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The Recluse’s Vindication by Danielle Grandinetti Review and Giveaway

September 11, 2025 Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Recluse’s Vindication by Danielle Grandinetti, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: The Recluse’s Vindication
Series: Our House on Heather Wynd
Author: Danielle Grandinetti
Publisher: Hearth Spot Press
Release Date: September 12, 2025
Genre: Historical Romantic Suspense

The Loch Ness Monster isn’t the only recluse seeking a Scottish haven.

Bieldfell. Scotland, 1933—Falsely accused of murder sixteen years ago, American cowboy Benjamin Ford has chosen to hide out in the Scottish Highlands. Reclusive and not afraid to die, he rescues children out of an increasingly dangerous Germany. When his childhood best friend appears at his door, he’s not the boy she remembers.

Eleanor Finch’s life ended sixteen years ago. In one horrible day, she lost her dreams, her reputation, and her heart. However, she never gives up the hope of finding her friend, so when she learns of Ben’s whereabouts, she leaves all that is familiar to convince him to return home.

But Eleanor isn’t the only person searching for Ben. Hunters follow her trail. The thin veil of gossip and rumor may be their only chance of a future … unless the Loch Ness Monster is real after all.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Buy from the Author | Amazon

Also Available

About the Author

Danielle Grandinetti is an award-winning inspirational romance author fueled by tea, books, and the creative beauty of nature. Her stories combine romance, mystery, and suspense against the backdrop of the 1930s to tell the tale of finding home and hope in hard times. With a master’s in communication and culture and a passion for intercultural communication, storytelling has been her heartbeat for as long as she can remember. Married to her hero, Danielle is a second-generation Italian-American, a dairy farmer’s granddaughter, and a boy mom from Chicagoland who now lives along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shoreline.

Connect with Danielle Grandinetti by visiting daniellegrandinetti.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

My Impressions

“It’s been sixteen years, Eleanor. Are you ready for who we’ll find?”– Hiram

First of all, let me say The Recluse’s Vindication has joined my short list of books I definitely plan to reread! I thought Danielle Grandinetti couldn’t come up with a hero I would like more than Gio from another of her books, but Benjamin Ford certainly gives Gio competition! Le Sigh!

I was thrilled to open the book to find a readable on kindle! color map at the front. Kudos.

I loved the tie-ins of this novella with two others of Grandinetti’s, Heart of Beauty and The Italian Musician’s Sanctuary. However, it’s not necessary to have read these books or even others in this series to enjoy this one.

As Eleanor travels from Montana to Scotland in 1933 to find a man who had once been her closest friend and bring him home, she is unprepared for who and what she discovers. What will she do with her new knowledge? Will she fight for the friendship, get involved in something that requires her facing yet another monster, or will she go home to live in fear and loneliness?

A beautiful story of learning to forgive oneself. Of wrestling with the hard questions. When does doing the wrong thing become right? Is a person obligated to help others at risk of their own life? What promises are so important that, no matter what, one refuses to break them? Does heredity determine character? “The grandson of a beast, the son of a monster, a man who had already killed with his bare hands. He would accept the mantle God laid on him and trade his soul so the innocent could live.”

Amelie totally stole my heart, just as she did Ben’s and Eleanor’s. And baby Max? The children part of the book nearly broke my heart. But I questioned myself- like Eleanor did herself- was her heart ( or is mine) broken enough to take action?

I enjoyed the inclusion of the legend of Nessie, including the real person who was rumored to have seen the Loch Ness Monster.

I received a copy of the book from the author and JustRead Tours. I also bought my own copy.

Notable Quotables:

“I think people vilify what they don’t understand. What they think is different, alien. Outside of what they consider normal.”– Ben

“There was no limit to what else he’d give up for them, including his heart, his soul, and even his life.”- Ben

“He knew clouds could not hide him from God or hide God from him, but at the moment, they felt like an iron shield. Or perhaps that was merely his conscience. Yet God felt as far away as home.” – Ben

”As soon as she asked the question, she wished to take it back. It bled with all the hope she’d packed into her luggage for the trip to Scotland.” – Eleanor

“We all must make sacrifices, or cruelty wins.”-Heda

“It wasn’t just reasonable, it was heroic. You’re a hero. You’re my hero.” ( Le Sigh!)

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! I will be hopping on over to the author’s website to pick up my paperback copy for my keeper shelf!

