, the ending might change.”

One of my fave lines shows Charlotte’s maturity and trust in God. “God wasn’t caught unaware. He knows this is happening and the repercussions…We need to begin collecting prayers.” Sounds simple, but life is being turned topsy-turvy as she proclaims her faith, and encourages another to stand on her faith plateau.

I highly recommend When Love Comes.

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

Notable Quotables:

“I don’t regret the life God chose for me. What I do regret is the bitterness.”

“Don’t be like I’ve been. Forgive, move on, and await with anticipation the life God has planned for you.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! I laughed (so hard!!) my way through this book, but also saw things to change in my own life!

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Purchase

Hearts of Gold by Grace Hitchcock Review and Giveaway

November 17, 2023November 17, 2023 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Hearts of Gold

Author: Grace Hitchcock

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: August 14, 2023

The Bridal Shop

Alice Turner, the owner of one of Charleston’s finest bridal shops, is determined never to be dependent on a man for anything after the disgrace of her father’s prison time. When her best friend requests Alice to be her maid of honor, she reluctantly sets aside her feelings on marriage and dons a stylish bridesmaid’s gown, never intending to catch the eye of the handsome groomsman. Will he be able to convince Alice to open her heart again?

Miss Beaumont’s Companion

When Italian lady’s companion Aria St. Angelo is coerced into posing as her political employer’s absent daughter for the evening at the Louisiana Governor’s masquerade ball, she wasn’t planning on falling for Byron Roderick—the most eligible bachelor in the capitol. But, when he pays call at the Beaumont’s home, Aria is quickly shuffled into the shadows once more, forced to watch him fall in love with another woman.

The Becoming of Miss Blanche

Content to remain a Harvey Girl forever, fiery Tacy Blanche has worked in nearly every Harvey House down the Santa Fe line. But, when she accepts the position of second waitress at the new Montezuma resort, Tacy isn’t expecting her former fiancé’s brother to return to her life—

Pinkerton Jasper Caffery had long abandoned hope of ever finding Tacy again, but while on holiday in New Mexico, Jasper collides with the woman who had never noticed him before. He decides to take his chances and attempt to woo her. However, when Tacy’s past catches up with her, more than Jasper’s heart is at stake.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives in the New Orleans area with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter. Connect with her online at GraceHitchcock.com.

More from Grace

Q: What do you love about writing historical fiction?

Grace: I absolutely love the research aspect. I love learning and discovering little known pieces of history. In that research, I love asking the great “what if” question and see where it takes me while still having to follow the guidelines set up for historical fiction.

I’m pretty certain every author started as an avid reader who dreamed of how they would change an ending or change who the heroine ended up with if they could write the book instead. (Anyone else think Theodore Laurence should have married Jo March?) It’s that ever-beautiful question of “what if” that has haunted some of my favorite stories and often drives my own stories to spark to life.

Q: Have you traveled to any places you’ve written about?

Grace: My books have been set in Chicago, many in New York, Newport, New Orleans, and Charleston, which I’ve been able to visit! My upcoming Regency Romance, To Catch a Coronet, is set in London, which I toured many years ago. After writing my Regency, I’ve added an overflowing number of places to visit in England, and even Scotland where my third book will be set.

Want to know which book is set where?

Hearts of Gold: Charleston, Baton Rouge, and New Mexico

The Finding of Miss Fairfield: Charleston and New Mexico

The Pursuit of Miss Parish: New Mexico

To Catch a Coronet: London

My Dear Miss Dupré: New York and Newport

Her Darling Mr. Day: New Orleans

His Delightful Lady Delia: New York

The Gray Chamber: New York

The White City: Chicago

Q: How do you incorporate faith into your storylines?

