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Catherine’s Pursuit by Lena Nelson Dooley Review and Giveaway

May 5, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Catherine’s Pursuit

Author: Lena Nelson Dooley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 22, 2025

A secret family, a dangerous journey, and a reluctant protector who might save her heart.

Catherine Lenora McKenna has never lacked for anything. She has a loving father and is surrounded by people who care for her every need. Even so, she senses an odd hole. When she learns on her eighteenth birthday that she is not an only child, but one of three identical triplets, she finally understands what’s been missing. Setting out with a single clue, Catherine embarks on a desperate quest to find her missing family.

Colin Elliott is recovering from the violent storm that cost him his ship and left him with crippling injuries. The last thing he needs is to deal with the pampered daughter of his business associate, Angus McKenna. But McKenna is desperate and Colin indebted. As Colin follows and protects Catherine, he finds himself drawn to her kindness and strength, and drawn into her desire for family.

As love blossoms between Catherine and Collin, the journey takes a dangerous turn and each is forced to hold on to their newfound love and trust God to guide them.

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 Writers 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.

More from Lena

I’ve spent a lot of time with these triplets. They almost feel like part of my extended family. I hope my readers feel that way, too.

I have walked with the Lord for most of my 82 years. He has been with me through hard times and wonderfully blessed times. We learn and grow in Him more in the valleys than on the mountaintops. That’s why I write books that show how much He loves. We can’t understand the depths of His love for us unless we need Him desperately. I write these stories to share that love and hope to my readers.

While I am writing a book, I often pray for God to give me the words that will touch readers who need to know Him more. I also want to write a story that will entertain them as well.

If you want to bless me, please leave a review somewhere about the stories you love. I do try to read reviews and learn from them.

I’m only 15 months from losing the love of my life after spending 59 years with him. If the Lord puts me on your heart, please whisper a prayer for me. Prayer changes things.

My Impressions

“All my life, I’ve felt as if something essential was missing from my heart and life. Now I know it was my sisters. I have to find them.”

The third book of the McKenna Sisters, Catherine’s Pursuit by Lena Nelson Dooley, starts with spoiled San Francisco heiress Catherine McKenna discovering that she is not an only child, but rather a triplet. Her identical sisters were adopted out shortly after birth. When Catherine’s father refuses to help in her search for her sisters, she hatches her own plan to rediscover her family.

Meanwhile, Catherine’s father sends a trusted employee, Colin Elliot, after his daughter and her maid, to keep them safe. Colin wants nothing to do with the woman he has dubbed the “Ice Princess,” but due to a sense of great debt to his employer, consents to the assignment.

I liked seeing the changes evolve in Catherine and Colin as they make their journey. Catherine slowly begins to start viewing life through the lens of caring for others and their comfort. She begins to realize how much she needs and wants to mature. Colin struggles with feeling alone as Catherine does, but he doesn’t have the family experiences she had, nor does he feel included in her new family. He also feels inferior because of an unsuccessful venture which leaves him with a physical disformity.

I loved seeing how the faith of Catherine and her father and Daniel and Mary and their family attracts him and draws him to want what they have. Indeed, as Mrs. Winthrop states, “Love opens the door to learning of one’s need of a Saviour and forgiveness.” Mrs. Winthrop with her mothering ways is my fave secondary character, as well as Daniel for the way he befriends Colin.

While this book could be read alone, I felt I had more background having read about the beginning of the family story in book 1, Maggie’s Journey. I missed reading book 2, Mary’s Redemption, and would have had a better background for this story, had I read book 2. I will def be returning for it.

Colin has to face his nightmares from the past and his fears in order to return Catherine and Julie home from visiting Seattle. Will he be able to face his fears? Daniel gives wise counsel: “Fear is an ugly companion.” And then he issues a challenge: “So what are you going to do? Run away, or go in the strength of the Lord?”

Employing tropes of enemies to lovers, found family, and forgiveness, Catherine’s Pursuit is a book I would recommend for historical romance fans.

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 6

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 7

Pause for Tales, May 7

Texas Book-aholic, May 8

Sylvan Musings, May 9

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 11

Devoted To Hope, May 12

Holly’s Book Corner, May 12

lakesidelivingsite, May 13

Books You Can Feel Good About, May 14

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, May 14

Simple Harvest Reads, May 15 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Book Looks by Lisa, May 16

Cover Lover Book Review, May 17

For Him and My Family, May 18

Mary Hake, May 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 19

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/00adcf54213

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

When the Mountains Wept by Kendy Pearson Review and Giveaway

April 25, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: When the Mountains Wept (West Virginia: Born of Rebellion’s Storm Book One)

Author: Kendy Pearson

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release date: April 5, 2024

War brought them together, but one lie holds the power to separate them forever.

Western Virginia’s Kanawha Valley is a hotbed of rebellion tensions and mixed allegiances.

Amid talk of war, Augusta Dabney tends her younger siblings and dying father. But when hatred sparks tragedy, peace is but a shattered memory. Heartbroken and desperate, Augusta searches for a way to protect all she holds dear.

Defying family and friends, Dr. James Hill declines a prestigious commission in the Confederate Army to join the Union cause as a Regimental Surgeon. When the Dabney farm becomes a crossroads of colliding forces, Major Hill commandeers their barn for a hospital.

He is running from his legacy, seeking penance for his past.

She is desperate to preserve hers, at any cost.

As a wise, former slave nurtures James’s battered faith, cynicism crumbles, and James discovers grace and belonging with Augusta and her family unlike any he’s ever known.

But when James comes face to face with his past, secrets unravel until deception ends in disaster, leaving Augusta with only one option.

And it is unthinkable.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kendy Pearsonis a worship leader, Bluegrass fiddler, and Civil War reenactment enthusiast. As a veteran high school teacher, she loves to discover a pocket of American history missing from the schoolbooks and turn that pocket inside out. Her novels lead fictitious characters through historical events and settings, engaging with period personalities. And she always includes a romantic thread to warm the heart. Every story is a journey through tragedy, secrets, regrets, and God’s undeniable grace.

She is the recipient of multiple lit awards and enjoys public speaking and teaching writing workshops. When away from the computer, she relishes ice cream, snowy days, fireplaces, and maple trees. Kendy is the mother of four grown children and lives with her sweet hubby and two amusing miniature dachshunds.

More from Kendy

I was quite happy expressing my inner farm-girl and thriving at all things musical for decades. Until I found myself teaching high school history and raising three sons. I should have saved up a dollar for every war movie I watched! All the men in my family had a great interest in history. I remember watching the boys in a production of King Henry the Fifth, complete with Old English and death by sword. One year, I taught about the Civil War in three different classes, so that era became a favorite interest of mine. I read every Christian Historical novel I could find about the War of Rebellion.

Boy, did I have fun researching! For three months, I pored over the most incredible true stories of families and events, reading even soldier diaries. I created timelines and wrote note cards. I became the student again!

