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The Schoolmarm and the Miner by Denise Weimer Review and Giveaway

May 15, 2026May 14, 2026 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Schoolmarm and the Miner

Author: Denise Farnsworth writing as Denise Weimer

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: May 5, 2026

A teacher seeking independence. A widower guarding his heart. In Georgia’s gold country, the richest prize may be the love they’re afraid to claim.

Adelaide Duncan’s dream of teaching is within reach until her father’s drinking and gambling force her to start over. Taking a position in the rough-and-tumble gold rush town of Dahlonega[DF1] , she’s determined to prove herself. But unruly students, strict rules against [DF2] teachers courting, and her growing feelings for a certain widowed father threaten the independence she’s fought so hard to claim.

Wade Coulter walked away from the law after he lost his wife and unborn son. Raising his daughter alone is safer than letting anyone else in. But Lotty’s beautiful new teacher makes him question everything. Just as he begins to trust again, a dangerous man from Wade’s past threatens both the women he loves.

A gold strike on Wade’s property promises security…but also revives old dangers. Scarred by her father’s choices, Addie fears any man who might put [DF3] selfish desires before love. As deadly threats close in and the past refuses to stay buried, Wade must prove he’s changed or risk losing his chance at happiness forever.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

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

More from Denise

At the end of book one of my Twenty-Niners of the Georgia Gold Rush series, The Songbird and the Surveyor, the bad guy walked free! Saloon and mine owner Charles Martin’s manipulative plotting and family money spared him from facing justice. Well, we can’t have that…

Wade Coulter, the sheriff whose sister died in a confrontation with Charles, turned in his badge after the man avoided standing trial for kidnapping the wife of Jesse Holden (the hero of book one) and his theft of a local mine owner’s gold. Jesse and Genny left North Georgia for a fresh start, but Wade gets stuck with the burden of failure and—following the deaths of his wife and unborn son—heartache. He’s retreated to his mountain farm with his plucky overall-wearing daughter, Charlotte, determined to keep her safe from the criminals who frequent gold rush boomtowns like the county seat of Dahlonega.

But then a new teacher arrives…one who is also fleeing heartache in hopes of a fresh start. Forced by the mistakes of her drunken father to seek employment in the gold fields rather than at the prestigious girls’ academy from which she just graduated, Adelaide Duncan has no other choice than to make her way in Dahlonega. If that means doing battle with thieves on the square, a pompous school board president, and bullies as big as she is, fine.

The one battle she doesn’t count on is keeping her heart safe from a moody widower who needs convincing by Addie and his aunt, the owner of the boardinghouse where Addie lodges, that his mannerless daughter desperately needs to attend school. It soon enough becomes clear that, despite her guardedness, Lottie longs for a mother’s love. Just when the discovery of gold on Wade’s land allows him to picture a family in his future, an old nemesis shows up with a new scheme…one that once again endangers the women Wade loves.

The Schoolmarm and the Miner packs humor, romance, action, and all your favorite tropes into a real-life town setting so charming, it’s a Hallmark movie-filming destination. After you read the story, you’ll want to plan a road trip to tour the gold museum in the historic courthouse and the drippy tunnels of the Consolidated Gold Mine, one of many that operated in Lumpkin County from the 1830s through the early 1900s. As you wander the North Georgia mountains, you’ll see why I’ve long felt there’s still plenty of treasure there. And fodder for great stories!

My Impressions

“Education holds the key to everything, especially for women.”

Denise Farnsworth, formerly Weimer, has penned a great conclusion to the Twenty-niners of the Gold Rush series. The Schoolmarm and the Miner is a historical fiction novel packed with historical vignettes woven together with faith and a bit of imagination to bring this little-known time to life. I feel I have a much clearer picture of life just before the Trail of Tears due to this series and what precipitated that tragic event, as well as the wildness and greed of many of the new settlers.

Addie Duncan, a brand new teacher, has to settle for a job in 1839 in the rough gold mining town of Dahlonega, GA. Her father’s actions remove any better choices. The headmistress of the school where she had hoped to be employed tells her, “…I’ve always found that when God closes a door, He always opens a window.” Addie reluctantly moves to the outlying town, thankful that a hopeful suitor, Micah Garrison, is also moving there to work in the mine’s offices.

Surprises galore await Addie. She does not expect to have to campaign with the school board for the job. She does not expect a bully for a school board president, nor students who will challenge her sanity and safety, let alone her ability to teach. And she certainly does not expect to fall for a struggling widowed farmer with a young daughter who needs to be in school, but has never been apart from daddy.

Can you sense a perfect storm brewing? I admired Addie for her courage, her tenacity to continue as a teacher despite the difficulties thrust upon her, her creativity, and her love for the students. As the book progressed, there are even more reasons to love her that I can’t give away because spoilers!

Just like intended, I was not Team Micah. I was Team Wade. But Wade is like the gold many are searching for. He needs some refining before he can be his best. His past has made him bitter, seeking revenge. Wade is also overprotective of his daughter and possibly not seeing her in all of her needs. Yikes! Problems are coming!

“Let’s just say things are not always as they seem.” Micah, discussing his new job with Addie. To muddy the waters, Micah shows up to confuse Addie’s loyalties and to make it appear he has a claim on Addie.

My fave character? Aunt Grace. She lives up to her name, taking Addie under her wing as soon as she meets her. She provides company, wisdom, and help with dealing with a determined six-year-old. Plus, she is self-sacrificing.

I was holding my breath as this story rose to its climax. I suggest getting your hands on this series and reading all three in order, because of the timeline involved. Recommended for historical fiction fans, fans of American history, and those who want to understand events surrounding the Trail of Tears.

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

Notable Quotables:

“At least a real education lets women know they should have choices. And it opens up a few options to those who don’t wish to marry. Or who do marry but find themselves on their own later in life.”

“He needed lasting change, though. He needed lasting change, though. He needed to deal with the root cause—unforgiveness. He’d started praying about that, but it was a work in progress.”

“You ask the impossible.” “No. With God, all things are possible. But not all things are permissible.” She tightened her fingers around his neck as if to emphasize her point. “I won’t live with a man eaten up with bitterness.”– Wade, Addie

“I think we should appeal to that good quality in her nature and flip the narrative. Instead of her needing us, show how we need her.” – Addie

“I’m saying the hurt may not have healed yet, and in her mind, anything that makes her feel it must be avoided.” – Addie

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superior! I am a follower of Denise Weimer (now Denise Farnsworth)’s stories about historic settings in our country. This novel needed to be told to wrap up events of the previous books.

Blog Stops

Fiction Book Lover, May 12 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 12

Texas Book-aholic, May 13

For Him and My Family, May 14

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 15

Lakesidelivingsite , May 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 16

Devoted To Hope, May 17

Jeanette’s Thoughts, May 18

Books You Can Feel Good About, May 19

Connie’s History Classroom, May 20

Simple Harvest Reads, May 21 (Guest Review from Donna)

Holly’s Book Corner, May 22

Cover Lover Book Review, May 23

Pause for Tales, May 24

Lyssa Loves Books, May 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Denise 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.

https://gleam.io/DSQoC/the-schoolmarm-and-the-miner-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

Miss Beth Bettencourt Review and Giveaway

May 12, 2026 Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Miss Beth Bettencourt by Eva Marie Everson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Miss Beth Bettencourt
Author: Eva Marie Everson
Publisher: Kregel
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Southern Fiction/Christian Fiction

Will an unlikely romance tear down Beth’s walls of indifference?