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive paperback copies of: The Recluse’s Vindication, The Italian Musician’s Sanctuary, & The Heart of Beauty, all by Danielle Grandinetti!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 10, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 17, 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 JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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

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A Lady Divided by Sandra Ardoin Review and Giveaway

August 29, 2025 Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Lady Divided by Sandra Ardoin, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: A Lady Divided
Series: House of Fire #1
Author: Sandra Ardoin
Publisher: Corner Room Books
Release Date: August 28, 2025
Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Just when she thinks she’s defeated the past, it returns with a vengeance.

Fighting to keep her late husband’s dream alive and her land-grabbing neighbors at bay, Laurel Tillman longs for a peace she knew before the war. But when her skill with a rifle saves a stranger from a mountain lion attack—a man whose life she once wouldn’t have hesitated to take—wartime memories rush back.

While raising her daughter and taking responsibility for the stray women who work on her sheep ranch, Laurel can’t wait to get the injured Yankee out of her house. Getting him out of her heart is an entirely different matter.

Quinn Spencer, a former Union cavalry officer, owes Laurel a debt, but his career as a new lawyer in town comes with a warning to stay away from the unconventional women of La Casa del Fuego. Then, with the discovery of a dead man on Laurel’s ranch, Quinn must choose between his career and justice for a woman who can’t bear the sight of him.

As they battle an unknown adversary who sets out to destroy Laurel, will she join forces with her former enemy? Or will she allow the past to overcome any chance of a truce between them . . . and, possibly, something more?

Meet the women of La Casa del Fuego—House of Fire—as they are forced by circumstances to live their lives outside the bounds of accepted femininity.

Also Available

About the Author

As the author of reader-described heartwarming historical and contemporary romance, Sandra Ardoin engages readers with page-turning stories of love and faith.

She is the married mother of a young adult and co-sitter for a granddog. As well as being a team member in her church’s library, she reads Christian fiction, binges TV shows with her husband, and seldom says no to eating out.

Visit her at sandraardoin.com. Connect with her on BookBub, Facebook, X, and Goodreads. Subscribe to the newsletter and keep up with what’s new, discover what’s upcoming, and learn of specials.

My Impressions

“The past was an evil devil to fight.”

Who doesn’t remember “The Island of Misfit Toys”? Sandra Ardoin’s A Lady Divided ( House of Fire, Bk#1) brings that concept to mind in human form. We are transported back in time to a few years (1877) after the Civil War in Texas. Our nation has started to rebuild, but some find it hard to forget the atrocities of the war and even harder to forgive those who hail from the other side of the Mason-Dixon Line. Instead of an island of misfit toys, we have a ranch of “misfit women.” Women who have been wounded by life, and rejecthe acceptable society norms of femininity at that time. At their helm is widow Mrs. Laurel Tillman, who lives on a ranch with her widowed mother and young daughter. The few ranch hands she has, like her, dress like men and do ranch jobs that make them the fodder for malicious gossip in a world concerned with conformity.

When Laurel saves the life of former Union Major Quinn Spencer who happens on her land, an enemies-to-possibly more relationship is established. But, oh, Laurel has guilt from the past that she is sure God could never forgive, and she carries the burden of the safety of all the ranch women like a heavy yoke.

“Oh, if only she could feel the rest that Jesus promised. The peace. But her sinful actions were too great.” As Laurel deals with the mountain of unrest in her heart, her bitterness threatens to eat her alive, and often those around her. Yet, those closest to her can see her actions come from her conflicted heart, reflecting the conflict of the divided States. Yet, she refuses to lay her burden down. Her mother tries to reach her, only to have Laurel turn a deaf ear. “I hate to see you suffer like this. He’s waiting, Laurel. All you have to do is walk toward Him. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’”

I loved this story for its unwrapping of the human emotions that are buried ( or not) just under the surface in a nation yet divided. I loved the understanding of the women that they could do hard work and it was respectable, even if it wasn’t acceptable in society. I yearned for the secrets that both Laurel and Quinn keep close to their vests. The constant mystery and danger from the the world outside Laurel’s ranch bubble make for an exciting read, as does the faith journey that so many of the characters are required to make. Will they progress towards what is right, or will they choose the comfortable answers to appease those around them? Convicting as I tried to put myself in their shoes!

Oh, yes! Did I mention humor and twists?! Be prepared! They are the cream cheese icing on a great carrot cake!