There is much of myself and my life in When the Mountains Wept. The female main character (Augusta Dabney) is part me and part who I long to be. She’s responsible, tough, brave, smart, farmish, doctorly—and she has red hair, freckles, and an Irish complexion that splotches and sunburns. My daughter influenced the 12-year-old sister in the story (she figured that out on her own). Will (Willamina) is a tomboy who will risk trouble for the sake of adventure. She is strong-willed and often has an attitude. (I’m pretty sure that last part was why my daughter figured it out.)

I enjoy a story that makes me laugh, so having three sons, I am pretty familiar with boyish antics. The 6-year-old brother added humor, and a saucy 12-year-old girl provided plenty of fodder, too. The romance between two very different but strong personalities provided an opportunity for a few laughs as well.

If a book makes me cry, it’s a keeper. My story contains painful truths, each rooted in my research. The characters experience the harsh reality of their circumstances. I cried while writing more than a couple of the scenes. It is just plain hard to wrap my head around living smack dab in the middle of war, where your neighbor is your enemy and your home is no longer your own.

I fell in love with the family I created in When the Mountains Wept, hence, I must not consign them to the past. They will live on in this series as each member of the Dabney family shares their own story of adventure, romance, sacrifice, and faith.

Blessings from the Heart of History, my friends!

Kendy

My Impressions

“Bondage comes in many forms, Doctor. Anger, bitterness, unforgiveness—they’s all shackles—and Massa Jesus, He has the keys. It’s Him who sets a man truly free.”

What is freedom? Kendy Pearson’s Civil War novel, When the Mountains Wept, shows a Virginia family, a wealthy doctor, and the country, all striving for freedom. The South battles the North; the Dabneys try to stir clear of the conflict, declaring, “This isn’t our war,” until finally, they are thrust in the middle of it. Augusta is trying to keep her family’s farm free from the bank, and Dr. James Hill is trying to escape the memories of his past.

I loved the relationships we see in this novel. Gus cares so much for her family and for her dying father. The love between family members is vibrant and alive. I love the faith and calmness that old Izzy brings to the family, as well. He is my choice for a fave secondary character with his intentional words, patience, and compassion for all.

Pearson exhibits a great deal of Civil War knowledge and teaches it through the Union army movements as relates to Dr. Hill’s commission. She also shows the sad division of our nation, even as friends and families splintered. This book is not for the squeamish!

I am glad to see there will be more books, as some family members need more of their story told.

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:

“We don’t choose our family, James. God does.”

“Wasn’t her own happiness a small price to pay for her family’s future?”

“We need Yo help, Lord—to forgive. We know if’n we don’t forgive them that sins against us, there’s no forgiveness for us. Help us to forgive, lest that unforgiveness grab hold of our lives and pull us down so low we can’t never get up.”

“He, too, believed Virginia was sovereign. But along with that, independence rode an ugly black horse called slavery.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 28

Simple Harvest Reads, April 29 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Texas Book-aholic, April 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 1

Stories By Gina, May 2 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 2

Devoted Steps, May 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 4

Betti Mace, May 5

Holly’s Book Corner, May 6

Pause for Tales, May 7

Guild Master, May 8 (Author Interview)

Bizwings Book Blog, May 9

Cover Lover Book Review, May 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kendy is giving away the grand prize of a $40 Amazon gift card and a paperback 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/00adcf54206

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

Relinquishing the Agent by Lorri Dudley Review and Giveaway

April 22, 2025April 22, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Relinquishing the Agent

Author: Lorri Dudley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 8, 2025

Can love bloom between a woman living a lie and a man sworn to uncover the truth?

Bluestocking Rebecca Leah Prestcote would prefer to hide in a library, searching for a cure to her sister’s ailment, over participating in London’s Season. But when her wealthy cousin demands Rebecca attend a house party as her, Rebecca cannot refuse. Her cousin intends to win the affection of the Marquis of Wolston and Rebecca is, after all, a charity case. When the Marquis unexpectedly arrives at the wrong party, Rebecca must uphold the ruse, or be caught in her cousin’s lie.

Daniel Elmsley, Marquis of Wolston, cannot let another target escape, not if he plans to catch the band of body snatchers and prove his worth as a spy. But when people at Lady Coburn’s house party go missing, his mission escalates to stopping a murderer. When he intercepts a letter meant to blackmail Lady Prestcote, he begins to wonder if the beguiling beauty may be involved in the conspiracy.

Singled out for Lord Wolston’s affections, Rebecca must maintain her web of deception and evade the investigation of the captivating marquis even while he ensnares her heart.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lorri Dudleyhas 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

Listed among the Regency underworld of housebreakers, Thames pirates, sneaks (pickpockets), Covent Garden nuns (prostitutes), vagrants, and ruffians are another class of evil-doers called resurrection men, also known as sack-‘em-up men or body snatchers. The dark industry of grave robbing blossomed in the early 1800s and was thrust into the public’s eye by the notorious Burke and Hare murders in 1831. While my story takes place earlier, in 1817, the laws and practices were already in place before Burke and his accomplice were arrested.

In the early 1800s, the academic field of anatomy and physiology started to break new ground with the invention of the stethoscope and the first open heart surgeries (not all successful). Many of these breakthroughs developed as a result of the dissection of human cadavers. Fresh bodies became a hot commodity, but by law, the only bodies legally designated for dissection were those of hung criminals. Demand outweighed the supply, and an underground market for grave robbing grew as academics handsomely paid resurrection men to dig up specimens. The fresher the body, the higher the earnings, which ultimately led to the ugly intent of murder.

Why would a Christian author want to write about a horrific topic like body snatching?

While my story doesn’t go into any gory details (I get woozy at the sight of blood), Rebecca and Daniel’s story allowed me to dive into the concept that we all have intrinsic worth. The victims of Burke and Hare were people society had forgotten—people who were expected to go unnoticed if they disappeared. But those victims were image bearers of God. Jesus proved their value by dying for them on the cross. They are not forgotten because God knit them together in their mother’s womb, knows every hair on their heads, and has carved their names into the palms of His hands.

Rebecca and Daniel’s love story, with mystery, espionage, and romance mixed in, demonstrates how God’s power is made perfect in weakness. While Lady Coburn’s excentric party guests and the victims of the villainous resurrection men exemplify that worth isn’t based on works, popularity, or lineage but on the sacrifice Jesus made for them.

Enjoy!

Click to watch Relinquishing the Agent’s book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4BwfvZiNLM

My Impressions

“Indeed, we’ve been dealt challenges that we wouldn’t have chosen, but God uses them. He has a plan for you—for us—in the middle of these storms. We must keep our eyes open for what God is doing.”