It’s 1962 in Bynum, Georgia, and Beth Bettencourt’s world is turned upside down when she wakes to a man snoring in the guest bedroom.

She’s home alone; her parents are traveling abroad, grieving her twin sister’s unexpected death. Instead of accompanying them, Beth stayed in Bynum to tend to her kindergarten and closely guard her own heart.

A beautiful and beloved member of the community, Beth is an unusual specimen for her time as she nears thirty and remains unmarried. She holds deep-seated unforgiveness toward her twin, Elise, who ran off with Beth’s beau. To make matters worse, Elise took their grandmother’s ring, which had been promised to Beth.

But now a stranger enters her home and her world. David Patrick Martin seems ready to break down her walls of indifference and find the core of Miss Beth Bettencourt. But can he be trusted with Beth’s past, her present, and more importantly, her future?

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About the Author

Eva Marie Everson is a bestselling, multi-award-winning author of nearly 50 works of fiction and nonfiction. Collectively, her novels have sold over 300,000 copies. She is the CEO of Word Weavers International, the director of Florida Christian Writers Conference, and a popular speaker at writers conferences across the nation. Eva Marie is a double magna cum laude graduate of Andersonville Theological Seminary (Associate of Biblical Studies and Bachelor of Biblical Exposition) and of Tzemach Institute (a two-year program in Biblical Studies). In 2022, she was awarded the Yvonne Lehman Legacy Award and presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association). She and her husband live in Central Florida where they enjoy their children and grandchildren. They are owned by a Norwegian Forest cat named Vanessa.Connect with Eva Marie by visiting evamarieeversonauthor.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

My Impressions

“Lord, what have I done? I prayed, hoping God could hear me over my heart’s pounding. What in the Sam Hill had I done?”

Why is this line appropriate for the teaser quote of Eva Marie Everson’s Miss Beth Bettencourt (a Bynum, Georgia Novel)? While this desperate utterance is voiced by only one character, I can truly imagine at least three other characters crying this plea out to God!

I enjoyed returning to the 1960s South for this character-driven story. Having spent part of my childhood in the 60s, I enjoyed the references to familiar items and customs of the past. Beth Bettencourt is the single daughter of a well-to-do couple who is traveling in Europe. They leave her home with the maid, Molly, who is more like family than hired help. The story starts when Beth finds a strange man, obviously fresh out of the army, snoring in her family’s guest bedroom.

Steady, dependable, quiet Beth surprises even herself when she defends the midnight vagabond and offers him a part-time job and a place to stay on her property.

Told in first person present pov, the chapters alternate between narrators Beth and Marty with a few inserts from Molly. Beth has one man who would give his eye teeth to be her sweetheart. Another who we eventually discover hurt her in ways we’re not sure she’ll ever decide to forgive and recover from. “‘Learning to let go … that’s the best thing you can ever do.’ He scooted up again. ‘But there will be times when the old hurts will rise again.’…”So what do you do when those old hurts return?”… “‘Give them to God.’ He looked over his shoulder at me to offer another smile. ‘The only thing you can do. Ask him to take them, and he will.’” And those wise words come from yet the third, a mystery man who Beth slowly gets to know.

Besides loving the two main characters of Beth and Marty, I also love Molly, who loves Beth like her own and has very wise advice. Plus a few people we never meet, Uncle Gene, who is so kind, a great listener, and from whom Marry learns how to draw out people’s inmost thoughts. Also, I felt a special need to meet Marty’s mother, because of the great love and respect he carries for her.

I never saw the twist coming, though I should know by now, every book seems to have at least one! This is the first book I remember reading by Eva Marie Everson, and I am very impressed! I’ll be following her and her books from now on! If you like historical fiction with very relatable characters, a bit flawed and emotionally floundering, you may love this book!

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

Notable Quotables:

“You just finally figured out what it is you really want out of life.” “And what’s that?” “To be loved. To love back. Isn’t that all any of us really want?”– Marty

“after believing the lie long enough, it had become fact.”

“The road is crooked at times, but the Good Book says that God will straighten those paths out for us. If we let him.” – Uncle Gene

“I couldn’t go on like this, carrying this hate. This anger and bitterness. This … fear.” – Beth

“Why do all the bad things happen at night?” – Beth

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story refuses to be hurried. I was all in, swept along in the meandering tide that is slow, Southern life. I was nearly broken before it reached its surprising destination. Don’t miss this gem!

Tour

Giveaway

(5) winners will each receive a copy of Miss Beth Bettencourt (winner’s choice between ebook or print), Southern recipes, a Miss Beth Bettencourt bookmark, and a $10 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 11, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 18, 2026. 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

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

BLOG, Favorite, JustRead Tour, Kindle, Purchase, Scrivenings Press

The Escape Game by Gina Holder Review and Giveaway

May 5, 2026May 10, 2026 Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Escape Game by Gina Holder, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Escape Game
Series: The Game Masters
Author: Gina Holder
Publisher: Scrivenings Press
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Twenty years ago, the world’s leading enigmatologist disappeared, leaving behind a cipher no one could solve… not without his journal.

Puzzle shop owner Demi Kayne has spent twenty years hoping her father would return home. When she discovers his hidden journal, she finally uncovers the clue she’s been waiting for—but it leads somewhere far more dangerous than she imagined.

Liam Shepherd, a missionary and escape-room enthusiast, is searching for answers of his own. His sister has vanished without a trace, and the trail of clues leads him straight to Demi—and the secrets hidden in her father’s journal.

Their search brings them to the eerie Ives Mansion, where its brilliant and reclusive owner has designed a deadly challenge. Once inside, Demi and Liam realize they’re no longer guests.

They’re players.

Trapped inside a twisted real-life mystery game, they must solve a series of lethal riddles before time runs out. Each puzzle brings them closer to the truth about Demi’s missing father and Liam’s sister —but also deeper into a carefully crafted game where the stakes are far higher than they’re ready to face.

With the clock ticking and lives hanging in the balance, Demi and Liam must confront their fears, their pasts, and the faith that may be their only hope of escape.

In this gripping Christian suspense novel, every clue matters—and every mistake could be fatal.

Can Demi and Liam solve the final puzzle before the game ends…or will the escape room become their tomb?

Perfect for fans of Lynette Eason, Dani Pettrey, and Irene Hannon who enjoy puzzle-driven Christian suspense filled with danger, secrets, and faith under fire.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

More in This Series

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About the Author

Gina Holder is a Christian award-winning author of romantic suspense and cozy mysteries filled with faith, intrigue, danger, romance, and epic twists you’ll never see coming.

She’s had an infatuation with books for as long as she can remember. She loves sharing uplifting messages from God’s Word and introducing readers to new and new-to-them authors on her blog. When she’s not writing, Gina enjoys playing the piano, cooking, reading, watching Hallmark mysteries, and solving “escape room” puzzles. She loves growing in her craft as an author.

