Tag: Forgiveness

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

The Songbird and the Surveyor by Denise Farnsworth Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Songbird and the Surveyor

Author: Denise Farnsworth writing as Denise Weimer

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: November 3, 2025

A marriage of protection. A past full of pain. In Georgia’s wild gold country, love might strike when it’s least expected.

Genevieve Gillbard knows she’s no longer safe in the rough-and-tumble gold rush town when she overhears her controlling guardian’s plot to steal gold from a local mine owner. It takes every ounce of her courage to escape, and now she’ll do anything to keep herself safe, even accept a temporary marriage of convenience from a man who clearly wants nothing more than his independence.

After losing his first wife, surveyor Jesse Holden swore never to let anyone close enough to need him again. But when he discovers the woman he knows as the Songbird of Auraria injured and unconscious in the woods, he can’t abandon her, not with the memory of his failure to protect his wife hanging over him. He’ll keep this woman safe until she’s out of harm’s way, even if it means doing the one thing he swore he’d never do again.

As Genny recovers under Jesse’s care, she discovers he’s nothing like the manipulative men of her past. But can she trust him with her heart—knowing he plans to leave as soon as her guardian is brought to justice? And even then, she fears the sham marriage might not be enough to keep her safe from her guardian’s long reach.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

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

More from Denise

A Gold Rush…in Georgia?

Celebrate Lit Blog Post for The Songbird and the Surveyor by Denise Farnsworth

(writing as Denise Weimer)

Did you know there was a gold rush in Georgia that began twenty years before gold was discovered in California? That Georgia gold was purer than any found in the country? Comment below if you did. And I tip my hat to you. I come across many native Georgians who are unaware of this major event in their state’s history.

My first series, The Georgia Gold Series, touched on the Georgia Gold Rush. In the ten years since its release, I’ve written novels set between the Revolutionary War and contemporary times. (I also recently got married. Thus, the name change from Denise Weimer to Denise Farnsworth. I hope you’ll look for my future novels under my new name!) The period of the 1830s is one largely untouched in American history by fiction writers. I always knew I might revisit that decade in more detail. Thus, The Twenty-Niners of the Georgia Gold Rush was born.

Gold was first discovered by white men on Coker Creek in 1827, but it wasn’t until fall of 1828, when Benjamin Parks found a nugget as he returned from filling his cattle’s lick log west of the Chestatee River, that the mining industry exploded in North Georgia. The area was flooded by prospectors who clashed with the native Cherokee people. The land was soon taken from them and divvied up in a lottery of ninety-two districts, with farming plots set at a hundred and sixty acres and gold lots at forty acres. By June of 1832, almost six hundred surveyors from across Georgia were hard at work.

The gold belt stretched from Clarkesville to Canton (the setting of book two), with major concentrations near Dahlonega (the setting of book three). Auraria, located on the mountain ridge between the Etowah and Chestatee rivers, was one of the boom towns that lingered into the twentieth century, although now only a few abandoned buildings remain. Think Wild West before the west went wild. Into this setting I dropped the story of a guilt-haunted surveyor with a dangerous streak of wanderlust and an orphan who’s learned to sing for her life.

Genevieve Gillbard’s neglectful father has died and left her in the care of her guardian, a volatile saloon owner with unwholesome intentions. When she overhears a plot that implicates Charles Martin and one of his employees in a scheme to kidnap her and siphon off a local miner’s gold, Genevieve flees…right into the arms of another man she surely can’t trust.

Blaming himself for the death of his wife, Jesse Holden wants nothing less than being saddled with the wounded songbird he rescued from a drunken miner on his first trip to Auraria. But when he learns that Genny’s guardian is the same man responsible for his wife’s death, he agrees to shelter her to give his sheriff friend, also his former brother-in-law, time to entrap Charles. Neither of them expect to be forced into a marriage in name only—at least until Genny reaches her majority. Despite his efforts to hold his heart at bay, Jesse was raised by his minister-father to treat women right—something so new to Genny, it crumbles her walls. But will the emotional price of trusting Jesse prove higher than the risk to her physical safety?

Although set near raucous boom town of Auraria, The Songbird and the Surveyor is a story of quiet healing and second chances. Of rescues and God’s miraculous redirection. Of learning to spot the real among the counterfeit…and hold onto it for all you’re worth.

My Impressions

“God is our true north, Genny. Long as we keep our bearing on Him, we can’t go astray.”

We’ve all heard of the “fortyniners,” but this new series by Denise Farnsworth ( formerly Weimer) begins to tell the tale of the Georgia “twenty-niners.” The Songbird and the Surveyor starts with a chance rescue of a young, beautiful singer whose opportunistic guardian forces her to sing in a tavern in the booming Georgia mining town of Auraria. Drunk, uncouth miners get out of hand and Jesse, a young, engaged surveyor steps up when Genny’s own guardian doesn’t. 

Fast forward a few years. Genny is beginning to realize that Charles, her guardian, may not have her best interest at heart as she overhears rumors of him leaving to marry another-while controlling her through emotional manipulations and expectations. Jesse himself has married his fiancée, Emma, sister of his best friend, Wade. Miserable in the marriage, working as an accountant and living in town when his heart belongs to the wide open areas, he escapes to Mississippi and the surveying world he left upon his marriage. Then tragedy strikes, and he returns back to Georgia. 

Both prisoners of their pasts, can Ginny and Jesse find their way to safety and freedom in an arranged marriage? Or will they discover that their efforts to protect their hearts act like porcupine quills to the other’s and find God has a plan for them- if they listen?

I appreciated the history of the Geogia twentyniners, a new subject for me. I also appreciated Farnsworth pointing out several times how the Cherokees were forced from their land, first promised recompense below value, then forcibly removed, though this is not the focus of the story. I do wonder if somewhere in the series we will see a Cherokee descendant as a main character, though. 

Themes of trust, betrayal, faith, God’s unconditional love, loyalty, hypocrisy, and greed run throughout the book. When will Jesse stop running from his pain and stay to confront those things or people that cause it? 