This!! This is perhaps my fave quote from Relinquishing the Agent, because it applies so well to Rebecca’s questions of how God could let bad things happen to people who love Him. It applies to Daniel’s (the esteemed and sought after Marquis of Wolston) frustrations as he seeks to prove himself to the “Home Office” and his grandfather who sees him as weak. It applies to us today, as we move through life, and life is not what we expected. How I love an exciting, romantic, historical suspense which has several such truth nuggets embedded for the finding! Relinquishing the Agent by Lorri Dudley far exceeded my expectations!!

Themes: Every person is equal before God. All human life is sacred and valuable. God can redeem even the most depraved, if they turn to him in repentance. Don’t try to be a Lone Ranger. It often takes teamwork to be successful. God’s power is made perfect in weakness.

Travel back with Dudley to the time of England in the early 1800s. Poor relation Rebecca Prestcote is to stay with her wealthy socialite cousin, Lady Corinne Prestcote, and debut in the upcoming London season with her. Finding herself booked for an “undesirable” party vs. one where the much-sought after single Marquis is rumored to attend, the look-alike cousins trade places.Rebecca attends Lady Coburn’s party as Corinne, and quickly discovers a guest list of misfits. No wonder Corinne didn’t want to attend! Rebecca is thrilled to discover a doctor whose specialty is the workings of the heart, given her mother died from heart issues and her sister is developing the same issues. Rebecca tries hard to capture the doctor’s attention, and to be able to hold intelligent discussions with him, but he holds to the standard ideas of the time that the female mind is too weak to understand such things. Little does Rebecca realize until too late that her “bluestocking” ways of thirsting for knowledge, and asking questions endanger her own heart as well as her life!

Historical morés, the historical problem of body snatchers, and sometimes outright murder to provide cadavers for scientific advancement are all addressed in the this true-to-the-times historical romance. The themes are easy to pick out. Every person is equal before God. All human life is sacred and valuable. God can redeem even the most depraved, if they turn to him in repentance. Don’t try to be a Lone Ranger. It often takes teamwork to be successful. God’s power is made perfect in weakness.

I loved the growth of the characters, the suspense and mystery, the idea of found family in unexpected places, and the “But God…” transformations of a few lives! Don’t miss this wonderful, fact-and-Faith based historical romance!!

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:

“Knowledge is learned, but wisdom is granted by God and must be lived.”- Rebecca’s mama

“We are on this earth to love. Love is the point.”

“Save the world?”…“But if you could save one person? Would it be worth it?” “Yes.”…“Then focus on saving one.”

“God’s mercy went against his sense of justice,”

“A human life shouldn’t be spoken of as a commodity.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superb!! So many themes applicable for today’s life while we learn history and are entertained!!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 22

Pens Pages & Pulses, April 22

Melissa’s Bookshelf, April 23

Betti Mace, April 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 24

She Lives To Read, April 25

lakesidelivingsite, April 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 26

Texas Book-aholic, April 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 28

For Him and My Family, April 28

Devoted To Hope, April 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 30

Book Looks by Lisa, May 1

Holly’s Book Corner, May 2

Cover Lover Book Review, May 3

Bizwings Book Blog, May 4

Pause for Tales, May 4

Stories By Gina, May 5 (Author Interview)

Roads to Everywhere, May 5

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 extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54202

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

When the Sky Burned by Liz Tolsma Review and Giveaway

March 26, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: When the Sky Burned (A Day to Remember Book 6)

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release date: March 1, 2025

A Tornado of Fire and Embezzlement Sweep through a Community

Enjoy a series of 6 exciting novels featuring historic disasters that transformed landscapes and multiple lives. Whether by nature or by man, these disasters changed history and were a day to be remembered.

Promising painter Mariah Randolph longs to have her canvases displayed in the world’s best museums, and Hollis Stanford, the heir of a railroad tycoon, is her ticket to success. The railroad’s bookkeeper, Jay Franklin, discovers discrepancies and is convinced that Hollis is stealing from the company. But any proof of his dirty dealings go up in smoke when fire utterly destroys the town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, October 8, 1871.

The fire leaves Mariah blind, but Jay befriends her and even helps her to start painting again. But a trip to Chicago to return Hollis’s daughter to him could put both Mariah and Jay in more danger than even the fire that devastated the town and their lives.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

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

More from Liz

My Impressions

“Disaster, though, rarely announces its arrival. Rather, it bursts through the door and refuses to leave until it has finished ravaging everything and everyone inside.”

This whole series by Barbour, A Day to Remember, is one of calling to remembrance great American disasters that many have never heard of. Liz Tolsma’s novel, When the Sky Burned, book six, is certainly an enlightening, faith-based, romantic and compelling story about the Peshtigo, WI fire of 1871.

When we first meet Mariah Randolph, she is a talented, aspiring painter in the small town of Peshtigo, painting the skies colored by the fires surrounding the village. No one is especially worried about the fires at this time, going about business as usual in the small railroad town.

Unfortunately, the bookkeeper for the railroad, Jay Franklin, is worried. But he is worried about discrepancies he is finding in the railroad’s books, and his boss, Hollis Stanford, accuses Jay of making mistakes and belittles him. Hollis is the son of the railroad owner and is engaged to a friend of Jay’s, Mariah. Unfortunately, the ugly side Hollis shows Jay is not what Mariah sees. She sees Hollis’s very wonderful six-year-old daughter who needs a mother and lofty promises of grandeur and art gallery showings.

Just as Jay begins to gather physical evidence against Hollis, the fire engulfs the town. The tragedy is unthinkable. I won’t describe it here, but it can be a little difficult to read. (Interestingly enough, this Peshtigo fire killed thousands in a town of only 7,000. This compared to the Great Chicago fire, which occurred the same night, but whose victims, though as precious, numbered only in the hundreds.)

The fire changes everything. Hollis’s true nature begins to emerge as he attempts to cover up his gambling debts and deceit and selfishness. Hollis’s daughter is sweet, but is beginning to have a change in personality as she undergoes all the trauma surrounding the fire. Mariah has suffered horribly, losing people near and dear to her, and losing the one ability she values as essential to her painting. Her faith teeters. “Why would God allow such misery to befall us all? Where was He on that terrible night? What did we do to deserve His judgment?”

Some characters in this book are so much less than they present themselves. Some surprised me in this regard. Some seem to rise from mediocre or average to far above by their choices. As Stanford, Sr., tells Jay, “It’s a daily choice that I make to walk with the Lord. Prayer and studying His Word help a great deal.”

I loved the character of Angelina. I felt so badly for her. Hollis barely knows her. “No matter what kind of person he is, every little girl deserves affection from the first man in her life.” I would amend this to say, every little girl *desires* the attention and affection of the first man in her life, whether he is a good man or not.

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:

“I suppose if you shy away from doing what is right out of fear of the consequences, then you have lost your integrity and have compromised it for an easier path. By definition, integrity acts despite what might happen.”

“The path of righteousness is a narrow one, fraught with stumbling blocks and obstacles. God never promised it would be simple or would come without pain.”