Grace: I always weave in a faith theme, or verse, into the story. My goal with this novella collection, Hearts of Gold, is to provide readers with clean entertainment while subtly pointing them to Christ. And as with all of my books, something that I am learning inevitably ends up in the story in some form or another. Even though it feels a bit vulnerable to put my personal lessons in a book, I think that it offers a level of genuineness that can bring life to the story and hope to the reader.

Q: What aspect of romance do you enjoy writing about?

Grace: Before I started writing for publication, I would be reading and get very aggravated if the heroine chose the wrong hero in my eyes and I would rewrite the ending in my head, or even set aside the book with only pages left so I didn’t mess up the ending I wanted. Writing a romance is so much fun because now I understand the “formula” if you will about the obstacles placed in the lover’s path and the beauty of when they finally are together.

Q: Please tell us about your most recent book.

Grace: To Catch a Coronet releases with Kregel Publications in May 2024! This Regency Romance has been so much fun to research and while it is a challenge to change eras from Gilded Age to Regency, I’ve loved finding new, unique ways to get my heroines into trouble that inevitably has them meeting their true hero!

About To Catch a Coronet:

London, 1813

Sometimes the only way to out stride scandal is to catch a crown big enough to silence it.

After breaking off two arranged engagements, country baker turned heiress Muriel Beau takes matters into her own hands and asks the visiting baron she loves to marry her in a very public proposal and is met with an emphatic rejection. With no other course but to flee Kent society, Muriel knows the only way out of this debacle is to out stride it by catching what every society matron dreams of obtaining—a coronet with a sumptuous title to match. And after a glittering reception in the courts of London, Muriel’s best laid plans might come true after all.

My Impressions

“One always has a choice.”

I loved these three novellas from Grace Hitchcock. Hearts of Gold is such a great title to describe the real attitude of each protagonist.

In the Bridal Shop, Alice of Charleston, SC, is struggling to make a name for her 1880s bridal shop. She designs beautiful dresses for the wealthy, but she is hiding something in her background. When she falls for a wealthy gentleman, will her secret stay safe, or emerge and ruin her new love and her livelihood?

I loved Giles and his understanding of Alice’s true insecurities. “Don’t you know that we are all imperfect beings? We are all broken. If you are searching for healing in your own strength, you will never find it…Mankind is broken. You know in your heart the only One who can make you whole again. Just stop your running and ask Jesus for healing.”

In Miss Beaumont’s companion, a 1890s lady’s maid (Aria) falls for the beau of her wealthy charge. I love that Aria takes great care of her charge, and her charge truly seems to love and care about her, if possible. I love that the young people stand up for the right, even to parents, without being disrespectful. And Bible verses are very appropriate and nothing is “preachy.” Byron encourages Aria, “He treasures you far more than the birds of the air. Trust that He knows what is best.” Great words for today, too!

The last story is my favorite, because I love the Harvey Girl stories. In the Becoming of Miss Blanche, Tacy Blanche returns to the Montezuma resort, to find plenty of changes. One is the substitute trail guide. I just love the twists and turns this story takes! I wish it had been full-length!! Even in this relationship, there are plenty of roadblocks. As Miss Trent reminds Jasper, “Hearts have a long memory.” Can Tacy sort out what is worth remembering, and who is responsible for the memories?

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit, plus I purchased an ebook copy. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! I loved these tales from the past of love between unexpected matchings.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 18

DevotedToHope, November 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 19

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, November 20 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 20

Lakesidelivingsite, November 21

Texas Book-aholic, November 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 23

Alena Mentink, November 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 24

Cover Lover Book Review, November 25

Hannahbandanarama, November 25

For Him and My Family, November 26

Books You Can Feel Good About, November 26

Back Porch Reads, November 27

Exploring the Written Word, November 27

Blossoms and Blessings, November 28

Holly’s Book Corner, November 29

Splashes of Joy, November 29

Pause for Tales, November 30

Connie’s History Classroom, December 1

Lights in a Dark World, December 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away the grand prize package of an autographed Copy of My Dear Miss Dupré, Her Darling Mr. Day, and His Delightful Lady Delia!!