She published her debut novel, Whither Shall I Go, in 2017, marking the beginning of her writing career. Her works often weave themes of faith, redemption, and forgiveness, aiming to inspire readers with uplifting messages rooted in Biblical principles.

Gina is also an active member of the Christian readers and writers community and is involved in the writing community through her blog, where she shares insights, interviews, and book reviews.

Her first traditionally published novel released in June 2025 with Scrivenings Press LLC, after winning their “”GetPubbed”” contest’s grand prize.

Gina lives in Wyoming with her husband and daughter.

Connect with Gina by visiting storiesbygina.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

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My Impressions

“Something in his gut warned this would be unlike anything he’d ever faced before. Were they up to the challenge?”

Whew! I am never going to be able to do another escape room! The Escape Game, bk 2 of The Game Masters series, by Gina Holder, kept me spellbound and enthralled. This gripping, romantic suspense novel of chilling proportions stands well on its own. I had not read the first book, but now, of course, it’s on my TBR pile!

I was reminded of a Shakespearean tragedy set in current times as I read through this nail-biting suspense. Poor grown-up Demi, puzzle solver extraordinaire with an IQ off the charts, desperately seeking the love and affirmation that she missed all her life. Her father disappears when she is younger, and she feels abandoned by any who may get close to her. Her intelligence level and social awkwardness allow her few friends. Then her best friend, Maddie, gives her unsettling news. As she meets Liam, a daring missionary and escape room solver expert, she develops a tenuous bond as they search for his sister. Yet, she realizes as their dangerous search of an unknown real-life escape experience escalates, Liam, too, has future plans that don’t include her, should they be so fortunate to escape alive.

“Trust—the word hit like a gut punch. It hurt to trust—people always let her down. Abandoned her when she needed them.”

Liam is great, noble, selfless, brave, daring, and handsome young man who is frantically searching for his missing sister. Joining forces with Demi, the two form an attraction which Liam realizes will not last, given Demi’s lack of true belief in God. He shares his faith with Demi whenever he can, but Demi has learned to protect her heart and believes her intellect and self-sufficiency will eventually save her.

There are some great twists involved in the story, that threaten to rewrite the narrative. A great look into different kinds of relationships and how they affect the human behavior. And how God is willing to step in and re-direct our stories, forgiving the unthinkable, IF we will let him!

Don’t miss this book!! I know I won’t miss another of Gina Holder’s in this series!

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

Notable Quotables:

“This was not the lost-and-found box. These were trophies. And someone was still collecting.”

“You can’t win by playing smarter. You need a Savior, not a strategy.”

“Pride is the monster; humility is the key.”

“My IQ would make Einstein jealous.”

“The eagle does not fight the snake on the ground. It changes the battlefield.”

“Because forgiveness doesn’t mean pretending it didn’t hurt.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superior!! If you’ve never read this author’s romantic suspense, push her books to the top of your list!! Pronto!!

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $50 gift card and a copy of The Escape Game (eBook or paperback, Winner’s Choice)!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 5, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 12, 2026. 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

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

ARC, Bethany House, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, NetGalley, PB, Purchase

The Bookshop of 99 Doors by Jaime Jo Wright Review

April 21, 2026 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: The Bookshop of 99 Doors

Author: Jaime Jo Wright

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Released: April 7, 2026

Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspense

The manor’s rumored one-hundredth door may conceal secrets hidden as deep as the estate’s bookshelves extend high . . . but the haunted past has a way of ensnaring curious souls.

In 1888, Minnie Tipton finds herself beset by the dark superstitions that envelop the Pennsylvania mansion her father bought. Convinced the vengeful spirit of a Civil War captain haunts the house and worried by her father’s rapidly worsening illness, Minnie delves into the home’s fraught past in an effort to bring him peace. Yet the lingering impact of the war and the gruesome tale of murder she uncovers only foster more fear and threaten to unravel Minnie’s own sanity.

In the present day, Triss Bellamy eagerly steps into the role of bookshop manager in the mansion-turned-museum boasting ninety-nine doors. But Triss’s dream job turns into a nightmare when havoc breaks loose with the arrival of her brother’s team of self-proclaimed paranormal investigators. Their determination to find a rumored one-hundredth door–a dangerous portal to the madness long said to plague the mansion–results in calamity, leaving Triss no choice but to hunt down the truth or watch her brother slip forever beyond her reach.

An atmospheric dual-time Gothic suspense masterfully penned by acclaimed author Jaime Jo Wright with themes of a Civil War-era ghost, a possible hidden door, and unexplained mysteries at a historic mansion’s bookshop with a troubled past.

Get your copy here!

https://a.co/d/05g3nBdD

About the Author

Jaime Jo Wright, multi award-winning author–including the Christy and Daphne du Maurier awards–is a coffee-fueled and cat-fancier extraordinaire. She has entwined her life with the legendary Captain Hook, residing serenely in Wisconsin’s rural woodlands. Her literary vocation involves penning chilling Gothic tales, a baffling change from that of Austenites, with a strong preference to the master of dark, Edgar Allan Poe. Two mischievous urchins adorn their family, who keep their mother on her toes – providing an exhilarating amount chaos.

Visit her at: http://www.jaimewrightbooks.com and listen to her podcast MadLit Musings on your favorite podcast player or at http://www.madlitmusings.com

My Impressions

“I learned to be afraid. That was the way of it. I thought Papa and I would create a new life with new memories. Instead, we entered a nightmare.”

Every sentence of The Bookshop of 99 Doors makes me feel more like I am creeping down a drafty, moldy, critter- infested staircase leading to a forbidden tunnel, unable to stop myself. Jaime Jo Wright is a master of creating spooky atmospheres, and her words suck me in, daring and enticing me to proceed with the story.

I enjoy trying to piece together the puzzles that Wright presents in this dual timeline ( because, to me, a dual timeline is like a puzzle, with the author feeding you a piece or two at a time). I have yet to figure out one of the total mysteries that Wright lays out, but it sure is intriguing to try! I was curious enough to check out her Pinterest boards for help in imagining the characters as she envisioned them.

In the historical story, Wright transports us to Ambrose Fields, PA in 1888. Spinster Minnie Tipton and her slightly deranged father move to an new home, a mansion that is purported to be haunted by Civil War-era ghosts. Minnie struggles to manage her father’s reputation and her standing as new mistress of the home. She also battles the rumors of a massacre and ghosts in the home, a secret 100th door, and a vagabond ne’er-do-well who begins hanging around. Who has the truth and who will tell it?

In the present day, Triss Bellamy has secured a new job as bookshop manager for the museum that was Ambrose Fields. He own phantoms from the past rise to pursue her when her brother, Casper, and his best friend, Beck Monroe, show up to film an episode of Haunted Frequencies. Strange things begin to happen. In the mansion and to Casper, team lead. The same rumors from over a century ago surface, and the race is on to find the 100th door. Will finding it bring closure to the eerie, frightening events and healing for Casper, or will its discovery unleash even more evil and chaos? And of course, how will the two storylines be woven together into one connected cord?