“They were his friends, these numbers. His constant, always either right or wrong. There were no gray areas, no shades of black and white. No in between.”

“But she hadn’t brought her cares and sorrows to the one who understood. She hadn’t sought refuge or solace within her heavenly Father’s arms.”

“Don’t be sad, even though it’s hard not to be. Nanny says that Jesus is always with us. Like even when Papa has to go away. When Mama died. Sometimes I get afraid, but then I remember Jesus is next to me. I like that.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! The very real terror of this tragedy will stick with you. But hopefully, so will the hope found in Jesus.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 27

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 28

Pens Pages & Pulses, March 28

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 29

Simple Harvest Reads, March 30 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Texas Book-aholic, March 30

Betti Mace, March 31

Lily’s Corner, March 31

Life on Chickadee Lane, April 1

Devoted Steps, April 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 3

Blogging with Carol, April 4

Connie’s History Classroom, April 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 5

For Him and My Family, April 5

Stories By Gina, April 6 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 6

Bizwings Book Blog, April 7

Cover Lover Book Review, April 7

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, April 8

Jodie Wolfe, April 8

Holly’s Book Corner, April 9

Pause for Tales, April 9

Giveaway

BLOG, Just Read Tours, Kindle, New-to-Me Author, Purchase

These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan Review and Giveaway

March 25, 2025March 24, 2025 Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: These Long Shadows
Series: On Victory’s Wings #3
Author: Jennifer Mistmorgan
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Genre: Historical Romance WWII

How do they rebuild a marriage that wasn’t real in the first place?

London, 1945: Two years ago, Jonty Ables married Katie Baines to save her and her unborn baby from shame. But now the war is all but over, the baby is gone and they must work out where their shaky marriage fits into lives irrevocably changed by war.

Clinging to the memory of a time before all happiness evaporated, Katie works hard during the day as a seamstress. At night she comes home to a tiny terrace on a bomb-scarred street, crammed with her extended family and their problems. Years of estrangement sit between her and her recently demobilized husband. She’s not even sure she loves him, so why is she so crushed that he calls out another woman’s name in his sleep?

Jonty is determined to honor the vows he made no matter how many ghosts now plague him, but with such separate lives his wife is more of a stranger than ever. When Katie’s friend goes missing, Jonty seizes the opportunity to help her find him just so they have a reason to talk. But the war casts long shadows over their efforts, and fighting for their future might just be the hardest battle of them all.

If you love epic wartime romance with a dash of intrigue, you’ll love this second-chance, marriage-of-convenience love story.

More in This Series

About the Author

Australian author Jennifer Mistmorgan sometimes feels like she was born in the wrong era. So she writes romantic historical fiction set in the 1940s, against the backdrop of WWII and its aftermath. She infuses her sweet romances with wartime drama, gentle faith and a dash of intrigue. She lives in Canberra with her family and a wonky-eared West Highland terrier.

Connect with Jennifer by visiting jennifermistmorgan.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.

My Impressions

“He’d arrived home to a sham marriage and to a family that wasn’t his own.”

Wow! When I was looking at the author of These Long Shadows, Jennifer Mistmorgan, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever read a novel by her before or not. After breathlessly finishing this WWII marriage of convenience novel, I will never forget Mistmorgan’s writing!

I would definitely recommend this book for a mature audience, due to the subject matter. During WWII, as part of the Women’ Auxiliary Air Force, Katie forms enduring friendships with Grace and Maggie that will support her during the hardest times of her life. She also is a victim of a cruel bet that will forever change her life in so many ways. Finding herself pregnant without spousal support, a good male friend, Jonty, proposes marriage to rescue her from scandal. When the baby doesn’t survive, Katie rejects Jonty. Is it even possible for them to pick up now, 2 years later, and rekindle their dying marriage?

Fear, jealousy, divided loyalties, shame, PTSD, and secrets all are a part of the world that Jonty and Katie must personally navigate if they want to save their marriage. I liked seeing how God uses even bad events, or unfair events, in their lives to propel them into different paths than they might otherwise take. I liked seeing how God is willing to use imperfect people, such as Katie’s mother, to give good advice. When Katie’s mom urges her and Jonty to find their own place, Katie is loathe to leave the security her family of origin provides. “But this is my home.” “No, Katie. He is your home.”

I love that Katie and Jonty have some good mutual friends who aren’t afraid to pull them aside individually and encourage them very strongly to keep working on their marriage. As Jonty admits, “I tried once. It didn’t work”… Maggie had something to say!

“Did you just say ‘once’?”

“…Once won’t cut it! If the nurses in the hospital changed your bandages once, would you have healed? They did it every day for months, and look at you now. Your skin has grown over and around. And yes, you have scars, and sometimes they hurt, but you can move on. Just because the wound is in her heart doesn’t mean she doesn’t need the same loving care.”

A few very surprising twists give the story extra interest. I sure did not see them coming!

I especially found this novel of interest as our own extended family has sent an unborn child to live with Jesus, and the novel highlights just how hard losing a child can be, how life-shattering, for the mother especially.

I received a copy of this book from JustRead Tours. I also bought my own copy. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.

Be sure to read the prologue. Also, historical notes are online.

Notable Quotables:

“Just like she couldn’t bear the thought of another child, he couldn’t bear the thought of admitting his failure.”

“When God makes a promise, he keeps it, Katie.”

“You shouldn’t have to pretend. You are perfect the way you are.”

“Happily ever afters are actually a lot of hard work, aren’t they?”

“That man is pure gold. He is good at his heart, you hear me. Good. And being married to a good man can see you through a lot in this life.”

“You don’t need to stay stuck in the sadness of death when you know there’s life beyond it.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card (USD)!

(5) additional winners will each receive an ebook bundle of all 3 books in the “On Victory’s Wings” series!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 25, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 1, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Open internationally. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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

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Texas Divided by Sherry Shindelar Review and Giveaway

March 25, 2025March 24, 2025 Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Texas Divided by Sherry Shindelar, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Texas Divided
Series: Lone Star Redemption #2
Author: Sherry Shindelar
Publisher: Wild Heart Books
Release Date: March 25, 2025
Genre: Christian Historical Romance

He thought he was rescuing her from the Comanche. Now the Civil War soldier must prove he isn’t the villain she thinks he is.

Driven by the looming expectation of becoming a suffocatingly proper lady, Morning Fawn is determined to escape the confines of her uncle’s plantation and return to her adoptive Comanche tribe. But with each failed attempt, her hopes dwindle, and she wonders if she’ll ever find her way back home or if that world is forever lost to her.

Devon Reynolds, disillusioned by the price of affluence and the horrors of war, leaves his privileged life to join the Texas Rangers and later the cavalry. In the military service, he finds purpose . . . until he loses his wife during childbirth while he is away. In an attempt to redeem himself, he takes one last fateful mission to rescue Morning Fawn from the Comanche. But the results force him to question the righteousness of his actions and the cause he serves.