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/28ef0/hearts-of-gold-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

A Courageous Betrothal by Denise Weimer Review and Giveaway

November 12, 2023November 12, 2023 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: A Courageous Betrothal

Author: Denise Weimer

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: November 7, 2023

A wounded lieutenant, a woman fierce enough to protect her family, and an American Revolution with everything at stake.

Red-haired, freckle-faced and almost six feet tall, Jenny White has resigned herself to fame over love. Possessing the courage and wits to guard her younger siblings against nature, natives, and loyalists in Georgia’s “Hornet’s Nest” gives life meaning until she meets scout, Caylan McIntosh.

From the time Jenny nurses the young lieutenant back to health after the Battle of Kettle Creek, she can’t deny her attraction to the vexing Highlander, who seems determined to dismantle her emotional armor. But when Georgia falls to the British and Caylan returns to guide Jenny’s family on a harrowing exodus into the North Carolina mountains, will his secrets prove stronger than his devotion? Or will their love be courageous enough to carry them through the battles ahead.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

North Georgia native Denise Weimerhas authored over a dozen traditionally published novels and a number of novellas—historical and contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and time slip. As a freelance editor and Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books, she’s helped other authors reach their publishing dreams. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

More from Denise

Welcome to the Hornet’s Nest…the setting for A Courageous Betrothal. In my Scouts of the Georgia Frontier Series, we started with my September release, A Counterfeit Betrothal, in 1813. We’ve moved backward in time to middle Georgia, where the conflict between Patriots, Loyalists, and Native Americans became so intense during the American Revolution the area was dubbed “the Hornet’s Nest.” Little is known about this portion of the war, but it’s not just the setting that makes A Courageous Betrothal unique.

If the story sounds faintly familiar, that’s because it was originally Across Three Autumnsof Barbour’s Backcountry Brides (2018). That’s why it’s a short novella instead of a full-length novel. The story became a free agent just in time to join my Scouts of the Georgia Frontier. It was a perfect fit not only because of the subject matter but also because some of the real people and places show up in this story as well as the novels of the series.

Another thing that sets A Courageous Betrothal apart is its heroine. As authors, we occasionally create characters who take on life and burst off the page. That’s Jenny White. Maybe because she was based on a real person, Nancy Hart. Six feet tall, red-haired, pock-marked, and a crack shot, Nancy was called “Wahatche” or “War Woman” by local Indians. She spied for Colonel Elijah Clark and captured Loyalists and British soldiers on more than one occasion. Her exploits are echoed in Jenny’s.

So are her insecurities, which make her relatable. Jenny’s given up on the notion of finding love. Men always prefer women like her dainty younger sister. And then she meets Caylan McIntosh, a scout for Colonel Clark whose Highland heritage makes him an ardent admirer of Jenny’s strength. Her doubts—along with the shorter word count and the time needed for love to grow between wartime encounters—are a reason I chose to write the novella solely from Jenny’s POV.

By no means does Jenny outshine Caylan. He’s still probably the most swoon-worthy hero I’ve written. Here’s a little snippet of him persuading Jenny to dance.

The unseen fiddler took his cue. The notes anchored themselves inside Jenny’s chest, with invisible strings tugging her toward the sound. Caylan and presumably several other Scots started a jig. From his fancy footwork and agile leaps, the lieutenant appeared dead sober. She found herself propping the pitchfork against a wall and drifting closer in the shadows, her mother’s previous warning drowned out in the waterfall of lilting notes.

When the musician warbled into “Soldier’s Joy,” a woman faced off with her husband. As they greeted and turned, two frontiersmen leapt up to join them. Caylan looked around as though searching for a partner and noticed Jenny standing just outside the circle of light. He came toward her, hand outstretched.

“Come, lass, will ye dance with me? Ye know this one.”