I wasn’t sure what to make of most of the the characters. Did each belong on the villain or the hero side? Often, I just couldn’t determine the truth. I loved that Dexter, whatever the truth about his survival was, exhorts Minnie to look for the truth. He urges her to turn to God. “…give Him your full attention. Because when you have nothing left…He is all you can rely on.”

What a great story, traversing from eerily spooky to nearly supernatural (not in good way) to faith and logic, showing God’s Power over events and hearts. And I love the great twists! I liked how Wright shows we don’t have to leave others behind in our pursuit of Truth, even though they may not be at the same stage we are. Probably my biggest takeaway from this story.

I received a copy of the book from publisher via Netgalley. I also bought my own pb copy for my “trophy shelf.” No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“A door is just an opening. It is what comes through the door that I don’t trust. Whether it goes inside or comes out. Whether spirit or real.” – Dexter

“ It’s the Door!… We need to close the door!! The 100th door!!” – Birdie

“…emotions could be wicked and unreliable. They doomed a person to shame, to assumptions larger than life, and to grief that overtook you. Emotions were not something to be followed or even believed. Emotions led one astray from the truth, from what was right and what was real. They betrayed you. They betrayed others. Just like Mama had betrayed Papa.” – (Minnie)

“…how one views God influences how they view those who have wronged them.” – Dexter

“Perhaps she was truly afraid of four things. The unknown, the unseen, the unexplainable, and the uncontrollable.”– (Minnie)

“If anyone knew anything about paranormal investigating, it was that spirits weren’t always friendly—and they weren’t always the spirits of the dead. Sometimes they were darker, more dangerous, and they could make people sick.” – (Triss)

“He’d have to choose between his life as he now lived it or follow her on her quest to find peace in someone greater. God. Not a god or all things being god, but the God. The Creator.” (Beck)

“If fear took human form, it would be a ghoulish creature.”- Victor Barringsworth, Esq.

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Superior!! I love this book. Like almost all of Wright’s books, it delivers thrills and chills as it travels from eerily spooky to nearly supernatural (not in good way) to faith and logic, showing God’s Power over events and hearts! Bravo, Ms. Wright!

ARC, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Launch Team, NetGalley, PB, Purchase

Fires of Injustice by Kendy Pearson Review and Giveaway

April 20, 2026 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Fires Of Injustice

Author: Kendy Pearson

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release Date: April 15, 2026

She is fighting for the innocent.

He is fighting for a second chance.

Yakira Mitchell has spent her life rescuing the forgotten from the clutches of exploitation and dreams of one day opening her own mission home for Chinese girls. But that dream is hard fought when she becomes a lightning rod for trouble as anti-Chinese mobs protest, and towns expel immigrants in “peaceful” purges across the West. Her heart is to build a home for the broken, but as revelations about her past erupt, the truth threatens to crumble her own foundation.

Attorney Grant Campbell, the boy who once held Yakira’s heart, returns to San Francisco after a long absence to make amends and seek forgiveness. He is determined to defend Chinese immigrants and to reconcile with his family and Yakira. But as old feelings flare—so do old wounds.

As flames of injustice consume communities, violence rages, and lives hang in the balance. Yakira must face the truth of who she really is—and who God has called her to be. In the ashes of hatred, Yakira and Grant both discover a love stronger than fear and a purpose forged in fire.

A story of resilience, redemption, and love, FIRES OF INJUSTICE blazes with the courage of those who dared to stand against the darkness.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kendy Pearson is a musician and veteran high school teacher who 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 author of the award-winning series, West Virginia: Born of Rebellion’s Storm. When she finally gets away from her 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 just love discovering fascinating new pockets of history. For years I taught high school history, and I realize there is a lot of valuable information that didn’t make it into the curriculum. One of those little history pockets spurred the idea for Fires of Injustice.

I grew up in the Midwest learning about Jesse James, the Plains Indian Wars, frontier violence, the Civil War, the Great Depression, and all things Missouri and Mississippi River. Boy, did I get an education when I moved to the West Coast! The first time someone mentioned “Chinese Underground,” I had to find out more.

Six years ago in Pendleton, Oregon, I first learned about America’s Forgotten War and the expulsions that occurred along the West Coast. I knew thousands of Chinese laborers built the western half of the Transcontinental Railroad. But I didn’t know 300,000 Chinese immigrants came to America between 1852 and 1888. Drawn first by gold, then by opportunities in mining, agriculture, manufacturing, and the service trades.

And the girls came. “Go‑away girls” were daughters of impoverished families in southern China. Families sent or sold these girls into domestic servitude or, tragically, into trafficking networks that reached as far as America.

What began as the exploitation of vulnerable Chinese girls and laborers soon hardened into a wider climate of fear and resentment. That same prejudice—left unchecked—grew into the mob violence and expulsions that later tore entire communities apart.

This was a dark chapter in American history. But there were those who cared about these girls and wanted to protect them at all costs. A story of resilience, redemption, and love, FIRES OF INJUSTICE blazes with the courage of those who dared to stand against that darkness.

My Impressions

“…you would see that people are people everywhere, regardless of how they look or what they do or from whence they’ve come.” – Yakira

Wow!! Fires of Injustice by Kendy Pearson will light a fire of emotions in your soul. Fire can be a very positive thing, as it motivates one to action. Emotions will blaze high as you read this book. They did for me, both positive and negative. Pearson’s book certainly makes one think about the grave unfairness and injustice of the Chinese expulsions in our country. I could feel the anger and helplessness of Avery, Yakira, Grant, Azalea, and Lara. How I wish we could go back and have a redo at history!

Fire can make one uncomfortable. And so this book made me uncomfortable, grappling with my emotions. I did feel there were strong inferences to the treatment of immigrants today. The book seemed designed to point out comparisons between then and our country’s issues with immigrants today. I truly get that we don’t want to repeat history! I most definitely agree unkindness, hatred, and torture is never right, and cannot be tolerated. What I didn’t like was that the book seemed to emphasize and almost lump all Caucasians together in the horrible atrocities and attitudes, until I was ashamed of being part of that race. I’m not sure that is helpful. But perhaps, Kira and Grant felt that way as well? I will admit, the topic got so heavy, I had to put aside the book for lighter fare for awhile.

When I returned to Fires of Injustice, I came back realizing that eventually Hope would break through the darkness, because the novel is billed as a story of “resilience, redemption, love.” As I began to look for that Hope, I began to see it emerging, even amid the ashes of the bitter reality of history. I was glad to see a few strong people take up the mantle of faith and to continue to support those in desperate need! It was amazing to see how hard people like Yakira’s father, Avery, and her aunt, Lara, both Scottish immigrants, worked to help protect the Chinese. And Yakira with her great, burning desire to help Chinese women out of human slavery. As I rehash the story in my mind, I begin to see sparks of Hope in different people, not particularly major characters, throughout the story, that God brings into Kira’s and Grant’s lives. I also began to see how, just perhaps, I can stand against what may be atrocities today without totally giving a free ride to all of any race, just because they are immigrants.