When Devon returns to Texas as a Yankee spy, his path crosses with Morning Fawn once more. Determined to save her from the prison of her uncle’s house and to recover Texas from the Confederacy, Devon is drawn to her fierce spirit and unwavering resolve. But can two wounded souls, each fighting their own battles, find solace and love amidst the chaos of war?

More In This Series

About the Author

Originally from Tennessee, Sherry Shindelar loves to take her readers into the past. A romantic at heart, she is an avid student of the Civil War and the Old West. She fell in love with writing when she was nine-years-old dreaming up stories while playing on her swing set. Decades later, she is living out her dream of writing stories from her heart and sharing them with the world. When she isn’t busy writing, she is an English professor, working to pass on her love of writing to her students. Sherry is an award-winning writer: 2023 ACFW Genesis finalist, 2021 & 2023 Maggie finalist, and 2022 Crown finalist. She currently resides in Minnesota with her husband of forty years. She has three grown children and three grandchildren

Connect with Sherry by visiting sherryshindelar.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

My Impressions

“The Lord will be with us. Keep telling your mind and your heart that until it takes root.”

How I love the faith that is being fanned into flame at this point in Texas Divided by Sherry Shindelar! But so much action, so much emotion, so much war comes before this point.

Beth Logan, niece of a Texas cotton planter, has been kidnapped from the Comanche by bounty hunter Devon Reynolds. Taken by the Comanche when she was young, Beth has adopted their ways and lifestyle, including the name, Morning Fawn. The settlers’ way of life is odious and restricting, and she hates her uncle’s family for forcing it upon her. But even more, she hates Devon, the one who captured her and delivered her to his uncle.

As Morning Fawn is constantly looking for an escape to the Comanche life she had grown to love, she is rejected and punished by society. Her uncle ( LeBeau) uses extreme force and cruelty to try to bend her will to his. As Devon sees how cruel LeBeau is, he wonders if he did the wrong thing in capturing Morning Fawn. Now a spy for the Northern army, tasked with stopping cotton from being exchanged for weapons for the South, Devon begins to be entranced by the feisty maiden who is so different from the usual Southern belle.

“I’m going to get you out of here someday, Morning Fawn. The moon will be yours for the taking.” While Devon works for LeBeau as a front for his spying, he begins to interfere with LeBeau’s extreme control and cruelty towards the people on his land. Morning Fawn herself can have more freedom than in the past if she acts like LeBeau wants her to and chooses a wealthy Southern planter to wed. How badly does Morning Fawn want her freedom? What kind is understanding do she and Devon develop? The story is layered with action, intrigue, and romance. Then, at its worst, we see Faith beginning to bloom and spread from the most unlikely of places. The people who are treated the most unfairly!

I love Shindelar’s writing style. So many times I had to stop to reread a beautifully phrased sentence or re-enjoy a great word picture. I am hoping for another book soon!

You won’t be able to put this adventurous Civil War novel down until you’ve devoured the last word!

I received a copy of the book from JustRead Tours. I also bought my own copy of the book. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

““If giving her the land buys her a settled, respectable life, so be it.” Could land really buy all of that? What about love?”

“Maybe the Lord had not forgotten her. Maybe He’d been reaching out to her all along. Waiting for her to turn her heart to Him.”

“A body can do a bushel of harm without ever meaning to.”

“he’d squash any hint of romance. Sometimes the most loving thing to do was to walk away.”

“There’d be no way to keep Morning Fawn uninvolved now that she knew. It’d be like shooting off the starting pistol at a race and telling a Thoroughbred not to gallop.”

“I used to ride toward the sunset as far and as fast as I could. You took the sunset. Now I have nothing.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card, a signed copy of Texas Divided, and two Texas blue bonnet woven coasters!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 24, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 31, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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

Bethany House, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle

A Constant Love by Tracie Peterson Review and Giveaway

March 9, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: A Constant Love

Author: Tracie Peterson

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: March 4, 2025

Heartache has left them emotionally desolate, but traces of love and healing could forge a future.

In the wake of a harsh winter, Micah Hamilton and Charlotte Aldrich are grappling with loss and guilt after the disaster that took the lives of their loved ones. Struggling to cope with his grief, Micah abandons his father’s dreams of a prosperous ranch and cuts himself off from the rest of the world.

Charlotte has loved Micah her entire life and is determined not to lose him as well. With her mother’s help, she begins coaxing Micah to live again. Despite their enduring heartache, the affection between them deepens, but just as Charlotte thinks her dreams may come true, a scorned suitor threatens everything she holds dear. Micah and Charlotte must embark on a journey of healing and renewal to build a life founded on faith, hope, and love.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling author of more than 100 novels, both historical and contemporary, with more than 6 million copies sold. She has won the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana.

More from Tracie

A Constant Love is a book near and dear to my heart. The book deals with tragedy and loss that came about during and after the Great Die-Up—a hideous winter of blizzards and desperately cold temperatures that affected the prairie states and up into the Rockies. Many of the ranchers in the areas were completely wiped out and gave up their ranches when their cattle died off in record numbers.

Ranchers and farmers had dealt with the elements turning against them prior to this, but the winter of 1886–1887 was different. The summer of 1886 had brought about record droughts, and many of the crops had failed. The livestock suffered as the grass died off and feed wasn’t readily available. By November, early and heavy snows started and continued. Temperatures dropped to record lows. In eastern Montana the temperatures were said to drop to negative 63 degrees Fahrenheit.

In January, a Chinook wind warmed things considerably, melting a lot of the snow. This just made things worse, however, because when the plunging sub-zero temperatures returned, the water froze a thick layer on top of what little grass the animals had been able to dig down to eat. Mass starvation followed, and thousands upon thousands of animals were lost. In reading about the era and all that happened, I came across comments from people that showed the great despair that flooded the states involved. The hopelessness of it all was overwhelming.

During the same time I was researching and mapping out this book, a beloved family member committed suicide. The devastation we felt was overwhelming, and it all seemed to come together with what I had been reading. I felt that deep sadness and despair. I read that some people had taken their lives after that winter. People were at a loss as to what to do, and in that day and age, the church was not always very kind to the families of those who killed themselves. As I prayed about the book I planned to write, I felt compelled to write about suicide and the ripple effect it has on family, friends, and even total strangers. I wanted to share the hope that I found in God’s Word, and A Constant Love was born.

There are times in our lives when we are overwhelmed to the point of despair, when giving up seems far easier than going on. I pray if you ever feel that way, you’ll reach out to someone and talk it through. But I also challenge those who aren’t feeling that way to be observant . . . to care about those around you enough to get in their business when things just don’t seem right. You might very well save a life. As the Bible says, we need to bear one another’s burdens. I hope you’ll keep that in mind as you read A Constant Love.