I had a three-way tie for fave secondary characters. Ernie, Becky, and the Marshall. And I love that we are well-set up for sequels!

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

Notable Quotables:

“…no one’s past is as it should be.” …“The only person in this world who never sinned was Jesus. His sacrifice gave imperfect human beings like you and me the way to become perfect in God’s sight.” – Quinn

“God still loves me. He never turned His back on me. Even though I turned mine on Him, He waited for me to return.”- Laurel

“How could she live in peace with others when she found it so hard to live peacefully with herself?”– Laurel

“Did she dare to think God loved her so much that He allowed the death of His own Son for someone like her? No. There must be an exception, a limit to His grace and mercy.”- Laurel

“‘I don’t hate you. Momma always said I shouldn’t hate.’ When had that stopped her? ‘But I see nothing wrong with comparing you to a long-tailed rodent.’”– Laurel- taste of novel’s humor!

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! 5 big Texas stars!!

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon eGift Card and two (2) ebooks of their choice from Sandra Ardoin’s Published Books!

(1) winner will receive three (3) ebooks of their choice from Sandra Ardoin’s Published Books

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight August 25, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 1, 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 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!

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The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep

December 31, 2020 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: The Thief of Blackfriars Lane

Author: Michelle Griep

Publisher: Barbour

Released: January 1, 2021

Genre: Christian Historical Romance, Mystery

There’s Often a Fine Line Between a Criminal and a Saint

Constable Jackson Forge intends to make the world safer, or at least the streets of Victorian London. But that’s Kit Turner’s domain, a swindler who runs a crew that acquires money the old-fashioned way—conning the rich to give to the poor. When a local cab driver goes missing, Jackson is tasked with finding the man, and the only way to do that is by enlisting Kit’s help. If Jackson doesn’t find the cabby, he’ll be fired. If Kit doesn’t help Jackson, he’ll arrest her for thievery. Yet neither of them realize those are the least of their problems.

My Impressions

Love historicals of the Victorian era? Love a Christian message seamlessly woven into the narrative? Michelle Griep has such a “silver pen” (compare to a “silver tongue” that our heroine Kit Turner has), that I could easily follow her into the underbelly of London. Not many authors could describe the shenanigans of Constable Jackson Forge and his enemy-turned-conspirator Kit the way Griep does. Griep tucks historical fact, English geography, and mystery, romance, and suspense into one mesmerizing, achingly beautiful story. The Thief of Blackfriars Lane grips you and refuses to be expunged from your mind much like the horrible smells of the sewer refuse to leave our unlikely hero’s clothes. For those who love surprises, there are plenty of twists and turns. There are also some very thought-provoking questions raised. Why does God allow failure and tragedy, instead of rescuing us from them? Kit doesn’t understand, and Jack helps console her:

“Yet it is often in tragedy where we find our life’s purpose, and that purpose is to love God and man.”

Are right and wrong clear-cut and absolute? Jack thinks they are. Can Kit teach him to think differently?

“…most of life dwells in the murky grey between right and wrong. Misfortunes will come and go, but through it all, our main duty is to keep loving God and keep loving man.”

Can you judge a book by its cover? If we’re referring to people, Griep proves that to judge based on the apparent cover is faulty at best, dangerous at worst. If we are referring to a book, I judge any of Michelle Griep’s books by one criterion: if her name is on it, it bears the mark of excellence. You would do well to buy it.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author and publisher. I also bought a copy, because a Griep is too good not to share. I am voluntarily leaving my opinions, which are solely my own.

My Rating

Magnificent!!

(I have yet to find anything by Michelle Griep that I haven’t loved!)

About the Author

I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I chose the latter. Way cheaper. I’ve been writing since I discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I write…except for that graffiti phase I went through as a teenager. Oops. Did I say that out loud?

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Iced Over, #2 Barks and Beans Cafe Mysteries, by Heather Day Gilbert

July 31, 2020July 31, 2020 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Author: Heather Day Gilbert

Series: Barks and Beans Cafe

Publisher: Woodhaven Press

Released: July 2020

Genre: Clean Cozy Mystery

BOOK TWO in the ALL-NEW BARKS & BEANS CAFE cozy mystery series!!

Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java…and where murder sometimes pays a visit.