I was grieved to see some people, pillars in the church, community, or government, determined to do extreme evil to people because they look , speak, and act differently than them! And the sad thing is, that good, churchgoing people turn cruel and malicious as they get caught up in the emotions of the crowd. I read this through many tears. I wanted to pray for the wicked to be stopped and the abused to be saved!

One aspect I loved about the book. Frequently, when faced with hard decisions, the reply comes back, “We must pray, seek wisdom.” How many times do we fail to pray, or to pray in faith, believing?

So many story threads here. Yakira has been adopted by her parents as they fled China years before. Her cousin, Azalea, is also adopted. But only one girl knows the truth of her parentage. While Yakira has always held her cousin Grant as special in her heart, he loses that respect when he abandons the families when he turns sixteen. Yakira and her widower father work alongside widowed Aunt Lara in ministering to the Chinese in California. Grant had actually secured a job in a similar vein, working as an attorney for Six Companies, representing the Chinese for them. But will Six Companies truly keep the Chinese individual’s interests first? Can Grant ever attempt a return to the family he abandoned in their hour of need? God does give Grant a special, surprising blessing and help! More tension and mystery to the story! Will Yakira ever get the desires of her heart, to run a successful rescue home for s*x trafficked Chinese women who want to escape, plus a love of her own?

Don’t miss this historical book that will bring to light history that you may never have been taught. It will definitely cause you to evaluate how you think, treat, and support others in desperate need!

Notable Quotables:

“You are my laotong—we are sworn sisters for life.” – cousin Azalea

“What if God’s plan simply looked different from what she’d always imagined?”

“Curiosity never trumped a person’s right to privacy.”

“God knows your heart, son. ‘Tis what’s important. Turn it always toward Him, and no matter what others see, He will use you.” – Grant’s Mither

“This Home, nae, this ministry belongs not to you, but to our Heavenly Father. He willna see it come to naught, you can trust that.”– Aunt Lara

“An entire population of people is either invisible, or the cause of every problem in Truckee. No in-between. And the newspaper reports only one side of the whole affair. They paint the Chinese as base, thieving, murdering pariahs with no rights-who don’t belong here.” – Charles Crocker

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Superior!! Fires of Injustice will light fires of emotions in you. It will make you wonder how far you are willing to go to protect someone unlike yourself.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, April 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 16

Sydney Schmied Books, April 17

Stories By Gina, April 18 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 18

For Him and My Family, April 19

Life on Chickadee Lane, April 20

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , April 21

Guild Master, April 22 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, April 22

Betti Mace, April 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 25

Connie’s History Classroom, April 26

Holly’s Book Corner, April 27

Fiction Book Lover, April 28 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kendy is giving away the grand prize of a $50 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.

https://gleam.io/zg8t0/fires-of-injustice-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Stronger Than the Storm by Deena Adams Review

April 14, 2026 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Stronger than the Storm

Author: Deena Adams

Publisher: Scrivenings Press

Genre: Christian Women’s Fiction

Releases: April 28, 2026

A runaway teen. A wife’s devastating secret. A family’s reckoning.

Beth Holbrook has spent years building a life centered on faith and family. As a pastor’s wife, mother of three, and respected parenting coach, she’s devoted herself to helping families raise godly children. Now, with a publishing contract within reach, Beth stands on the verge of realizing a lifelong dream.

Then her daughter runs away.

Eighteen-year-old Leesa is tired of living under expectations she feels she can never meet. One impulsive decision sends her fleeing to Myrtle Beach, determined to take control of her life. But when she returns home weeks later with shocking news, the fragile peace inside the Holbrook family fractures.

As tensions rise, Beth struggles with growing conflict in her marriage, painful criticism from her mother, and the crushing realization that the advice she’s given other parents may not save her own family. Worse still, the secret she’s hidden for nearly two decades threatens to destroy the very foundation of her life.

When a powerful hurricane barrels toward their Virginia Beach home, the Holbrooks must confront the storm raging inside their hearts.

Can grace and forgiveness rebuild what secrets and betrayal have broken—or will the truth tear their family apart?

Perfect for readers who love Christian women’s fiction filled with emotional depth, family drama, and themes of redemption and healing, Stronger than the Storm is a powerful story of faith, forgiveness, and the courage to face the truth.

Fans of Nicole Deese, Karen Kingsbury, and Amanda Cox will love this compelling and heartfelt novel about family secrets, healing after betrayal, and God’s power to restore broken lives.

Get ( or pre-order)your copy here!

https://www.amazon.com/author/deenaadams

About the Author

As a Jesus girl for over thirty years, and a pastor’s wife for most of those, Deena Adams has a wealth of experience counseling women who’ve navigated unimaginable adversity. Through these interactions she’s gained great insight into topics women relate to, which fuels her passion to inspire others through hope-filled fiction based on true-life stories.

Three-and-a-half years as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer and completion of the Certified Mental Health Coach program through Light University have equipped her to write stories that address deep family-related themes with authenticity, wisdom, and compassion.

She is an active ACFW member, a six-year ACFW Virginia board member, and founder of the Marathon online writers group. Her writing awards include: 2019 Foundations Award finalist, 2019 ACFW First Impressions double finalist and winner, 2021 ACFW Genesis finalist and ACFW Virginia Crown Award winner, 2022 Cascade Award finalist, 2023 ACFW First Impressions finalist, 2024 ACFW Genesis double semi-finalist and winner, 2024 Foundations Award finalist, and 2025 ACFW Genesis finalist. She also enjoys promoting hope-filled fiction authors on her blog.

Deena lives with her husband near the coast in beautiful Virginia. When she’s not writing, reading, or serving in her church, you’ll find her hanging out with family and friends, playing board games, and doting on her seven grandchildren.

Connect with Deena through her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, BookBub, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.

My Impressions

“God’s power can turn messes into ministry and trials into a testimony when we entrust our hurts to him. I’m living proof.”

Stronger Than the Storm by Deena Adams is a women’s fiction story I found more relatable than I would like. My family’s situation was not the same in many respects, yet I understood the pressure of living in a glass house because of being in a pastor’s family. Both Kevin, a pastor, and his wife, Beth, have hopes for the future based on their performance- Kevin hopes to advance to senior pastor of the church, and Beth hopes to publish her first book as a parenting expert.

Their dreams begin to crash around them like the winds of the hurricane that later attack the house. Their oldest daughter runs away, and when she does return, continues to make life choices that are both hurtful and dangerous. I found it interesting that Beth is the strict parent who wants firm rules and apologies from the errant young adult child. “God is full of grace and love, but His Word makes it clear there are consequences for sin. How will Leesa ever learn from her mistakes if we rescue her at every turn?” Kevin, much easier going, would rather “err on the side of grace.” “I’m more willing to offer grace and unconditional love.” And he does! Guess which parent Leesa gravitates towards? I wonder, if, in many marriages, there is a child-rearing theory conflict like this, each thinking themselves following God’s will and Word?

Things gets worse and stormier before they get better. The family is on the verge of total collapse. A secret kept for years. A grief that almost kills the marriage. I loved the fact that the two consider a Christian counselor to help. But one still needs to listen to any sound advice, pray a lot, and determine to obey God. Both Kevin and Beth are amazed by what they find when they take a look at their individual hearts. Will they have the strength to pursue reparation for their marriage and family? What about Leesa, who feels her life has ended before it has barely begun?