“She was a commodity, just as her father had said. Her mind, her spirit, her will were of no consequence.” Will Ginny be able to see herself as valuable in God’s eyes, when almost no one in society deems her worthy? Who can she trust? 

I enjoyed this historical romance about the Georgia twenty-niners. I recommend this book for those who love history, those looking for lesser known history, and those who wonder about their own purpose and self-worth. 

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

Notable Quotables:

“The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

“She needed more than promises from him in order to trust him.” – ( Genny)

“‘You almost make me believe it’s possible.’ ‘What’s possible?’ She had to whisper it, her throat had gone so dry at his nearness. ‘Love.’”– Jesse, Genny

“How could he think of the future until he’d dealt with the demons of his past?”

“‘…do you reckon God knows what He’s doing?’ ‘Um, well…yes.’ Genny hid her uncertainty behind a hesitant sip of tea. “‘Seems to me, He’s put you right where you need to be.’” – Mrs. Paschal, Genny

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! Farnsworth (formerly Weimer) has much to teach us about Southern US 1800s history! I look for her books as an informative, entertaining way to learn this!

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 15

Blossoms and Blessings, November 15

Texas Book-aholic, November 16

lakesidelivingsite, November 17

For Him and My Family, November 18

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 19

Pause for Tales, November 19

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 20

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 21

Stories By Gina, November 22 (Author Interview)

Lyssa Loves Books, November 22

Devoted To Hope, November 23

Books You Can Feel Good About, November 24

Books Less Travelled, November 25

Holly’s Book Corner, November 26

The Mommies Reviews, November 26

Cover Lover Book Review, November 27

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://promosimple.com/ps/3d5a4/the-songbird-and-the-surveyor-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

Shiloh by Jennifer Lynn Cary Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Shilo: A Sweet, Quirky, Romantic Muddle (The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue: Book 7)

Author: Jennifer Lynn Cary

Genre: Sweet Romantic Comedy

Release Date: May 1, 2025

From Breck Girl to Hippie to Jesus People…

…It’s been a long journey back home

But can her heart truly find peace where it all began?

When free-spirit Shilo Anderson inherits two million dollars with an unexpected condition—marriage—she refuses to be bound by her grandfather’s will. Until her beloved aunt faces cancer with no insurance to cover chemotherapy.

She won’t marry for money for herself, but to save her aunt’s life? She’ll make that sacrifice in a heartbeat.

Maybe.

Jesse Franklin never forgot his first love. When her grandfather’s will brings Shilo back to their hometown, he discovers his love for her has only deepened with time. Offering to marry her to help save her aunt, no problem.

Keeping it a marriage of convenience, that might be a problem. More like impossible.

As their feelings grow stronger, Shilo faces her greatest fear: revealing the truth about her past decade. Can she make Jesse see she doesn’t belong on anyone’s pedestal?

Return to 1973 Kokomo, Indiana, where faith shapes the journey and the legend of the cardinal in the sycamore still proves true love endures all seasons.

You will enjoy this sweet, quirky tale of second chances, because sometimes the rough patches prepare us for the wildly wonderful.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Historical Christian Romance author and three-time Selah Award nominee, Jennifer Lynn Cary, likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. Now transplanted to the Arizona desert, this direct descendant of Davy Crockett and her husband of forty-plus years enjoy time with family where she shares tales of her small-town heritage and family legacies with their grandchildren. She is the author of The Crockett Chronicles series, The Relentless series, and The Weather Girls trilogy, as well as the stand-alone novel, Cheryl’s Going Home, her novella Tales of the Hob Nob Annex Café, and her split-time novels The Traveling Prayer Shawland The Forgotten Gratitude Journal. Her current spin-off series, The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue, contains standalones with a common thread.

More from Jennifer

The story for Shilo has been fermenting in my brain for a long time. I had always loved Neil Diamond’s song of the same title and could see his characters playing out their parts and thought what would happen if the girl came back after ten years?

However, what I didn’t catch was that Shilo in the song was a boy, an imaginary boy who’d been a friend to a lonely boy.

In my brain, I missed the importance of him turning to his only friend in his mind.

Instead, I had a little girl moving in next door—she was Shilo—and they went from being friends to first loves, but something called her away and though he understood, he called her name like before hoping she’d return.

Okay, so not what Neil Diamond had in mind, but it became Jesse’s back story.

Then I had to ask, what was so important that she had to leave? That’s when I remembered Breck Girls. Do you remember them?

There was a time as a child that I thought one of the Breck Girls on the back of a magazine was so beautiful, I said, “She’s prettier than Mom.”

I was quickly (verbally) chastised by my dad who made sure to inform me that no one was prettier than my mom. I never thought of it as an insult. My mom was the high standard for beauty, and for someone to be even prettier, they were definitely a looker. However, I learned to keep those types of opinions to myself if my Dad was around. Mom understood and didn’t take offense—in fact, as I meant it, she thought it was a compliment that I found her so pretty.

All that to say that Breck Girls were a part of my growing up years, into the seventies. I wondered how Breck Girls were chosen, and if Shilo could/should be one. I learned there’s even an exhibit at the Smithsonian dedicated to Breck Girls and those lovely pastel portraits.

So, when (my) Shilo told Jesse she had to go before he could tell her that he loved her, it was because she’d been chosen to be a Breck Girl. Now I had a framework to start building the story.

I hope that when you read Shilo: A Sweet, Quirky, Romantic Muddle, you will be transported back to 1973 with many of your own memories.

Abundant blessings,

Jenny

My Impressions

“A legend’s been handed down for many generations, some believe all the way from the Native American days, concerning the sycamore tree in our backyard and a cardinal. They say if a couple kisses beneath its branches, and a cardinal lights above them, then theirs is a true love destined for a long and happy marriage.”

Kokomo, here we come again! Shiloh by Jennifer Lynn Cary is the 7th book in the loosely connected series, The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series. This series is a hoot! After this many books, how Cary keeps coming up with fresh 70s references that delight me and cause me to remember things like Kreske’s, is beyond me. The many time-related references kept me eagerly reading the story, just as the storyline did. 