My Impressions

“Someday, I believe we’ll understand, but for now we have two choices. We either give up on God and walk away, or we trust Him no matter what happens to us. For me, I’m going to trust Him, because life without Him seems too horrible to even think about.”

I’m not sure I’d ever read a novel by Tracie Peterson, and I am eagerly looking forward to the next novels in this new series. A Constant Love is a Christian historical western romance that deals very directly with many themes including shared grief, greed, suicide, lying, judgment, and faith.

The winter of 1886-87 in the Wyoming area has been brutally cold. The summer preceding it was ultra hot and dry, causing great draughts which means farmers didn’t have much food available for their cattle. When the extreme cold comes, the already malnourished and sickly cattle die off by the thousands. Many ranchers give up, sell out, and head for greener pastures. The winter of “the Great Die-Up,” is a great catastrophe to the animals of the land as well as the people. Gloom and hopelessness come to stay. Life on both the Aldrich ranch and the Hamilton ranch is forever altered.

Shortly before this memorable cold spell, we are introduced to Charlotte Aldrich, who lives with her family on a ranch outside of Cheyenne. Charlotte is secretly in love with her brother’s best friend and their rancher neighbor, Micah Hamilton. Charlotte’s father has been insistent that his daughter be well-provided for by marrying town lawyer Lewis Bradley. Charlotte protests to no avail and finally, proclaims angry threats to her father if she if forced to marry Bradley. These words will haunt and torment Charlotte unless she can find peace in God.

Dealing with her own grief, knowing the tendency of people to judge and ostracize others, Lucille (Charlotte’s mother) decides it is best if people just assume a little untruth about Micah’s father. Unfortunately, this carefully guarded secret becomes the fuel for a raging fire that almost devours Charlotte, Micah, and Lucille.

I especially loved the wisdom that Lucille has, both for the ranch life and for practical living. Lucille understands a lot about living out her faith, and is often able to encourage Charlotte or Micah.

As Micah despairs, “I thought God never gave us anything more than we could handle.” “The Bible doesn’t say that, Micah. There is a passage that talks about temptations and God always giving us a way out, but we face things every day that we can’t handle. Why would we need God if we could handle it all on our own?” Lucille replies.

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

Notable Quotables:

“He might have a new haircut and shave, but he still had the same unkempt soul and broken heart.”

“We can assign blame or grace, Micah. I choose grace, and I’m not too proud to say, I especially assign it to myself.”

“…you have to put one foot in front of the other and make yourself go forward.”

“Never lose sight of how important people are in your life, Micah,” his father had stressed. “Do for others and be available when troubles come, and they’ll do likewise for you.”

“Holding a lot of expectations for someone might be the biggest mistake we can make.”

“Sometimes our human nature takes charge in that way, convincing and manipulating until sin seems reasonable, even desirable. And instead, it serves only to make the matter worse.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great! Do we extend grace or judgment?

Blog Stops

Pens Pages & Pulses, March 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 8

Devoted To Hope, March 9

Allyson Jamison, March 9

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 10

Simple Harvest Reads, March 11 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Texas Book-aholic, March 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 12

Jodie Wolfe, March 12

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 13

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 14

Stories By Gina, March 15 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 15

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 16

Maureen’s Musings, March 16

She Lives To Read, March 17

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 18

For Him and My Family, March 18

Leslie’s Library Escape, March 19

Cover Lover Book Review, March 19

Holly’s Book Corner, March 20

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 20

lakesidelivingsite, March 21

Pause for Tales, March 21

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Tracie is giving away the grand prize of a $15 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/00adcf54169

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

Tides of Healing by Sandra Merville Hart Review and Giveaway

March 4, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Tides of Healing

Author: Sandra Merville Hart

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: February 11, 2025

A Southern belle fights to reclaim her home, but will her spying destroy the Union officer she never meant to love?

Savannah Adair has endured the unimaginable, hiding in a cave while her beloved Vicksburg was under siege. With the city now occupied by Union soldiers, Savannah cannot stand by and do nothing. So when one of the gaunt, half-starved Confederate prisoners asks her to spy for the South, she can’t refuse the chance to take back her home.

First Lieutenant Travis Lawson takes pride in the Union army’s hard-fought victory, but he quickly realizes that the challenges of rebuilding and reconciliation are just beginning . . . and not everyone is appreciative of changes he’s making. Namely, the fiery and alluring Savannah Adair. Despite their differing loyalties and the societal divide between them, Travis cannot deny the growing feelings he has for her. When he is tasked with finding Southern spies in Vicksburg and he captures a female spy, Travis is forced to consider that the woman he’s beginning to love may be the enemy.

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

As I typed away on this final book in my Spies of the Civil War Series, it felt as if I’d written the entire series to tell this story.

Previously, I had felt a similar importance of an as yet unpublished two-book contemporary series, but the sense that the whole series climaxed with the final book was as surprising as it was welcome.

Because it seemed as if everything that happened in all the earlier books culminated in Book 6 for me as an author. Its significance reverberated in my soul while still researching the events…and weeks before I sat to pen the first page, the first paragraph, the first sentence.

That sense of importance made this book difficult to begin. The early chapters took far longer to write than normal.

I believe that those who only read Tides of Healing will have a satisfying, complete story. Those who read the entire series in order—or at least Books 4-6 set in Vicksburg—will experience a deeper impact as the characters’ stories build on one another.

There is a song in Tides of Healing. As an author, the impact of the lyrics within the story preceded it, meaning that I knew a certain song would play a significant role while still in the research phase.

Let me explain.

When I’m researching a story, I read a variety of nonfiction resources including diaries, journals, and newspaper accounts. My research for Vicksburg during the Civil War led me to song lyrics written by the enslaved.

African American Spirituals, also called Negro Spirituals, were sung before and after the Civil War. These Christian songs served a variety of purposes beyond bolstering hope and faith during dark days. They told stories about Biblical characters like Moses. Some comforted the sorrowful and some rejoiced with the joyful. They were sung in churches, in camp meetings, and in the fields.

They often contained secret messages. “Home” in a song can refer to Heaven, but the secret meaning was a free country. Author Frederick Douglas had been a former slave. He wrote that the lyrics to “O Canaan, Sweet Canaan” signified more than a hope of Heaven. Repeated singing of the lyrics “I am bound for the land of Canaan” announced an intention to go North, their Canaan.

The Underground Railroad is a theme in Tides of Healing. In 1828, Reverend John Rankin built his home on a hill overlooking the Ohio River in Ripley, Ohio. As a station on the Underground Railroad, this home was easily seen from the opposite side of the river in the slave state of Kentucky. Runaways waited for a boat to take them across the river.

It surprised me to learn that the lyrics of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” are about this station. “I looked over Jordan and what did I see?” refers to the Ohio River. The band of angels are people who rowed them across the wide river to the free state of Ohio.