Isaac, Megan, Tyler, Jackson, and Teresa are all secondary characters with major influences on the three main characters. I love how accepting and helpful Jackson and Teresa are especially, but all are essential in this family drama.

Highly recommended! For mature readers, but possibly teens, depending on their exposure. For church people, to see what their expectations and gossip can do to their leaders. For leaders, to carefully re-evaluate the inner motives and transparency. And, of course, for parents of prodigals! Discussion questions at the end would make this book ideal for a book club.

I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher and pre-ordered my own ebook. No positive review was required and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“Perhaps embracing every seemingly insignifcant moment with those you love transforms normal into extraordinary.”

“You know going against God’s Word is never His plan, but He can and will use anything for good. Even our worst mess-ups.” – Jackson

“We all need second chances … and third, fourth, and “fifth.” – Kevin

“I’m learning relatability is more important than a perfect reputation. It’s hard to point people to hope if we hide our messy stuff.” – Beth

“We do what we think is right in the moment. If we learn from our mistakes, they’re never wasted”…“When we give our regrets over to God, He can redeem them in ways we could never imagine.” – Beth

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superior!! Hard to believe this is Ms. Adams’s debut novel! She deals with such difficult, gritty topics so sensitively, connects with the reader’s emotions and shows how Hope can break through the storm.

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

Guarding the Child Witness by Sharee Stover Review

March 24, 2026 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Guarding the Child Witness

Series: Iowa State Troopers, #1

Author: Sharee Stover

Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense

Released: February 24, 2026

Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspense

When Iowa state trooper Jaysa Camerota and her K-9, Remy, discover a scared boy trapped in a car wreck, they narrowly survive the gunfire that follows. With an unknown assailant closing in fast and the nonverbal child struggling to communicate, Jaysa is forced to accept help from her ex-fiancé, social worker Ender Hammett. Soon it becomes clear that young Trevor is harboring perilous secrets—and that someone will do anything to have him silenced. When Ender’s past becomes the key to exposing a killer, can they unravel this lethal plot…or is survival out of reach?

Get your copy here!

https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335957580_guarding-the-child-witness.html

About the Author

Colorado native Sharee Stover lives in the Midwest with her real-life-hero husband, three too-good-to-be-true children, and a ridiculously spoiled dog. A self-proclaimed word nerd, she loves the power of the written word to ignite, transform, and restore. She writes Christian romantic suspense combining heart-racing, nail-biting suspense and the delight of falling in love all in one. Visit her at http://www.shareestover.com.

My Impressions

“…they needed to get answers out of Trevor and fast, because constantly living on edge with a faceless killer coming after them was not working.”

Sharee Stover has created quite a twisty inspirational romantic suspense novel in Guarding the Child Witness. The first book of Iowa State Troopers, what a great time to get in on a new series! This is my first book by Stover, but I will be back for more!

Iowa State Trooper Jaysa Camerota is charged with the protection detail for a young boy who has seen his father murdered. This case is important to Jaysa because she is on a mission to prove through her dog, Remy, that a multiagency K-9 team program should be developed. Remy is great at narcotics detection and also comforting people. But, Jaysa will have to successfully guard young, incident-mute Trevor for any hopes of her dream to come true. And, honestly, it does not seem very likely. At times, though Jaysa considers her ex, Ender Hammett, to be selfish, I wondered how self-serving Jaysa’s interests were.

Then there is the ex- this is a story of lovers -to-enemies-to-more. Jaysa is dismayed when Emmet, once a police officer, now a social worker and forensic interviewer, is assigned to work with Trevor. Now she has to keep them both safe. And she is still hurting from their break-up years past. Plus, as Jaysa grumps to her dog, “Ender’s a control freak, so expect a battle of the wills at every turn. But he’s no longer a trooper, which means I have the final say between the two of us.” Things get heated, and not necessarily in a good way!

There is so much danger and action at every juncture in this story. Who is the real target? “Everyone has enemies,” he said. “My thoughts exactly. They just might not know it.”

Until Jaysa and Ender can figure this out, they might just be spinning their wheels.

I didn’t know who to finger as the suspect for most of the book. It seemed the case was so convoluted. Just like Jaysa and Ender’s relationship. They seem to soften towards each other, then take steps backwards. Can they find their way back to their former love, or will that have to be jettisoned for good?

I loved how good Ender is with Trevor, and how much Remy helps Trevor, too, but will that be enough to cure Trevor’s incidental muteness? I also liked how Jaysa begins to see the past with Ender through a more honest lens. But will she be willing to take a chance on the future- provided they survive to have one?

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

Notable Quotables:

“She’d never embraced Ender for who he was, because she’d planned to change him from the start.”(Jaysa)

“Isn’t it funny that we both found healing outside of our relationship, and in doing so, discovered our mission to help others?” – Ender

“Normally, getting him to share his feelings was akin to pulling molars from a shark with a pair of tweezers dipped in cooking oil.”- (about Ender)

“Her heart’s defrosting toward Ender had to stop. She couldn’t afford to love him again.”

“He felt like he’d been sucked into a vortex of his past or endured surgery without anesthesia.”

“Your training trumps instincts, but your instincts enhance your training.” -Academy instructor

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I enjoyed this book, my first by Sharee Stover. I hope the next in the series is just as twisty!

BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, Kregel, Launch Team, NetGalley, PB, Purchase

Sung in the Shadows by Crystal Caudill Review

March 18, 2026 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Sung in the Shadows

Series: The Art of Love and Danger, #2

Author: Crystal Caudill

Publisher: Kregel Books

Released: March 17, 2026

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

When past darkness prowls, will stepping into the light lead to a brighter future?

In nineteenth-century Cincinnati, fear keeps Nora Davis caged with secrets and lies. Her true identity as the daughter of a famous opera singer is too dangerous to reveal with her former captors still on the loose. But weekly singing lessons at Longview Asylum—her paranoid mother’s permanent residence—light a flame in Nora, and it’s one she can avoid fanning for only so long.

With his suicidal ma in the asylum, Ezekiel Beaumont’s soul is weary, but Nora’s presence at the asylum intrigues him. As a Pike’s Opera House employee, Ezekiel thinks Nora might be cut out for the stage. He also begins to wonder if Nora’s ma is really the famed Constanza Brisbane, who went missing mid-performance. He’s determined to find out.

Though Ezekiel brings the performance world a little too close for comfort, Nora is drawn to his warm personality all the same. The two of them steadily grow closer, but then Nora begins to fear she’s being watched, and her own paranoia blooms.

As the line between what’s real and false grows fainter, will Ezekiel’s and Nora’s faith and love overcome?

“From the haunting halls of Longview Asylum to the dangerous secrets of Nora’s past, Sung in the Shadowsdelivers a riveting blend of romance, mystery, and redemption.” —Misty M. Beller, USA TODAY best-selling author of the Sisters of the Rockies series

Grab your copy here:

https://mybook.to/OTwvO

About the Author

Crystal Caudill is a tea-drinking, book-hoarding, history nerd. Her award-winning stories are ripe with history, danger, love, and hope. When not writing, Crystal can be found playing board games with her husband and boys, caregiving for loved ones, hiding in a book, drinking copious amounts of hot tea, or connecting with readers. You can connect with her at http://www.crystalcaudill.com or by joining her newsletter crew at bitly.com/CaudillNews.