Two former childhood friends, Shilo and Jesse, separated by 10 years of silence, are suddenly thrust back together by a will. Shiloh has returned to small-town Kokomo from California, to find her former dear friend much more serious, competitive, and spineless than ever. On the outside, Jesse is doing well, a successful lawyer at his grandfather’s firm. However, Jesse’s biggest fault may be that he no longer ventures out like when he followed adventurous Shilo, but rather kowtows to his totally overbearing, demanding grandfather. 

Shilo is everything that Jesse remembers. Beautiful, compassionate, and unafraid. Except… she now has joined the Jesus people and has a real relationship with Him, living her life differently because of her beliefs. 

Shiloh’s compassion leads to a marriage of convenience. While this marriage has benefits for both, both hold secrets that could destroy any renewed relationship Shilo and Jesse are attempting. As Shilo worries and informs Jesse, “‘if you put me on a pedestal, I’m going to disappoint you…you have to see me as I really am.’ ‘And what’s that?’ ‘A messed-up chick who God chased down and dragged out of a never-ending spiral.’”

This is one of those stories when I wanted to shout at the characters, “Communicate!” But how many times do doubts or fears of what others might think of us hold us back from saying things we know need to be said? These two are blessed to have forces like Aunt Sarah (“Just talk to each other. Always. It’ll make the difference, or at least be one thing that will.” ) and Viv in their lives. Maybe less blessed to have Grandfather and Eli! 

One quote that I loved, because it illustrates how quickly Shilo turns her problems to God. “‘What haven’t you told me, Jesse? Something I should know?’ Dread tasted like bile in her throat. Oh, she needed to get somewhere where she could pray and talk with Jesus.” THIS!! Because Shiloh’s first panic reaction is prayer!! How many times do we first attempt to reason things out, complain, discuss them with others, then finally turn to prayer as a last resort?

A sweet little 5-year-old recovering in the hospital is my third choice after Aunt Sarah and Viv for fave secondary characters. 

Next up in the series is Bernadette, which I am more than eager to read. These Kokomo 70s faith-filled romances are quite addicting!!

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

Notable Quotables:

“Their marriage wouldn’t be genuine until he saw her, the imperfect but redeemed ragamuffin, now a daughter of the King.” -(Shilo)

“Believing something doesn’t make it true. It’s true whether anyone believes it or not. Nothing changes the truth.” – Shilo

“God remained here with her. Even if Jesse let go of her hand, He never would.”

– (Shilo)

    “And when one gives up their backbone at an early age to please the one in power, it’s mighty difficult to grow another.” – (Jesse)

    My Rating

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Magnificent! These characters are becoming so real with each successive book, you may find me searching Kokomo on my next visit for the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue!

    Blog Stops

    Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 15

    The Important Things in Life: God, Books, & Chocolate , November 15

    Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 16

    Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 17

    A Reader’s Brain, November 18 (Author Interview)

    Texas Book-aholic, November 19

    A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 20 (Author Interview)

    For Him and My Family, November 21

    Books Less Travelled, November 22 (Author Interview)

    Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 23

    Mary Hake, November 24

    The Mommies Reviews, November 24

    Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 25

    Roads to Everywhere, November 26

    Fiction Book Lover, November 27 (Author Interview)

    Pause for Tales, November 28

    Giveaway

    To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and an eBook 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://promosimple.com/ps/3d5a5/shilo-celebration-tour-giveaway
    ARC, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, Purchase, Wild Heart Books

    Maggie and the Maverick by Erica Vetsch Review and Giveaway

    Babbling Becky L

    About the Book

    Book: Maggie and the Maverick

    Author: Erica Vetsch

    Genre: Christian Historical  Romance

    Release Date: October 13, 2025

    A jaded lady marshal and a stage driver with a past—bound by duty, tested by lies, and drawn to a love that could change everything.

    A wary lady marshal and a reformed stage driver—entangled by secrets, shadowed by danger, and tempted by a love neither dared to trust.

    U.S. Marshal Maggie Davis has learned the hard way not to trust men with charming smiles and winning ways. Her reticence makes her the perfect undercover investigator for a string of daring stage robberies. When the case leads her to stay with a local family, she finds herself drawn to Cal McConnell, the handsome stage driver who could either be her greatest ally or her prime suspect.

    Cal has worked hard to put his wild past behind him and build an honest life as a stage driver. When a mysterious new lady comes to town selling ladies’ garments, he’s instantly captivated by her beauty and fierce independence. But as stage robberies escalate and murder enters the picture, Cal must decide if he can trust this woman who seems determined to keep him at arm’s length—even as his heart tells him she could be the one.

    When the line between truth and deception blurs, will they cling to caution—or risk everything for something real?

    Click here to get your copy!

    About the Author

    Best-selling, award-winning author of The Debutante’s Code, first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series, Erica Vetschloves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum.

    More from Erica

    Did you ever watch the movie Stagecoach? The movie that launched John Wayne’s career? My father introduced me to the movie when I was young, and that sparked my interest in westward expansion, cowboys, and stagecoaches.

    When I was a teen, I read a book called Six Horse Hitch, by author Janice Holt Giles. In the book, she goes into all the details of stagecoach driving, stations across the west, the coaches, the passengers, the US mail delivery, and more. I was enthralled.

    Stagecoach drivers (sometimes called Jehus) were a breed apart. Brave, resilient, and bold. Heroic.

    Which meant, when I became an author, I wanted to create a hero who was a stagecoach driver. Enter Cal McConnell in Maggie and the Maverick. He’s the third of three sons, with a dry humor, and a bit of a jaded outlook on life.

    Truthfully, I patterned him after Heath Barkley, a character on the 1960’s TV show, The Big Valley, played by Lee Majors. Even down to the light brown/dark blond hair and blue eyes.

    One thing that is important when writing romance is to ensure that the heroine is worthy of the hero and vice versa. So I imagined what kind of a woman would be a great life partner for Cal. She would have to be spunky, smart, and compassionate.

    Maggie Davis, an undercover agent, fit the bill. Her guise was that of a ladies’ unmentionables saleswoman, and that job leads to a memorable encounter upon meeting Cal for the first time.

