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Written in Secret by Crystal Caudill Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Written in Secret by Crystal Caudill hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Written in Secret
Series: The Art of Love and Danger #1
Author: Crystal Caudill
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: March 11, 2025
Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspense Romance

What happens when fiction becomes reality? In the corruption-infested Queen City, danger lurks in every shadow, but Lydia Pelton refuses to stay silent. She writes under a pseudonym, E. A. Dupin, crafting crime novels to exact justice and right the wrongs she sees in society. When a serial killer decides to be the sword to her pen, Lydia is confronted with the consequences of her words. Four men are dead, and the city blames her.

With murders on the rise, Officer Abraham Hall’s only lead is Lydia’s fiction, and he is thrust into an investigation with the “Killer Queen of Romance.” Despite his misgivings about the woman, he realizes that even with his reputation for catching elusive criminals, he needs her help. But his unexpected attraction to Lydia proves as difficult to manage as the woman herself.

As the mystery unfolds, Abraham and Lydia race to rewrite the ending, not only for Cincinnati’s citizens, but for their own hearts too.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Kregel Publications | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop

Also Available

About the Author

Crystal Caudill is the Christy Award–winning author of “dangerously good romance,” including the Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age series. She is a stay-at-home mom and caregiver, and when she isn’t writing, Caudill can be found playing board games with her family, drinking hot tea, or reading other great books at her home outside Cincinnati, Ohio.

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

My Impressions

“Mercy, Abraham. It’s the gift of not giving someone what they deserve. It is what Miss Pelton needs and what God requires of you.”

Wow! Crystal Caudill pens a thrilling historical romantic suspense novel with truths that are needed today! Written in Secret starts out with plenty of laughs, but ends up deadly serious. Literally. In 1880 Cincinnati, Lydia Pelton, daughter of Cincinnati coroner, and her friend Theresa Plane decide to rescue an abused circus animal. When their plans are thwarted by both animals and humans, they first meet policeman Abraham Hall. Hall quickly surmises Lydia’s character as untrustworthy, after all, “He should have known a woman who’d steal a goat wasn’t to be trusted.”

Corruption of the Cincinnati police force and its government in general is a huge factor in this story. Because of her father’s connections, Lydia‘s crime is glossed over. She is even less happy when earlier in her life, different known violent criminals receive acquittal. Feeling that she must take justice into her own hands, she writes Billy Poe crime novels under a pseudonym. When real life begins to mirror the justice meted out in her books, both Lydia’s safety and her spirit are in danger. Her life, because all of Cincinnati is blaming the Billy Poe author as a dangerous criminal, and her spirit, as she defends her profession. “A man’s heart is corrupted by sin, not by literature.”

I loved the great tension and suspense married with the spiritual truths. Will Lydia and her family survive to see another day? What will become of her and Abraham’s hearts, as they begin to get entangled, yet appear to be on opposite sides of the law? How many people will die before the *real* Billy Poe is found? Intermingled with these plot threads are themes of justice, mercy, and grace. “Justice was meant to bring restoration, but this? This was judgment without mercy. Condemnation that darkened the soul and made one incapable of seeing the light, hope, and forgiveness of Christ.”

One of the subplots of this book is Lydia’s idolization of and close relationship with her father. How will her actions change his perception and actions towards her? I wanted to bawl after one fatherly rebuke her father delivered!!

Much, much food for thought and personal change for those who claim to follow God. Be sure not to miss the author notes! And anticipate the coming stories of the other *Guardians!*

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

Notable Quotables:

“But lies worked like a deck of cards. You might be able to build a house out of them for a little while, but at some point, the whole construction would collapse.”

“Our job is to shine the light. People must choose for themselves whether to walk toward or away from it. We can’t force them, but we can offer truth.”

“With Christ, there is always hope. After all, He’s the Author of life.”