My Impressions

“FEAR WAS A CAGE, AND it had Nora Davis’s family trapped and hidden beneath a canvas of secrets and lies.”

Crystal Caudill takes us back to the Gilded Age in 1869 New York , then 1881 in Cincinnati. Just as the cities as separated by vast miles and differences, the plight of the Davis family has changed from one extreme to another. In New York, Constanza Brisbane, famed soprano opera singer, is at the height of her career. Suddenly, following the kidnapping of her 11-year-old daughter Eleanora, the little family moves halfway across the country, assumes aliases, and embark on totally different lives. Music, once an integral part of their lives, is forbidden, as is the opera. As we see the little family 11 years later, it is now very dysfunctional. “Mr. Davis” is distant emotionally and often gone, “Mrs. Davis” has been placed in a mental asylum suffering from paranoias and dementia, and “Nora” has tired of her father’s restrictive rules.

Nora meets Ezekiel Beaumont, a composer and opera stage manager, in her visits to her mother at the asylum. Ezekiel’s mother suffers from her own severe mental health issues, and Ezekiel is at wits’ end how to help her. Surprisingly, Mrs. Beaumont takes well to both Nora and Nora’s mother. She even tries to encourage Nora’s mother’s floundering faith, and her need for forgiveness. But God… can use anybody. He not only uses Mrs. Beaumont in her weaknesses, but He uses the mind of a so-called crazy patient to challenge Mrs. Beaumont! “So God can abandon you, but He cannot abandon me? Are you the exception? Because if you’re the exception to His promise not to abandon, then maybe I’m the exception to forgiveness.” “There are no exceptions to His promises-”

As Nora and Ezekiel begin to form a bond and work together, of course the protective and rather hilarious Guardians group tries to help along the romance ( read: interfere) When spectres from Nora and Mrs. Davis’s past threaten to obliterate all their hopes for a return to normalcy, will God intervene?

I absolutely loved the tension of the story, as it builds throughout. I loved the tender love both Nora and Ezekiel hold for their mothers who are struggling. And their realizations help me in my real-life situations, too. “If there is one thing I’ve learned through Mum’s illness, it’s that her choices are hers alone. We can do everything in the world to protect our loved ones—put rules in place, hide them from the dangers posed, shield them from pain—but we were never meant to bear the burden of saving them from themselves. We cannot even save ourselves.” Thank goodness, Nora and Ezekiel begin to realize, as I am, that the burdens we bear for others are never meant to be a strangle-hold of responsibility, but an opportunity to turn that burden over to the One Who truly holds our our loved one in His hands.

Mrs. Jensen and Tristan are my fave secondary characters. They make me smile. Mrs. Jensen for her soft, witty, reasonable ways. Tristan, because he is sooooo bad and still a comfort to many!

Sung in the Shadows will dwell in the recesses of my mind for a long time, as a particularly great marriage of historical fiction, true tragic events of our pasts, great storytelling, romance, and inescapable Truth! Thank you, Ms. Caudill!!

I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher via NetGalley. I also ordered my own ebook, plus a pb for the trophy shelf! No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“My souls needs to sing. Music is as much a part of me as it is Mum.”– Nora

“Keeping secrets from those who loved her wasn’t a protective shield. It was an isolating cage that cast a debilitating shadow of fear, shame, guilt, and distrust over the relationships that mattered most.” ( Nora)

“We can do everything right and it still not be enough. Only God is enough, even though sometimes it doesn’t feel like He is. I don’t understand why He is allowing this. It feels wrong and unjust. I’m angry with Him, and I’m scared of what the future holds. I don’t want this burden He’s given us, but I know it’s not our fault. I know it’s not our job to save them.”– Nora

“Hiding your pain and thoughts doesn’t

make you a stronger person. It makes life lonelier to walk through. “- Ezekiel

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superior! This novel checks all the boxes for me!

ARC, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Launch Team, NetGalley, PB, Purchase, Revell

Raging Waters by Dana Mentink Review and Giveaway

March 2, 2026 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Raging Waters

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Release Date: March 3, 2026

As the dam crumbles and water sweeps across the terrain, their battle for justice and survival is just beginning.

When Mackenzie Bardine’s brother Aaron was murdered in a drug deal gone wrong, she started a true crime podcast dedicated to exposing “Bullseye,” the drug kingpin responsible. But her protective heart has never let go of the blame she places on herself and Aaron’s best friend, Gideon Landry. On the run to the wilds of Washington to chase a recent lead, she meets none other than Gideon himself.

While conducting a wilderness survival class in remote Washington, Gideon never expected to cross paths with Mackenzie, and he’s certainly not interested in helping her after he’s already declined to participate in her vigilante podcasting. He carries a mountain of guilt about Aaron’s fatal choices, but not for the reasons Mackenzie suspects.

As killers begin to circle Mackenzie like sharks, it’s clear to Gideon she’s in over her head, and in light of his troubled past with her brother, he can’t bring himself to ignore her perilous situation. Then a flood threatens the town, turning their investigation into a race to escape the raging waters and the wrath of a powerful kingpin who wants to sink them both.

A gripping, clean romantic suspense featuring enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance, and high-stakes investigations set in small-town Washington, sweeping readers away on a turbulent wave of thrills and chills. Perfect for fans of forced proximity, wilderness survival, protective heroes, and justice-driven heroines.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and a Holt Medallion winner. She is the author of over fifty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Revell and Poisoned Pen Press.

More from Dana

I’m afraid of deep water. There. I’ve said it. I live in California, famous for beaches sand and surf. If that’s not enough, there are swimming pools aplenty. I should be enjoying the surfing, boating, kayaking, sailing culture, but I’d much rather sit on a deck somewhere and watch others partake. So what’s a gal like me doing writing an adventure that takes place as a dam rupture overwhelms a town? I love to write that type of wilderness story, where stakes are high and the help is scarce. Similar to the previous book, Fire Mountain, the characters will have to dig deep of their strength and faith to survive. And you and I can enjoy it from the safety of our decks! Are you ready? Grab your book and your cuppa and let’s go!

My Impressions

“Being around Mackenzie Bardine was hazardous to a man’s health.”

When Dana Mentink publishes a new Romantic suspense, I run, not walk, for my favorite bookstore! This newest series of hers, Elements of Danger, now includes bk #2, Raging Waters. As someone who has only experienced being on the edges of a hurricane, Mentink’s descriptions of a violent storm, waterlogged earth, and threatened dam break were terrifying. But in a good way. The kind of terrifying of watching a scary movie or choosing a wild ride at the fair. Adrenaline pumping fast, I made sure I was breathing air, not choking on water, as I swiped my pages hoping that MacKenzie ( Zee) Bardine and Gideon (Gid) Landry could learn to get along. Maybe that would make the job of staying alive and out of the enemy’s crosshairs a tad bit easier.