    I’m so thankful that Maggie and the Maverick is getting a new release out into the world through Wild Heart Books. I hope that you enjoy this rollicking western with a stage driving hero and undercover agent heroine.

    My Impressions

    “Agents who worked secretly for the U. S. Marshal’s office couldn’t afford to let anyone that close. Which made Maggie the perfect candidate for this type work. She didn’t trust anyone anyway.”

    Erica Vetsch has re-released her series The Brides of Money Creek, as part of The Brides of the West series with Wild Heart Books. Maggie and the Maverick is the third book in the Brides of Money Creek sub-series. 

    A historical romantic fiction novel set in the Old West, Maggie and the Maverick has a bit of an unusual premise. The stage has been robbed multiple times near Silver Creek, and US Marshalls are secretly sent in to discover who the thieves are. One undercover Marshall is Maggie Davis, who is to ride the stage back and forth, posing as a salesperson for ladies’ unmentionables. A very amusing incident occurs as Maggie meets our hero, stage driver Cal McConnell for the first time. 

    Both Maggie and Cal have had very hard knocks in life that have caused them to be slow to trust. As Cal realizes, “Trust is built up slow.” If only he knew just how slow!

    While both try to guard their hearts, what will happen when they both prove untrustworthy? It’s like hearing the Oregon Trail disaster music playing, this time not only for any romance between Cal and Maggie, but for their bruised hearts as well. 

    Fave secondary characters are Georgia, Jack, and Angus. Georgia for her loyalty and willingness to listen to people who have messed up. Jack, because he’s not very brave or confident, yet he’s a wild card. Who will he help when the chips are down? He’s a great catalyst to story action. And Angus. Stinkin’ drunk, no- good, tavern vermin Angus. Maybe no one is beyond redemption. 

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

    Notable Quotables:

    “It’s been my experience that people who are suspicious of everybody are usually hiding something.” – Cal

    “I’ve been paying lip-service to trusting God and not being afraid of what men can do to me, then turning back to do things my way.” – Maggie

    “I don’t think Cal will survive much more of you doing your job.” – Alec

    “Her experience told her once a scoundrel always a scoundrel, and it was the ones who pretended to change that needed watching the most.” – (Maggie)

    “She played you like a fiddle, and you danced like a trained bear.”– Powers

    “Both of them taught us how much we needed God’s love and forgiveness.” – Cal

    My Rating

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Great! Fun historical romance set in the Old West.

    Blog Stops

    Devoted Steps, November 11

    Pens Pages & Pulses, November 11

    Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 12

    Lyssa Loves Books, November 12

    Fiction Book Lover, November 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

    Texas Book-aholic, November 13

    Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 14

    Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 15

    For Him and My Family, November 15

    Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 16

    Devoted To Hope, November 16

    Melissa’s Bookshelf, November 17

    Artistic Nobody, November 17 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

    She Lives To Read, November 18

    lakesidelivingsite, November 18

    Simple Harvest Reads, November 19 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

    Locks, Hooks and Books, November 19

    Book Looks by Lisa, November 20

    Life on Chickadee Lane, November 21

    The Mommies Reviews, November 21

    Cover Lover Book Review, November 22

    Blossoms and Blessings, November 23

    Holly’s Book Corner, November 23

    Vicky Sluiter, November 24

    Pause for Tales, November 24

    Giveaway

    To celebrate her tour, Erica 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://promosimple.com/ps/3d59d/maggie-and-the-maverick-celebration-tour-giveaway

    ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Just Read Tours, Kindle, Launch Team, Purchase

    His Boss’s Little Sister by Danielle Grandinetti Review and Giveaway

    Babbling Becky L

    Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for His Boss’s Little Sister by Danielle Grandinetti, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

    About the Book

    Title: His Boss’s Little Sister
    Series: Apron Strings Tea Tales
    Author: Danielle Grandinetti
    Publisher: Hearth Spot Press
    Release Date: November 18, 2025
    Genre: Historical Romantic Suspense

    Broken hearts, underground smuggling, and a meddling family … one Wisconsin Teehaus offers a love of more than sweet treats.

    November 1931—Needing a new start, Samantha Martins escapes the happily-ever-afters of her hometown to take a waitressing position at a German Tea House. But all is not as it appears beneath the pretty trappings. When she discovers illegal oleomargarine on the premises, which could shut down the cafe, and thus cost her job, she goes searching for the source.

    Samantha’s old beau, Kyle Docherty, returns to Crow’s Nest a changed man, both inside and out. An apology burning in his heart, he finds she’s left home. However, with trouble on her trail, Samantha’s brother hires Kyle to be her bodyguard. But will she even speak to him? And if not, will she at least allow him to protect her, even without the arm he lost in a logging accident?

    When the breadcrumbs lead them into a trap, putting Kyle’s life in danger, Samantha faces an impossible choice: listen to Kyle and run for help, or stay a captive and outwit a criminal. If only the ticking bomb were on their side.

    A touch of fairy tale, a spoonful of history, and a teacup of hope.

    His Boss’s Little Sister is a stand-alone novella in the Apron Strings Tea Tale multi-author series, and a 1930s historical romance retelling of Hansel and Gretel.

    Fans of the Harbored in Crow’s Nest series will enjoy revisiting familiar characters and discovering the HEA of the hero’s little sister from Confessions to a Stranger.

    PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | DanielleGrandinetti.com | Amazon | BookBub

    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 by visiting daniellegrandinetti.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

    My Impressions

    “…she’d trust him with everything except her heart.”

    Le Sigh!  The above quote, from Danielle Grandinetti’s The Boss’s Little Sister, is so poignant. While this book is part of the Apron String series, all books are loosely connected, involving tearooms and Mrs. Canfield’s Cookery Book. However, this book is very closely tied to The Harbored in Crow’s Nest series. You will want to have read all of that series to understand the backstory of the Martins family ( Samantha -Sam- and her brothers David and Patrick), plus Kyle’s backstory. Sam had thought herself in love with Kyle, but Kyle had gone away to a lumber camp, then out West, refusing to communicate with Sam or acknowledge her expressed feelings. Honestly, neither Sam nor Kyle was very likeable in previous books. So I really enjoyed watching each of them prove their maturation in this book. But, oh, the trials they go through to prove their mettle!