Black Friday turns fatal when an armored security truck hits an icy patch and runs over an embankment near the cafe. With one driver dead and the other in a coma, police are baffled by the discovery that $500,000 is missing from the truck’s cache.

When strangers show up at Barks & Beans asking nosy questions about a young cafe employee, Macy’s mama bear instincts kick in. She can’t ignore what her gut is telling her—that things aren’t all they seem on the surface—and with a little help from her brother, Bo, and her Great Dane, Coal, Macy follows up on a few leads of her own. But if the ruthless thief beats her to the stash, the thin ice she’s been skating on might just crack.

Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown…with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.

The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series in order:
Book 1: No Filter
Book 2: Iced Over
Book 3: Fair Trade

My Review

When I saw Iced Over, #2 Barks and Beans Café Cozy Mystery, by Heather Day Gilbert was for sale, I had to preorder. This is a book I would not want to miss. The wonderful smell of flavored coffee beans, the sound of espresso machines, the chance to pet shelter dogs with a view to adopt…plus the chance to play Nancy Drew with a brother who used to be a DEA agent? Let’s just say I wonder if I could convince one of my loyal brothers to open a dual purpose shop like this? “Bo and I were bringing happiness into our corner of the world, one coffee drink and one perfect doggie match at a time.”

Iced Over 1
Gilbert keeps her cozies to the cozy foundations. No swearing, no sex scenes, but there is a small town with an amateur sleuth. As one of my friends said about Gilbert’s previous book, “a book I don’t have to be on guard as I read. “
Macy has a heart the size of her adopted Great Dane, Coal. I loved the way she actually puts feet to her prayers that her employee’s family would have their needs met.
I also loved that one of the secondary characters who we get to know is an unashamed plus-size 24-year- old. She is fashionable, fun, and has a good head on her shoulders. While she may not be perfectly pleased with her body, she accepts herself and that causes others to look beyond the outer wrappings.
One thing I always look for in a cozy is whether our sleuth actually spends time working at his or her purported job. Macy does indeed spend much of her time at the café, and it is so well described, I really wish I could at least visit one if I can’t work at one.

Iced Over 2
The sleuthing side becomes a little dangerous, and I am glad I am enjoying solving the mystery vicariously. I loved the introduction of another possible love connection
for Macy, but I wanted to see more romance for Bo, too. However, as Macy says, “Bo was about as romantic as a pot of cold coffee.”
Gilbert likes to end her cozies with a nice twist, leaving you needing the next book.
If you are a dog parent or a coffee aficionado, you will want to read this fun cozy.

My Rating

5 Stars – Hit My Reading Sweet Spot!

( Ms. Gilbert, THANK YOU for following the original cozy rules. I wish all cozy authors did!)

About the Author

7232683 HEATHER DAY GILBERT, an ECPA Christy award finalist and Grace award winner, writes contemporary mysteries and Viking historicals. Her novels feature small towns, family relationships, and women who aren’t afraid to protect those they love. Publisher’s Weekly gave Heather’s Viking historical Forest Child a starred review, saying it is “an engaging story depicting timeless human struggles with faith, love, loyalty, and leadership.”

Find Heather on Pinterest (heatherdgilbert), Instagram (@heatherdaygilbert), Twitter (@heatherdgilbert), and Facebook (heatherdaygilbert). You can find all her books at heatherdaygilbert.com.

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In Too Deep, #2 Dive Team Investigations by Lynn H. Blackburn

January 22, 2019 Babbling Becky L

38495393

ABOUT THE BOOK

AUTHOR: Lynn Blackburn

SERIES: Dive Team Investigations, #2

PUBLISHER, PUBLISHED: Revell; November 2018

When the dive team is called in to recover a body from a submerged car, they aren’t prepared to find an encrypted laptop–or an unsettling connection between investigator Adam Campbell and the dead accountant.

Adam turns to his friend Dr. Sabrina Fleming–a professor at the local university with unparalleled computer security and forensics skills–to recover the files from the laptop. But the deeper they dig, the deadlier the investigation becomes. When evidence uncovers a human trafficking ring and implicates members of Adam’s own family, he and Sabrina will have to risk everything to solve the case.

The truth could set hundreds free–but someone is willing to do whatever it takes to silence anyone who threatens to reveal their secrets. Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn invites readers back to Carrington, North Carolina, where everything is not as it seems and sinister elements lurk behind the idyllic façade.