Neither of these songs is referenced in Tides of Healing. The tune that is in my story was a popular spiritual leading up to the war. I listened to it many times. The message took root in my heart long before it affected my characters.

My research trip to Vicksburg’s battlefield and museums inspired 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

“Anger at the Yankee who’d brought this calamity boiled up inside Savannah. Papa wasn’t here to fight for them. The South’s soldiers might have surrendered—she would not.”

Tides of Healing: Spies of the Civil War Bk 6 by Sandra Merville Hart, is the needed conclusion to this series. As one who has been reading this series from its inception, I especially wanted to see each couple in this circle of friends in books 4-6 find their happy ending. Hart finally circles back to Savannah Adair, whose boyfriend Willie has died shortly after mustering into the Southern army. With her father often away on business and her mother’s only skills involving entertaining, Savannah discovers it is she who must work for her family’s survival in defeated Vicksburg.

Savannah wishes for a return to life as it was before the siege and defeat of the city. She first meets Union officer First Lt. Travis Lawson as he joyfully tells any Black person he sees that they are now free. Watching her own slaves immediately leave, Savannah begins to look for ways to protest the occupation of her city and win it back for the South. Little does she foresee that the many interactions she and her mother will have with a certain compassionate lieutenant will cause her to lose her heart. But the real question will be- will she prove loyal to her city and the South or to the handsome and kind-to-a-fault Northern lieutenant?

I loved the great amount of history that Hart imparts in her novel. Characters are very relatable. I loved seeing the growth in the characters, although the title says it well- Tides of Healing. Like waves of the sea, emotions tumble back and forth, bitter one moment, thankful the next. Angry, then interested in the opposite sex, resentful, then resilient. How I loved seeing the different relationships grow and change. Obviously, we see Travis and Savannah foremost, but I liked seeing both Savannah’s parents soften. We also see a couple of sworn enemies and those who have every right to be enemies decide to let God’s love overcome incredible mountains of hurt.

Childhood traumatic memories have shaped both Savannah and Travis. Savannah refuses to ask her Heavenly Father for anything big. Travis tells her,

“One day, you’ll need to pray a big prayer. Please don’t be afraid to ask. He’ll decide whether to say ‘no’ or ‘yes’ or ‘wait a while.’ Pray and leave it up to God.”

Travis believes himself responsible for an event he had no control over. This not only shapes his political leanings, but causes him years of anguish.

My fave secondary characters are Ellen and Michael. Ellen because she loves with a love that covers over a multitude of wrongs. Michael…well, you’ll have to read to see why he’s special! I definitely have some questions about that man!😊

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:

“Your Heavenly Father loves you so much. He hears every prayer, even the ones only our hearts whisper.”

“She didn’t pray now. The outcome was too important.”

“Hunger couldn’t afford pride.”

“I long for the days before the world went mad…”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! Hart touches the heartstrings and you will find yourself heartsick over many incidents, saddened how war can be so divisive.

Blog Stops

Bizwings Book Blog, February 26

Holly’s Book Corner, February 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 1

Pause for Tales, March 2

Texas Book-aholic, March 2

Devoted To Hope, March 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 4

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 5

Betti Mace, March 5

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 6

Cover Lover Book Review, March 7

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 8

Connie’s History Classroom, March 9

For HIm and My Family, March 10

Stories By Gina, March 11 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, March 11

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/00adcf54163

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle

Miss Blaire in Blackwell’s Island by Grace Hitchcock Review and Giveaway

February 24, 2025February 24, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Miss Blaire in Blackwell’s Island (Heiresses of Adventure Book One)

Author: Grace Hitchcock

Genre: Historical Romance True Crime

Release date: July 31, 2024

Will Edyth prove her sanity before it is too late?

On Blackwell’s Island, New York, a hospital was built to keep its patients from ever leaving.

With her late parents’ fortune under her uncle’s care until her twenty-fifth birthday in the year 1887, Edyth Blaire does not feel pressured to marry or to bow to society’s demands. She freely indulges in eccentric hobbies like fencing and riding her velocipede in her cycling costume about the city for all to see. Finding a loophole in the will, though, her uncle whisks Edyth off to the women’s lunatic asylum just weeks before her birthday. And Edyth fears she will never be found.

At the asylum she meets another inmate, who upon discovering Edyth’s plight, confesses that she is Nellie Bly, an undercover journalist for The World. Will either woman find a way to leave the terrifying island and reclaim her true self?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas, including the American Royalty, Best Laid Plans, and Aprons & Veils series. She holds a Master’s in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives on the Northshore of New Orleans, with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter in a cottage that is always filled with the sounds of sweet little footsteps running at full speed. When not writing, or chasing babies, she’s baking something delightful and can usually be found with a book clutched in her fist.

More from Grace

I am thrilled to share with you my FIRST novel in the HEIRESSES OF ADVENTURE series, MISS BLAIRE IN BLACKWELL’S ISLAND, which is set in New York City in 1887. I loved writing about Edyth Blaire, our cat-rescuing, spunky heroine who spends her days painting, fencing with her dreamy instructor, and avoiding society at all costs, which as you can imagine, comes back to haunt her before the end. I’ve never written about a character who despised reading, so that was a new one for me. Edyth just doesn’t like to sit still long enough to finish a book, but you’ll find out why later.

While writing this book, I am pretty certain the librarians at my local branch were wondering what in the world my hobbies are, judging from the stacks of fencing books for beginners, histories of New York crime in the 19^th century, and Nellie Bly’s Ten Days in a Mad-House, and more.

The inspiration for this book came from Nellie Bly’s scandalous exposé for Joseph Pulitzer’s newspaper, The World. In reading Nellie’s articles, I was shocked at the grounds by which the asylum would commit women and that’s when I discovered a tiny mention about an heiress with family members who had her tucked away so they could have her fortune. . . and Edyth Blaire was born.

I hope you will enjoy reading about our eccentric leading lady and her fencing master hero, Raoul “Bane” Banebridge in this friends-to-lovers romance. If you are interested in seeing pictures of the asylum and to see what I pictured the characters looking like, check out my Pinterest board here.

Are you part of a book club? I have discussion questions here!

My Impressions

“… you are no longer an heiress. As far as the world is concerned, Edyth Blaire is dead.”

[Formerly released as The Gray Chamber : True Colors: Historical Stories of American Crime, published by Barbour Books in Jan of 2020]

Grace Hitchcock’s The Gray Chamber would probably win one of my “Sleeper of the Year” awards. “Heiress” sounds fun. Historical fiction sounds interesting. Nellie Bly story, ok, up for that. The first time I read this book, I did *not* bargain for a love in danger of being lost nor a trip to Blackwell’s Island, infamous in its time for housing *insane* women. If not for someone brave like the very real Nellie Bly, the atrocious treatment of insane and supposedly mentally ill people would have continued much longer in our country!The author’s notes at the end are a must!