    I have rarely wanted to truly live in a time period or place of a book setting. But 1930s Wisconsin?! Yes, please! Grandinetti has done her research and the danger in this book revolves around “The Oleo Wars” in Wisconsin. (How I wished I could have lived in a state that outlawed oleo growing up!!😂) Grandinetti’s writing caused me to do my own research into the Oleo Wars. I always consider a book that causes me to leave it long enough to research its topic on my own, a great book. 

    And the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel connection? I was like, I don’t see it!  I didn’t see the culprit until I, too, would have been trapped! Love those kind of mysteries, where the clues are there, but there are enough red herrings that it is easy to be fooled by the ending!

    I received a copy of the book from Just Read Tours. I also bought my own copy, and will be buying one for my trophy shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. 

    Notable Quotables:

    “The day’s weariness crashed into her like a Lake Michigan wave, catching her about the knees and knocking her off kilter.” – Sam

    “Margarine was outlawed from being served in restaurants, but margarine that had been turned yellow to look like butter? That was a serious offence here in Wisconsin.”

    “We can’t force people to choose help, to choose love over bitterness and hate. All we can do is pray and show them compassion.” – David

     “Trouble shakes out all the excess to leave only what’s true behind.”- Sam

    “that’s why, when you have questions, you need to ask what’s really going on so you can learn the truth.”– Sam

    “This was a mistake. The whole plan was a mistake. He shouldn’t have listened to Marian Ward Cox urge his return to Crow’s Nest. He shouldn’t have agreed to Detective O’Connor’s request to keep his niece safe. He shouldn’t have accepted David’s job offer. And he sure as foolin’ shouldn’t have let Patrick convince him that forgiveness was possible.” – Kyle

    My Rating

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Superior! I haven’t met a Grandinetti story I haven’t loved, but between the characters’ growth arcs, the fairy tale retelling, and the history of the WI Oleo Wars, this is a standout!!

    Tour Giveaway

    (2) winners will each receive a paperback copy of Confessions to a Stranger & Escape with the Prodigal!

    Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight November 10, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 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

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

    Survival Secrets by Lana Christian Review and Giveaway

    Babbling Becky L

    Welcome to the Blog Tour for Survival Secrets by Lana Christian, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

    About the Book

    Title: Survival Secrets
    Series: The Magi’s Encounters #2
    Author: Lana Christian
    Publisher: Scrivenings Press
    Release Date: September 23, 2025
    Genre: Biblical Fiction

    On the run from Herod and the Nabataeans, Akilah makes a desperate decision to venture into the unforgiving Wilderness of Paran. To reach Egypt’s safety, his caravan must survive the elements while maintaining their anonymity and protecting the secrets they harbor. Their knowledge of Yeshua is one of many secrets that jeopardize their lives. When calamity tears one Wise Man away from the others, the group’s resolve and newfound faith start to crumble. Farther from their goal of returning to Persia than ever before, they encounter Yeshua’s family again. Its ramifications raise the stakes for their cost of belief in the Hebrew God.

    Two thousand miles away, Akilah’s estranged cousin, Farzaneh, wrestles with the same as she tries to uncover secrets her husband took to the grave when he embraced the Hebrew faith. As life shifts radically for everyone, each person must risk trusting an unfathomable, sovereign God.

    PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

    More in This Series

    About the Author

    Lana Christian is an award-winning author in business and creative writing. Since 2021, she has won a dozen awards for her biblical fiction and nonfiction. Her debut biblical fiction novel, “New Star,” has garnered six awards to date. She was a 2025 Selah Awards finalist in the Devotions Online category and also won an award from Baker Publishing Group for her short story about Lot. Lana is a science and history geek who loves hiking, secret staircases, and masala chai tea. Her greatest desire is that her stories will immerse readers in another place and time they may know little about but come away with an experience that exceeds their expectations.

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

    My Impressions

    “…he could never repay her in full… He couldn’t put a price tag on finding Yeshua.” (Akilah)

    Survival Secrets by Lana Christian taught me much about the ancient world at the time of Christ’s birth. I was amazed at all the culture and history of so many nations that Christian’s knows and sews together to make one tapestry of the wisemen’s journey to find Jesus, and in this book, actually their return journey to their homeland. I was thankful for the summary of the previous book at the beginning, as well as the character list with pronunciations. And the maps! I only wish the one hadn’t been at the end of the book! I referred to the maps often as I moved through the book. 

    Danger, intrigue, and secrets are a common thread throughout the book. However, so many characters seem to vie for space that I had a difficult time connecting well with any of them. I would have preferred to see perhaps only the wisemen highlighted along with Akilah’s cousin with the others more in the background. 

    I did enjoy seeing the faith journey of both Akilah and Farzaneh. It was exciting to see Akilah pray, early in the journey, in wonder that he is approaching the Hebrews’ God, and later, in full faith. “I don’t know His purposes for us, but no matter how dark the night gets, we must never forget to look up—and look to Him.”

    Forgiveness is another topic that several of the characters are beginning to grapple with, especially in the Light of their belief in the One true God and His ways. 

    Survival Secrets is a book I will say I am glad to have read. I can appreciate much about it, but it was not a simple read. I also want to admit not every book is for every reader, and I see that many are truly enjoying this work. With the novel’s ending, I just may have to read book three to find out what happens in the characters’ lives!

    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: 

    “Knowing about the child isn’t as important as what we do with what we know”– Tallis

    “God of the Hebrews, deliver us out of this hardship or show me a way through it. I’m not wise enough to choose the right way all the time. No one is.” – Akilah 

    “The Hebrews’ God is concerned more about relationship than ritual. At least, that’s how He intends it to be. Not everyone practices that.” -Tallis

    My Rating

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

    Tour Giveaway

    (1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card + Plum Deluxe tea sampler*

    (1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card

    *tea sampler will include a packet of each of the following Plum Deluxe teas:


    No Obligations Decaf (a hazelnut almond black tea and author’s fave)
    Comfort Blend Cinnamon Orange black tea (caffeine)
    Magical Butterfly Herbal tea (butterfly pea flower + berries)
    (a close substitution may be made if one kind of tea is not available)

    Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 29, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 3, 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.