“Acknowledging that we have done wrong is the first step toward forgiveness and restoration. Confess it to Christ and then allow Him to begin the work of changing you. It won’t be easy and it will hurt, but discipline is meant to restore us to each other and to Him.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!!

Times change, but remain the same!Judgment, Mercy, and Grace are just as needed now as in 1880 Cincinnati!

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Written in Secrets and a $25 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 12, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on March 19, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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

BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, Kregel, NetGalley, New Author, PB, Purchase, Read with Audra

Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Counterfeit Love

Author: Crystal Caudill

Series: #1 Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age

Publisher: Kregel

Released: March 2022

Can this undercover agent save the woman he loves–or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he’s been sent to track down?

After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name–and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors’ threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn’t all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home–and the truth.

After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiance is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career–but that’s better than failing her twice in one lifetime.

They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there’s no question they’re both still keeping secrets–and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.

To read an excerpt of Counterfeit Love click here.

My Impressions

Ah, a deliciously, satisfying debut novel of the Gilded Age from Crystal Caudill. A couple, Theresa Payne and Broderick Cosgrove, once engaged, must determine if they can trust each other and if there is any hope for a rekindled romance. Will they be able to work together to uncover the true counterfeiters in Cincinnati?

Caudill emphasizes themes of trust, forgiveness, and family as she provides plenty of emotion, action, and truth. “Even if… “ is a big question that Theresa grapples with mightily. The novel is well-paced, balancing all the threads together- romance, history, suspense, and life lessons- delightfully.

Broderick is the long-absent love; tall, charming, and witty. But, he is shrouded in mystery. His methods are a little suspect. His results, well, not quick enough for the boss. Is he a man of faith and integrity or one who would play Theresa and his partners for fools?

Theresa is wonderfully headstrong, intensely loyal, and also very intelligent. Is she intelligent enough to figure out her grandfather’s secrets? Loyalty is a great quality if one places it in the right person. Can Theresa discern who to trust with her secrets? Theresa tends to be quick to forgive and allow most people second chances. I loved this about her, but sure rooted for her trust not to be abused!

While Theresa and Broderick are relatable and sure to earn the reader’s loyalty, other characters kept hopping the good guy/bad guy fence for me. What I thought of characters like Isaacs, Lydia, Abraham, Mrs. Hawking, Grandfather and others was variable. This fluidity made the story very suspenseful and I couldn’t put it down!

With thoughtful questions at the end, this would be a good book for a book club discussion.

I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher through I Read with Audra. (I also bought a copy for my keeper shelf.) No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“Nathaniel wronged you, but God convicted him, and he’s a different man now.”

“It’s so nice to be together again. Isn’t it?” Theresa squeezed their arms…”“About as nice as an outhouse in summer.” …”Then I suppose it’s a good thing I have plumbing.”

“Feelings change, and they can lie, but God’s presence is constant and true. Whether we feel Him or not.”

Love, not blood, makes a family.

Family. The word stuck in her throat like a lozenge, melting to soothe an ache she’d long accepted as permanent. Her blood relatives were gone, but the love flanking either side of her pulsed with life and healing. They may not always see eye to eye, but they cared. More than that, they wanted her.

God answered Theresa’s prayers this time, but that didn’t mean He would in the future. Could she trust Him with what little she had left? But trust didn’t mean she’d get what she wanted. So what did it mean?

“…no matter what happens or what you think you’ve lost, you cannot lose God….

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!! This is a Satisfying Debut Novel of the Gilded Age, and I’m looking forward to the next two in the series!!

About the Author

Crystal Caudill is the author of “dangerously good historical romance,” with her work garnering awards from Romance Writers of America and ACFW.

She is a stay-at-home mom and caregiver, and when she isn’t writing, Caudill can be found playing board games with her family, drinking hot tea, or reading other great books at her home outside Cincinnati, Ohio.

Learn more at crystalcaudill.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram.

Giveaway

Enter to Win a copy of Crystal Caudill’s book at the Rafflecopter site below:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/8b3c91bb31/