Unfortunately, MacKenzie, now a cold crimes podcaster, has lost her brother Aaron a few years back. After helping police solve a few other cold cases with her results, Zee takes on her brother’s murder. She is upset when Gideon won’t help her in her endeavors, as he was Aaron’s best friend. “Their rapport since Aaron’s death had been at the matches and gasoline type of reactivity level.” Will the secrets that Gideon is hiding protect MacKenzie or will they backfire and leave her ripe for attacks? Fighting the awesome power of nature, some extremely powerful people, their own secrets, plus their attraction for each other…Whew! That’s a lot of conflict that makes for a very fast-moving, nail-biting suspense. Every character they meet is suspect. Can they trust anyone they meet? Can they trust each other? Most importantly, can they trust God?

Great twists! I loved the faith arcs, and loved how Gideon chooses to be present for MacKenzie even when he doesn’t feel like she has all the information, and she can treat him like a heel at times. As Gideon tells Zee, “I have a choice in all this, too. I choose to stay.” Sometimes I thought he was crazy! I was grateful to still be on dry land when the book was done, feeling safe and satisfied with the mystery of the novel worked out.

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought an ecopy, and a few pb copies for myself and a friend. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“In that moment he knew she was trapped, unable to free herself any more than her brother could from his torment. She was bound to this man by her need for revenge. It would blind her.

It would kill her.” ( Gideon)

“How easy it would be to kiss him properly, to let the feeling seep into her fragile glass heart that hadn’t beat right for a very long time. But there was such a thin coating around that battered organ. One crack, one tiny fissure and it might disintegrate into a pile of useless shards.”

(MacKenzie)

“Whom to trust? The environment might be hostile, but it was nowhere near as dangerous as a human enemy, the kind pretending to be a friend.”

“God will bring justice in this world or the next. In His time, not yours.”- Gideon

“Ugly and vengeful . . . Mackenzie wondered suddenly if that described her too. She shook the thought away. Maybe it had until Gideon convinced her otherwise. She’d let that be her core for way too long. That wasn’t the identity God meant for her, and he’d used Gideon to deliver the message.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!! Sometimes who we think we are and who God shows us we are, are exact opposites!! What a lesson!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 3

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 3

The Avid Reader, March 3

The Sacred Line, March 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 4

She Lives To Read, March 5

Texas Book-aholic, March 5

Leslie’s Library Escape, March 6

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 6

Lily’s Corner, March 7

Pause for Tales, March 7

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 7

Devoted To Hope, March 8

For Him and My Family, March 8

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 9

Melissa’s Bookshelf, March 9

EmpowerMoms, March 10

Blogging With Carol, March 10

Just Your Average reviews, March 10

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, March 11

Simple Harvest Reads, March 11 (Guest Review from Donna)

Lyssa Loves Books, March 12

Blossoms and Blessings, March 12

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, March 12

Cover Lover Book Review, March 13

Labor Not in Vain, March 13

Betti Mace, March 14

Bigreadersite, March 14

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 15

Lights in a Dark World, March 15

Holly’s Book Corner, March 15

Stories By Gina, March 16 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize of a $100 Amazon Gift Card and a signed copy of the book!!

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

https://gleam.io/OQ5p4/raging-waters-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

The Single Mom’s Second Chance by Tara Randel Review and Giveaway

February 6, 2026 Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Single Mom’s Second Chance by Tara Randel, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Single Mom’s Second Chance
Series: A Golden, Georgia Romance #2
Author: Tara Randel
Publisher: Harlequin Heartwarming
Release Date: January 27, 2026
Genre: Wholesome Romance

A fresh start…

Then an unexpected curveball

When Addie Lane returns to Golden, Georgia, to open her own fitness center, she’s surprised to find her late husband’s best friend, professional baseball player Nolan Travers, offering to invest. Recovering from an injury, Nolan finds solace in helping a friend—and coaching her son Jacob’s baseball team. As the summer continues, their close bond threatens to be undone by Nolan’s expected return to pro ball and Addie’s challenging relationships with her mother and sisters. Only time will tell if their separate paths will pull them apart—or if Addie and Nolan can hit their love out of the park together.

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

From Harlequin Heartwarming: Wholesome stories of love, compassion and belonging.

More in This Series

About the Author

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Tara lives on the West Coast of Florida, where gorgeous sunsets and beautiful weather inspire the creation of heartwarming stories. Tara has received the Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Award and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.

Connect with Tara by visiting tararandel.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

My Impressions

“Could there actually be more to life than baseball?”

I had never read any of Tara Randel’s A Golden, Georgia Romance series before. Now that I’ve finished book #2, The Single Mom’s Second Chance, I’d like to revisit this small town where everyone knows your name, and unfortunately, your business as well! I love how main character Addie one day realizes that she and her 8-yr-old son Jacob have not only a supportive family, but friends and neighbors who rally together to support each other, as evidenced by the town’s support of the summer rec boys’ baseball team.

But I need to back up. Addie and her young son have moved back to her hometown of Golden after her husband’s death. While that brings family support, Addie is just beginning to rebuild relationships with her sisters that were severely damaged following their dad’s betrayal. Between her father and her husband, Addie has learned that she will never be first in relationship and has determined to stay out of romantic relationships rather than open herself to hurt.

The return to town of her long-time friend, Nolan, an injured professional baseball player, threatens her promise to herself and her sanity. Nolan becomes Addie’s business partner in her life’s dream of opening a fitness center, then becomes the coach of the town’s rec baseball team as Addie realizes her parental enthusiasm isn’t enough to make her a good volunteer coach.

It took me some time to get myself truly invested in the story, but by the midway point, my interest was thoroughly piqued. I enjoyed seeing glimpses of each of the Connelly sisters as well as their mother, and getting insight into their life as well.

Poor Nolan, whose career is everything to him, has to ask himself some questions. “Who am I without baseball?” he whispered. He is afraid to find out what life might be like without the driving force of his life. He does get lonely, because his intense career focus means he has few friends. He wonders if “putting baseball first meant he’d always feel this alone.” Dare he pursue a relationship with Addie, when he can’t promise a future?

Coach and Linda are tied for my fave supporting secondary characters. Linda because she has found a way to forgive the past, is an incredible grandma, business owner, plus she develops a story thread of her own. But her love and care are examples for her girls to follow. And Coach? He is constantly showing up for Nolan, encouraging him in all endeavors, not just those of the professional team. He pulls no punches with Nolan, and strongly encourages him to be all that he can be.

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

Notable Quotables:

“The game teaches us a lot, but mostly it shows us how to handle disappointment and how to be good people in the process. I want that for each and every one of you.” – Nolan

“She’d rather lie to herself than face a possible broken heart.”

“the best way to get through a life-changing event was not to fight it but to just go through it, one step at a time.” -Addie

“But not coming to terms with the past will only cause more stress down the road.” – Nicole

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great! I’m looking forward to more visits with Connelly family members in the small town of Golden!

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card, a reading journal, ‘It’s a good day to read’ tote bag and three autographed print books by the author!

(1) winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 2, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 9, 2026. 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!