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    Canyon of Deceit by DiAnn Mills Review and Giveaway

    Babbling Becky L

    Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Canyon of Deceit by DiAnn Mills hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

    About the Book

    Title: Canyon of Deceit
    Author: DiAnn Mills
    Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
    Release Date: September 9, 2025
    Genre: Romantic Mystery & Suspense

    A rescue team searches for a missing young girl and suspects all is not as it seems in this high-stakes romantic suspense novel from the author of Lethal Standoff and Facing the Enemy.

    When wilderness survival expert Therese Palmer receives a frantic phone call from former colleague Professor Rurik Ivanov, she is shocked by the news that his young daughter, Alina, is missing—and that Rurik wants Therese’s help finding her. She’s sure Rurik hasn’t given her the whole story . . . especially since he refuses to report the kidnapping to the police. Yet with a child’s life hanging in the balance, Therese can’t turn down this mission. She knows the clock is ticking and she can’t do this alone.

    Therese reaches out to Texas Ranger Blane Gardner, whom she met seven months ago during one of her training courses in wilderness survival skills. Blane’s specialized training and background with the Crisis Negotiation Unit make him uniquely prepared for this search-and-rescue mission. He agrees to help Therese and to accept Rurik’s terms to keep Alina’s disappearance quiet, and as the two begin working together, Therese is determined the spark growing between them won’t distract from their mission to save Alina.

    Traversing deep into the desert of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Alina’s last known location, Therese and Blane struggle to separate truth from lies within the mix of intel they’re receiving. As they close in on answers that suggest the involvement of Russian organized crime and a high-profile international assassination attempt, they must fight to rescue Alina before she becomes an innocent casualty of a much bigger plot—no matter the risk to their own lives.

    PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Tyndale Fiction | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

    About the Author

    DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels with threads of romance. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

    Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards, the Selah Award, and the Golden Scroll; and been finalists for the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award and the Carol Award.

    DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and an active member of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers, the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and International Thriller Writers. DiAnn continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

    DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

    DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on social media or her website, diannmills.com

    My Impressions

    “Hope is a reason to live when the world erupts into madness.”

    This quote is an absolute fave, and given the timing I read it, it applies super well in multiple ways to our country and world today! Diann Mills’s Canyon of Deceit is billeted as a romantic mystery and suspense, but I would also add the category of political thriller. Expecting romantic suspense with lots of continuous action, I felt the storyline didn’t move as fast as I expected at first. Being such a politically-based novel, there were a lot of mental gymnastics to work through in this 1st person , alternate narrator pov. Blane, a Texas Ranger and top-notch negotiator, and Therese, the best wilderness survival guide, must  locate a kidnapped Russian child in Fog Canyon, a dangerous part of the Guadalupe National Park. Their former attraction rears its head, as do their painful pasts. But what set my mind spinning ( and theirs) was whose intel to trust. Trusting the wrong person will cost them time, but most likely their lives, that of 8-year-old Alina, and ultimately, possibly untold others. 

    Twists!! As I stuck with the story, I began to be able to sort out the multiple characters, see the need for so many, and was totally surprised more than once just as I thought I had the “bad guy head honcho” figured out!! 

    By this time, I was well-invested in the characters! I wanted Blane to do more than blame God for tragedy in his past. His honest thought is one that I find interesting, and I have personally heard from another non-believing friend. “A bit ironic to blame someone I didn’t believe in.” Blane knows God is after Him… but does he want to forgive God- or himself?

    Interestingly enough, Therese also is dealing with her fear of failure from the past, plus fear. Can she trust God enough to forgive herself? I love that she keeps returning to her Source of strength, even in the midst of impossible odds. “God understood my doubts, and He’d help me.” Another thought she shared with Blane until he was tired of her God talk! 

    “You’re not afraid?” “Depends on how you define fear. For me exploring new territory and revisiting special places is a type of respect, a mix of love and fear.” I swung another look at the sky. “Like how I feel about God.” But the one that personally shores me up, I will share below. 

    While I was uncertain about how invested I could become in these characters, I found that the political aspect just needed more time to establish the character’s uncertainties and complexities that made for great action and twists once we had enough information in our arsenal. The inclusion of a wonderfully brave, sweet, 8-year- old  certainly drew me into the story with tattered heartstrings!

    I bought my own copy of this book. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. 

    Notable Quotables:

    “Every problem has a solution, and it usually involves teamwork.”– Sergio

    “It’s not what we lose that defines our character—it’s what we learn.”- Therese

    “We called this fence-coffee on the ranch. The only thing available when riding fence. Tastes like it was brewed over a pile of manure.”– Blane (just for laughs)

    So many times I’d asked why evil and injustice exist. But if I had the answers, God wouldn’t be God.” – Therese

    “I sent a silent prayer to the One who routinely out-negotiated the devil.”– Therese- (what comfort that sentence brings!)

    My Rating

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Magnificent!

    Mills won me over with her great political intrigue and complex mystery with unexpected twists!

    Tour Giveaway

    (1) winner will receive a print copy of Canyon of Deceit and $25 gift card to winner’s choice bookstore!

    Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight September 9, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on September 16, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

    Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

    Enter Giveaway

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    ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Just Read Tours, Kindle, Launch Team, Purchase

    The Recluse’s Vindication by Danielle Grandinetti Review and Giveaway

    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

    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.

    PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Books2Read | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

    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

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    The Undercover Heiress of Brockton by Kelly J. Goshorn Review and Giveaway

    Babbling Becky L

    About the Book

    Book: The Undercover Heiress of Brockton

    Author: Kelly J. Goshorn

    Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

    Release Date: August 1, 2025

    A Socialite in Disguise Seeks Truth and Justice

    Henrietta “Etta” Maxwell is a hard-hitting investigative reporter for The Enterprise Daily. The catch? Etta must pen her columns under the nom de plume, Henry Mason—a fact that routinely puts a knot in her knickerbockers.