Indeed, she did. She had seen settlers perform the steps on the Yadkin River. Before Jenny had time to think, Caylan whirled her into the circle, and a man dancing a female part grabbed her for a ladies’ chain. She caught a brief glimpse of Gabriel’s alarmed face as she whizzed past.

Delighted with the actual women who joined them, the men paid courtly attention that caused Jenny’s face to flame. But none more than the sensation of Caylan’s eyes, warm amber in the firelight, fixed on her every time they met. The roughened strength of his large hand made hers feel small.

When the song changed, Jenny gave an awkward curtsy and tried to back away, but her partner caught her arm. “’Tis just a Cumberland Reel.”

“I know no Cumberland Reel. Remember, we do not dance.”

“Oh. I did forget that.” But Caylan’s smirk hinted otherwise. “Seems to me Wahatchee would not grow lily-livered at a wee promenade. See, ’tis only a skip step, toe to heel?”

Jenny turned her lips down. “Wahatchee has a mother.”

Caylan threw his head back and laughed. “What? That slip of a woman has a Highland princess like you all a’cower?”

“I am English, sir.” She clasped her hands behind her petticoats.

“Well, pardon me, my lady,” he retorted with mock offense, “but yer regal bearing and coloring beg otherwise. I wager some hint of Celtic besmears the White family past…far back in the recesses of time, no doubt.”

The “regal coloring” went up in flames. Jenny repeated what she’d heard her mother proudly state many times. “We come from pure English stock.”

“Well, then, I dare ye to prove a proper English lady has no fear of a Cumberland Reel.”

“Those are break teeth words, McIntosh. If I chose, I could dance until daybreak, and still be dancing long after you collapse.” So saying, Jenny stalked to the tail of the reel and waited for the laughing Scotsman to follow her.

Just like firing a gun, riding a horse, clearing brush, and swimming, dancing provided no challenge. Jenny did all physical things well and with endurance. What she had not expected, however, was the way Caylan’s obvious approval made her feel. It answered a craving deep inside that she had attempted to discredit for years. Not to mention the brush of his fingertips, the pressure of his hand on her waist, spread the bonfire to her bones.

From that moment to Jenny nursing Caylan back to health after the Battle of Kettle Creek, through the climactic, real-life exodus of civilians from Georgia to the mountains of North Carolina, Caylan fights for Jenny’s trust with as much determination as he fights the British. I hope you’ll be swept away by their romance amid the dangers of the Hornet’s Nest. And if you like Scottish characters, stay tuned for book three of the Scouts Series, coming in January and set in 1775 on the border of Georgia and South Carolina.

My Impressions

“The frontier flipped things backward, making a strong, tough girl desirable and a weak, delicate one a liability. But the presence of men always managed to put things back in their natural order.”

Jenny White is an incredibly strong, capable, young unmarried adult in a family on the Georgia frontier. While Jenny’s fast thinking, cunning, and abilities to care for her family almost rival that of her father’s and brother’s, it is femininity like that of her sister, Hester, that she desires when she meets Caylan McIntosh.

Jenny embodies a lot of true history of a well-known Patriot woman of the time, Nancy Hart. Reading the author’s notes at the end is mandatory, if you want to see how much of Jenny is based on truth!

I loved Caylon’s devotion to Jenny and his continued efforts to put her insecurities to rest. That part was easy to read. Not so easy to read were the many parts describing the uprisings of the conflict between the British, their Native American allies, and the colonists.

There was one section that I appreciated, describing Jenny’s faith walk or struggle. discovers she needs not only to accept Christ, but to allow “the power of the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Godhead, to enable her to put off the “old Jenny” and live as a “new Jenny.” She had agreed to that, but over the years, “old Jenny” seemed to keep emerging.” I wished the novel had emphasized Jenny’s struggle as spiritual more after this.

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

Notable Quotable:

“All men die, ’tis just a matter of when, and how bravely. Let it be said of me when I go that I went down fighting.”