When I read the novel this time, I found myself digging deeper. I still have to laugh at a lady with Edyth’s favorite pastime! ( En garde, n’importe qui?!)I was still amazed at the inhumane treatment on Blackwell’s Island. And the tension as we see what both money and love bring out of the inner hearts of people. More than a close friends to lovers/romantic suspense/chiller story, Hitchcock girds her main characters hearts with a faith that they cling to by recalling very appropriate Bible verses, encouraging each other, and ultimately, showing that their love is a reflection of the greater love of the True Great Shepherd. The ultimate love that conquers hate.

At first, we are immersed in an enjoyable turn-of-the-century account of Edyth and fencing master Raoul Banebridge. Edyth is dying to have her best friend Raoul “Bane” notice her as a woman, but her eccentricities seem to block his view. When finally he begins to see Edyth for the woman she is, her eccentricities have enabled other shocking developments, the stuff my nightmares are made of. It all makes perfect sense, and I could visualize it all happening. The evil mankind can perpetrate on another, made in the image of the same God!! Don’t miss this amazing, eye-opening story about a very true part of American history retold in a fictional, very memorable way!!

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

Notable Quotables:

“I fear that this is a rabbit hole we shall never escape from, don’t you?”– Nellie Brown/Bly

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

“I will wait, Lord. I will trust You.”

“This place has stripped away the layers of thick skin, and I am raw, for I have had no one and nothing to lean on here but the Lord.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!! Even better the second time around!!

Blog Stops

Pens Pages & Pulses, February 21

Allyson Jamison, February 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 22

Devoted To Hope, February 22

Texas Book-aholic, February 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 23

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 25

Maureen’s Musings, February 25

Melissa’s Bookshelf, February 26

Books You Can Feel Good About, February 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 27

Vicky Sluiter, February 27

Betti Mace, February 28

Cover Lover Book Review, February 28

Blogging With Carol, March 1

Connie’s History Classroom, March 1

lakesidelivingsite, March 2

For Him and My Family, March 3

Mary Hake, March 3

Labor Not in Vain, March 4

Holly’s Book Corner, March 4

Leslie’s Library Escape, March 5

Inspired by Fiction, March 5

Pause for Tales, March 6

Lights in a Dark World, March 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away the grand prize of a $20 gift card with FREE SHIPPING to Grace’s Autographed Bookshop!!

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/00adcf54161

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

Guarding the Mountain Man’s Secret by Misty M. Beller Review and Giveaway

February 22, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Guarding the Mountain Man’s Secret

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: January 28, 2025

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

Miles is the youngest of six brothers, and he’s spent most of his life helping guard the family’s secret: a sapphire mine hidden deep within the Montana mountains. With threats from a past enemy looming, a survey team’s arrival stirs suspicion—until he meets Clara Pendleton, whose presence captivates him.

Clara Pendleton joins her uncle on a survey team tasked with mapping the coming railroad’s path, only to find herself entangled with the enigmatic Coulter family. When her uncle’s accident leads them to find refuge in the Coulter home, Clara is irresistibly drawn to Miles Coulter and his quiet strength. This feels like the haven she craves…until a series of mysterious attacks endanger everyone on the ranch.

As Christmas approaches, a sleigh ride through a snowy wonderland fans the growing spark between Clara and Miles into a flame, but a broken runner leads Clara to discover the family’s secret. Now she’s faced with an impossible choice: betray the man she’s coming to love or risk the lives of his entire family—and her own uncle.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain saga filled with high-stakes adventure, forced proximity, a Christmas surprise, 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

Surveying the Wild West: How Surveyors Mapped the Frontier in the 1870s

One of the things I love about writing historical romance is the detail I get to research for each book. So much of my research doesn’t make it into the story, but I still love to learn it!

In Guarding the Mountain Man’s Secret, our heroine and her uncle are working with a group of surveyors to map out potential routes for the coming railroad.

Surveying back then was no walk in the park. These brave folks had to trek through some seriously rough terrain, lugging around heavy equipment like compasses, levels, and surveyor’s chains. The chains were a whopping 66 feet long, with 100 links! Surveyors would stretch them out to measure distances, and let me tell you, it was no easy feat.

One of the surveyor’s secret weapons was triangulation. By measuring angles between distant points and doing some fancy math, they could figure out exactly where landmarks were and create a grid of reference points across the land. This technique was a game-changer, allowing for more accurate maps that covered bigger areas.

In my story, the surveying was done for the railroad. But history tells us that later in 1879, the U.S. Geological Survey stepped onto the scene with a larger mission: to create detailed maps of the entire country, including the wild, wild West. Surveyors working for this agency had their work cut out for them. They battled through dense forests, climbed steep mountains, and crossed dangerous rivers, all to gather the data needed for these maps.

So the next time you look at a map of the American West, give a nod to those early surveyors. These hardworking folks played a huge role in shaping the frontier, giving settlers the information they needed to build new lives and communities. Without their dedication and skill, the West might have remained a mystery forever!

I pray you enjoy Miles and Clara’s story in Guarding the Mountain Man’s Secret!

Blessings!

Misty

My Impressions

If you are a fan of the American Western frontier, horses, or historical romance, Misty M. Beller’s series, Brothers of Sapphire Ranch is a recommendation I would give you. We have worked our way with Beller down to the youngest brother, Miles, who feels the need to prove his worth to his brothers. His story is volume seven of the series, with one brother yet to have his story. I definitely think you need to read these books in order, though there is a basic recap of the group at the beginning.

I thought this couple might have been a little young, but people did (and still do) get married early back then. I enjoyed their romance that was helped along by forced proximity as Clara and her injured Uncle Hiram are forced to stay with the clan while Hiram’s injury heals. This is a love-at-first-sight novel, or as I’d prefer to think of it, interest aroused at first sight.

Poor Clara! She is placed in a predicament that no one would want to be in. How will she and those she has learned to truly care for escape unscathed? About a quarter way through the book, there are twists and turns that really cause the action to start igniting.

“He felt like a true friend, the first she’d had in ages.” I loved the way Miles listened to Clara. Really listened. So much so, that a special treat at Christmastime is a result. I enjoyed reading about the horrible snowstorm while safe in my chair!

One thing I have to say for the Coulters: their love for the Lord and for each other produces a very attractive atmosphere in their compound. “…the camaraderie, the laughter, the genuine care for one another—it was more than she’d known in a long while.”

Another element I liked seeing. Some Coulters whose stories we’ve already experienced, still have flaws and need tempered by others, whether a spouse, a brother, or a friend.

One part I didn’t see was a true ending. And that is because just as I thought things were winding up for a solution, Beller throws in a monkey wrench and now we need the next and last book!! And we need it yesterday!

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:

“old grief hung in his words. She knew that sadness. It never left, just…changed.”

“Sometimes, our minds protect us from the things that hurt too much to remember. It doesn’t mean you loved them any less.”

“The man wore suspicion like a pair of trousers.”