    Leo Eriksson is a second-generation firefighter with a passion for rendering aid to those in need. When Leo discovers that Henry Mason is really Henrietta Maxwell, the fire department’s wealthy benefactress, he agrees to keep her identity secret. After a sudden blast rocks the Grover Shoe Factory, Leo and Etta team up to determine if the explosion is related to a series of suspicious fires in the area.

    When an unnamed source reveals Etta’s secret identity to a rival reporter, she falsely accuses Leo of being the informant. As the truth comes to light, Etta must persuade Leo to give her a second chance or lose the only man she’s ever loved.

    Click here to get your copy!

    About the Author

    Kelly J. Goshornweaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into uplifting stories of love, faith, and family set in nineteenth century America. Her debut novel, A Love Restored, won the Director’s Choice Award for Adult/YA fiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference in 2019, and earned recognition as both a Selah Award finalist in the Historical Romance category and as a Maggie Award Finalist for Inspirational Fiction. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys spending time with her young adult children, binge-watching BBC period dramas, board gaming with her husband, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Levi.

    More from Kelly

    A Little Swedish Flavor

    Beginning in 1844, Swedish immigrants began arriving in Brockton, Massachusetts. By 1920, Swedes accounted for approximately 30% of the city’s population. Their long-lasting impact on Brockton’s character remains evident today with annual cultural celebrations and religious festivals.

    The Undercover Heiress of Brockton is set in the Swedish neighborhood of Campello. My hero Leo Eriksson’s favorite meal is Kalops, a savory beef stew that is traditionally served with boiled potatoes and pickled beets. For Leo, a bachelor who takes most of his meals at The Drake Tavern, the dish recalls happy childhood memories of his mother’s cooking.

    Kalops contains typical stew ingredients like carrots, celery, onions, and garlic, but what makes this dish unique is the addition of allspice. Allspice adds a warm spicey flavor to the recipe that makes it perfect for a chilly winter day.

    I had the opportunity to taste test this recipe, and while I would never brag about my own cooking skills, I have to say that it turned out quite well. I’d love to hear from you if you decide to give this traditional Swedish dish a try.

    Kalops (Swedish Beef Stew)

    Recipe courtesy of Skandibaking.

    SERVINGS: 6

    Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

    Cook Time: 2 hours

    INGREDIENTS

    2.4 lbs chuck roast (or other beef cut suited for stews)

    1 medium onion

    2 cloves garlic

    3 large carrots

    1 stalk celery

    2 tbsp vegetable oil

    1 tbsp butter

    3 tbsp flour

    1/4 tsp ground allspice (or more to taste!)

    2-3 bay leaves

    3 cups beef stock (can also use water and bouillon)

    Salt to taste

    Pepper to taste

    SERVED WITH: 7 large potatoes

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Prep the beef by cutting into 1 inch cubes. Season well with salt.
    2. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil when preheated and add beef in one layer, searing on all sides. If you need to sear the meat in batches, you can remove one batch before adding the next to ensure that it browns well.
    3. Dice your onion and celery while the beef is cooking (or prep ahead of time). Finely mince the garlic cloves.
    4. Once the meat is browned on all sides, add in the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until just softened.
    5. Chop your carrots into bite sized pieces. You can either add the carrots now if you like them super soft or add them with about 45 minutes left of cooking if you prefer them to have more of a bite.
    6. Add one tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Once melted, add in three tablespoons of flour and stir until everything is coated. Add in ground allspice.
    7. Pour in beef stock, stirring while adding to dissolve the flour coating. Once all of it has mixed in, add in 2-3 bay leaves. Now is a good time to taste for initial seasoning – add in salt and pepper to taste.
    8. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Let the stew simmer for about an hour and 15 minutes; add more water or stock if needed! Now is also the time to add the carrots if you want them to be less soft.
    9. Simmer for an additional 45 minutes or until the beef is very tender – in the meantime, prepare the potatoes for serving.
    10. Prep potatoes by peeling and cutting in half. Place in a pot with cold water and add salt. Heat over medium-high heat with the lid on until it boils. Remove the lid and boil for about 15 minutes or until a knife poked into the center of a potato releases easily (you can also just taste for doneness!). Drain and set aside until ready to serve.
    11. Remove bay leaves. Check for final seasoning (add more salt if needed). Add stew to bowls and serve with boiled potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley if you would like. Enjoy!

    My Impressions

    “God gave you a heart to fight injustice and an amazing ability to persuade others with your pen to stand up for what is right. Don’t hide your talent. Embrace who He has made you to be so your gifts can glorify the Giver.”

    I just finished The Undercover Heiress of Brockton by Kelly J. Goshorn. A historical romance, it is the second in the Barbour series, Enduring Hope. The series features brave, unconventional women who face a tragedy, whether natural or human- caused, and work to give hope to those affected by it. Along the way, they find hope for their own happily-ever-after romances, but with as many glitches in the romance department as in their fight for human or female equality. 

    I loved the conflicted (and very flawed!)characters of both Leo, a hunky firefighter and Etta, an heiress who poses as a man to keep her coveted job of top writer for one of Brockton’s newspapers! 

    Etta, handed anything she could desire on a silver platter, wants desperately to earn something in her own right, under her own name. While “Henry Mason” is the best-respected newspaper reporter in Brockton, Etta wants to his byline under her own name. (“It’s very hard to pretend to be someone else most of the time when all you want to be is yourself.” ) When arson and insurance company irregularities crop up in the city, she starts investigating. Then she is drawn into a shoe factory explosion that happens before her eyes. How far will Etta go, ethically and as one who professes to care for others in Christ’s name, to get her own byline?