MY REVIEW:

A forensic dive team in North Carolina is the focus of Lynn H Blackburn’s series, Dive Team Investigations. In book one, we met the team members and focused on Ryan and Leigh’s story. Book two, In Too Deep, tells the chilling tale of Adam and Sabrina. While I believe the book could stand on its own, I started out feeling that the team members were already my friends, not people I had just met.

What’s to love about this book? Blackburn strikes a good balance between great romantic suspense and relationship-driven narrative. What I loved most is that Sabrina is intelligent beyond belief, yet that character trait is countered by an unusual lack of common social skills. In other words, a great, but lovable, flawed protagonist.

Heavy topics are handled within these pages. My antennae went up. We’re talking about sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Where is the author taking me? Guilt, awareness, action? For me, I choose awareness.

I loved that prayers are a part of everyday needs in the novel, and some are spoken aloud. They’re not preachy, but natural, clear, and honest.

Points to Blackburn for exhibiting a sense of humor at a few critical points. Some thoughts just made me laugh. Try “baby cops.” Another was a paragraph listing Sabrina’s many injuries, followed by the statement she had never looked more beautiful. That just tickled my funny bone.

Thought-provoking quotes:
“You love the victims and the victimizers. We don’t understand that, Lord.”(How true!)
and
“…it’s not about how big our faith is. What matters is how big our God is.”~Sabrina

I highly recommend this series, and can’t wait for Gabe and Anissa’s story. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are solely my own, and no positive review was required.

MY RATING:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

17521786 Lynn H. Blackburn believes in the power of stories, especially those that remind us that true love exists, a gift from the Truest Love. She’s passionate about CrossFit, coffee, and chocolate (don’t make her choose) and experimenting with recipes that feed both body and soul. She lives in South Carolina with her true love, Brian, and their three children. Her first book, COVERT JUSTICE, won the 2016 Selah Award for Mystery/Suspense and the 2016 Carol Award for Short Novel. Her second book, HIDDEN LEGACY, released in June 2017. She began a new series, Dive Team Investigations with BENEATH THE SURFACE in March of 2018.

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Christmas Hideout, #3 McKade Law Series by Susan Sleeman

November 1, 2018November 1, 2018 Babbling Becky L

40724420

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Christmas Hideout,#3 McKade Law Series

Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense

Published: November 8, 2018

Length: 224 pages,paperback

ISBN:1335459413; isbn13: 9781335459411

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Cowboy lawmen make the best protectors

A McKade Law novel

Fleeing from her dangerous ex-boyfriend, on-the-run single mother Nicole Dyer takes refuge in a cabin—and is discovered by the ranch owner, Deputy Matt McKade. It’s easy to fall for the handsome lawman and his kind family, but staying at the ranch endangers them all. When everything Nicole loves comes under direct fire, can Matt keep her—and her heart—safe?

MY REVIEW:

A friend once told us, “I fell in love with [the daughter] before I fell in love with [her mother]. Nicole and Matt may be the two main characters, but little blue-eyed three-year-old Emilie quickly becomes the star of Christmas Hideout! Nicole thinks she has to clean up her life before returning to God. Matt has trust issues with God. Emilie is just adorable, sweet, and innocent; plus she has a special Christmas wish. I just loved how Emilie manages to burrow her way into everybody’s heart, but especially Matt’s. The mystery‘s end has quite a twist, and the romance is great, but it is the child’s heart that steals mine in this suspenseful, yet heartwarming novel by Susan Sleeman. So good I finished in one sitting. I received a complimentary copy from the author. I am voluntarily leaving a review, and all opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

4053429 SUSAN SLEEMAN is the bestselling author of over thirty-five novels with more than one million books sold. She writes romantic suspense novels that are clean with inspiring messages of faith. Readers love her series for the well-drawn characters and edge-of-your-seat action. She graduated from the FBI and local police-citizen academies, so her research is spot-on and her characters are real.
In addition to writing, Susan also hosts TheSuspenseZone.com. She has lived in nine states but now calls Oregon home. Her husband is a retired church music director, and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law, and an adorable grandson.
To learn more about Susan’s books sign up for her monthly email that includes exclusive excerpts, giveaways, and other goodies. http://www.susansleeman.com/susans-newsletter…

Or stop by any of these locations on the web.
Website – http://www.susansleeman.com
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/SusanSleemanB…
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Review Site – http://www.TheSuspenseZone.com