    Leo can’t help but be attracted to the independent, unconventional, intelligent Etta. But, as things progress in the romance department, he has a problem: “the only thing stopping him from taking her in his arms and kissing her soundly was that bushy mustache.” So hilarious!! Leo has agreed to help Etta in her undercover investigation, but discovers Etta not only in disguise half the time, but how can he reconcile the two separate personalities that emerge, not  always lining up with what he expects out of a faith perspective? “How could a woman as compassionate as Etta Maxwell write articles devoid of any feeling about a tragedy on the scale of the Grover Shoe Factory?”

    I had never heard of the Brockton shoe factory fire. What an education I got! And to see the persistence of a woman who wants to break through what had been considered a man’s world, and the lengths one might go to, in order to obtain that! Wowzers!

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

    Notable Quotables:

    “Loving someone means embracing the person God has made them to be. If we hold on to them too tightly, we risk suffocating them and crushing their spirit. I think it best to love fully, with our entire being for a short time, rather than safely, and bear the pain of regret for our entire lives.”

    “He’d promised himself not to pursue her, but somehow, spending time with her shattered that pledge into a hundred little pieces, each sharp enough to pierce his heart.”

    “There was no creed, no color line, no hostility of capital and labor; the common strifes of men were forgotten, and all were brought closer together in the beautiful harmony of the universal brotherhood. Sorrow, the great leveler, the great arbiter, had done its work.”

    “She needed to learn to quit striving, quit trying to make her life turn out just as she hoped, and put more trust in God’s plan for her life.”

    My Rating

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Magnificent! Great relatable, flawed characters who are dynamic, and the story is very engaging, educational, and satisfying!

    Blog Stops

    Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 27

    Pens Pages & Pulses, August 27

    Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 28

    Mornings at Character Cafe, August 28

    Texas Book-aholic, August 29

    Devoted To Hope, August 29

    Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 30

    Books You Can Feel Good About, August 30

    Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 31

    Blogging With Carol, August 31

    Hannahbandanarama, September 1

    For Him and My Family, September 1

    Stories By Gina, September 2 (Author Interview)

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

    She Lives To Read, September 3

    Mary Hake, September 3

    Book Looks by Lisa, September 4

    Books Less Travelled, September 4

    Blossoms and Blessings, September 5

    Bizwings Book Blog, September 6

    Holly’s Book Corner, September 6

    Lily’s Corner, September 7

    Jodie Wolfe, September 7

    Pause for Tales, September 8

    Life on Chickadee Lane, September 9

    Cover Lover Book Review, September 9

    Giveaway

    To celebrate her tour, Kelly is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and a print copy of the book!!

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

    http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54286

    ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Just Read Tours, Kindle, NetGalley, PB, Purchase

    A Fierce Devotion by Laura Frantz Review

    Babbling Becky L

    About the Book

    Author: Laura Frantz

    Series: Not listed as such, but follow-up to The Seamstress of Acadie

    Publisher: Story Architect


    Release Date: July 30, 2025


    Genre: Historical Romance

    Exiled from his native Acadie in Canada, Bleu Galant has little on his mind but survival as the tumultuous French and Indian War comes to a close. When his journey to Virginia’s Rivanna River settlement takes an unexpected turn, he crosses paths with Brielle Farrow—a woman whose presence stirs something in him he cannot explain nor express. Unable to forget her, his decision to help her takes them across an ocean and into a lavish world he’s never known. Will their intricate tie decide not only her fate but his future?

    Purchase link:

    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/235740349-a-fierce-devotion

    About the Author

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

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

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

    *Subscribe to Laura’s seasonal newsletter and receive new release information, news about contests, giveaways, and reader events, sneak peaks and teasers, signings and appearances, and more!

    My Impressions

    “She prayed whatever he saw in her was bon. As bon as what she saw in him.”

    I don’t think I’ve anticipated another book book as much as Laura Frantz’s A Fierce Devotion! Her inspirational historical fiction, The Seamstress of Acadie, captured my heart and imagination like nothing else! The Seamstress tells of the English expulsion of the Canadian-French Acadians. That story introduced Bleu, mixed-blood brother of Sylvie. A Fierce Devotion, a novella, picks up the thread of Bleu, another Acadian deeply scarred by the racial hatred exhibited by the conquerers.  The “French and Indian War” (or the “Seven Years’ War) has just ended. The book is mesmerizing, lyrical, and a feast of beautiful descriptions. Absolutely stunning!

    Despite his mixed heritage, Bleu is a sought-after bachelor in both his Acadian world and his Mi’kmaq world. Yet it is the indentured servant, Brielle Farrow,  he discovers following happening upon a deadly raid scene, that grows on his heart. 

    Bleu is not the type to settle down though, and he is a much-sought after scout. Brielle doesn’t share his heritage, nor much of his French language, either. 

    I was laughing so hard at the one pivotal French sentence that Bleu shares in with his sister in Brielle’s presence! ( which Frantz explains in English!) It’s always amazing in life, when we miss one sentence or word that could change our whole attitude!! 

    How can these two find enough in common to even consider a relationship, when competition abounds and there are surprising factors that will put up even more barriers between them?

    I loved the French phrases, but Frantz explains them for non-French speakers( a must for readers!) 

    Character growth? Given what both Bleu and Brielle have endured, there is going to have to be a lot of forgiveness learned, even for those who don’t ask for it. Sylvie ( Bleu’s sister) and he are discussing this issue one day: “For a long time I felt like you. I still do though my ire doesn’t burn as bright. I’ve only moved past it by choosing a new life here and letting the past rest.” (Sylvie)

    I loved, loved, loved, this book!! There’s an old French rowing song I would borrow a line from, “Jamais je ne t’oublierai!!”  ( NEVER will I forget you!)

    I received a copy of the book from Just Read via Netgalley. I bought my own ebook, plus additional pb copies for myself and another’s keeper shelves. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.  

    Notable Quotables:

    “Do you believe in coincidence?” “Nay. Divine instances, rather.” “This is one of them.”

    “…you’ll find that the Almighty fills the emptiness with Himself along with countless other blessings.”– Sylvie

    “Nothing is more important than family. When you’ve lost much you treasure those who remain.” Bleu

    “The unknown was always frightening no matter how many times you faced it.”

    My Rating

    ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

    Superior! Giving hearts for stars, because *le sigh!*