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Of Silver and Secrets by Michelle Griep

June 3, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book:

Title: Of Silver and Secrets

Series: Time’s Lost Treasures #2

Author: Michelle Griep

Publisher: Bethany House Fiction

Released: June 3, 2025

Genre: Historical Romantic Suspense

Buried underneath are truths bent on keeping them apart. . . .

In 1889 Victorian England, Eva Inman is haunted by guilt over her parents’ deaths while struggling to care for her blind sister and manage her family’s crumbling estate. With the tax deadline looming, Eva’s situation looks dire until an ancient silver ring is unearthed on the property. Despite superstitions warning against disturbing the supposedly cursed acres, Eva’s need for funds ignites her curiosity about the potential of finding more buried relics.

Cambridge professor Bram Webb must prove a legendary Christian Roman settlement exists, or he’ll risk exposing his uncle’s deteriorating memory and they’ll both lose their positions. Then Eva steps into his office with the prospect of an archaeological dig that might lead to the very evidence Bram requires–provided he and Eva can set aside painful memories of a time they would rather forget. As the dig forces the two to confront their pasts, the work becomes fraught with challenges that threaten Eva’s and Bram’s hopes, as well as the growing attraction between them.

“Sure to delight fans of archaeological adventure and historical romance.”–JULIE KLASSEN, bestselling author

Dive into the past in this clean historical romance as Michelle Griep transports you to Victorian England with an appealing mix of mystery, Roman archaeology, and charming banter. This enthralling tale will appeal to fans of Mimi Matthews, Andrea Penrose, Anna Lee Huber, and Miss Scarlet and the Duke.

Get your copy below!!

https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Secrets-Victorian-Archeological-Treasures/dp/0764242571

My Impressions

“The end of Eva’s world started with a window she never should have left open.”

Whew! What a gripping, suck-you-in-like-a-whirlpool opening sentence!Michelle Griep pens this Victorian romance with such beautiful, flowing artistry that I often had to stop and reread a sentence or a whole paragraph. Just for the beauty of the construction. So I’m in love with the writing style.

And the characters. A young lady, Eva Inman, who is convinced her mistake twelve years earlier caused her mother’s death, her sister’s blindness, and their now-fatherless estate to be in extreme need of funds. The corresponding male main character, Professor Bram Webb, who knew Eva in childhood,now returns to create an archaeological dig on her estate lands. ( Webb must prove an ancient Christian civilization, hiding from Roman tyranny, existed on Inman land.) Eva doesn’t know if she’s attracted to the man from her past or if she despises Bram, the man she considers “the first in a string of people to leave her.”

In some ways, there are elements that give the novel the feel of a certain well-known fictional archaeological character. Fun. Yet, Bram’s reason for joining his uncle Pendleton on the dig are very self-sacrificing. I cannot imagine the fortitude Bram shows as he supports his history prof. uncle. I would have been explaining myself by this point. Eva doesn’t trust Bram becsuse of their childhood connection, but she fails to understand that Bram has undergone a transformation. Indeed, Bram has many enemies and people he would seem justified to hold a grudge against, but, instead of taking vengeance, he explains to Eva. “Perhaps his conscience is buried beneath layers of deceit and bitterness, yet it is not beyond redemption. Harsh words and flying fists will not change his heart. Only God can do that.” How he moves from ready-to-fight anger to a willingness to hand his enemy over to God speaks so much for his character!

A great supporting character is Penny, Eva’s outgoing, curious, and unafraid blind sister. Penny is 13 going on 30. How will Eva ever keep her charge safe?

Twists! This novel has some truly great ones. My eyes widened as I read many times, surprised at how each successive obstacle worked out!

Stars and thunder!! I was unhappy when I finished the book! I loved Of Silver and Shadows so much, with its many themes, truth nuggets, amazing romance and twists. I just didn’t want it to end!! My definition of a perfect book!

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

Notable Quotables:

“…though truth might be absolute, discerning the right course of action when living that truth was often anything but obvious.”

“It is easy to judge from the outside, but we can never truly understand the burdens others carry or the choices they feel forced to make. We are all fallen creatures.”

“Love is a gift, worth risking everything for… let nothing stand in your way.”

“The very first time you asked to be pardoned, you were. That is what grace is all about. “

“We are all tethered to something…When that tether snaps, as it is wont to do, this is when we realize the true extent of our faith.”

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

Capture the Moment by Suzanne Woods Fisher Review and Giveaway

May 22, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Capture the Moment

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release date: May 6, 2025

Kate Cunningham is facing the opportunity of a lifetime. As a zoo photographer, she’s spent years photographing animals in carefully controlled environments, but now National Geographic has dangled an irresistible prize: If Kate can snag a unique photo of a legendary bear in Grand Teton National Park, they just might publish it. It’s the kind of challenge Kate has been waiting for, and she’s eager to prove herself in the wild.

With more enthusiasm than experience, Kate soon realizes that capturing an image of this bear isn’t as simple as she hoped. Fortunately, she crosses paths with Grant Cooper, a seasonal park ranger who knows the terrain–and the bears–better than anyone. His tracking skills could be exactly what Kate needs to succeed, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes. But they’re not the only ones with an interest in the park’s most famous bear. And his motives are far from innocent.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a Christy finalist, a Carol and Selah winner, a two-time ECPA Book of the Year finalist, and Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestselling author of more than forty books. Her genres include contemporary and historical romances, Amish romance, and women’s fiction. She and her husband live in a small town in California. Most friends act a little nervous around Suzanne because they usually wind up in one of her novels. She has four grown children and enough grandchildren to keep her young.

More from Suzanne

A Spark that Lit a Story

By Suzanne Woods Fisher

Capture the Moment (Revell—May 6, 2025)

Inspiration can strike in the most unexpected places—like a gift shop in Grand Teton National Park. While browsing, I struck up a conversation with a college student who had never set foot outside Alabama until her mom dropped her off for a summer job in the park. One minute, she was home in the Deep South; the next, she was surrounded by towering peaks and moose crossings. Talk about a culture shock.

That conversation lit a spark that eventually became my National Parks Summers series. I couldn’t stop thinking about the fascinating mix of people who work seasonally in national parks. You’ve got fresh-faced college kids on their first big adventure, retirees finally living their bucket-list dreams, and everyone in between. These parks aren’t just natural wonders—they’re crossroads for people from all walks of life, all chasing something unique.

In Capture the Moment, I wanted to explore what happens when people and landscapes collide. Kate Cunningham, a determined zoo photographer, swaps enclosures for the wilds of Grand Teton, chasing an elusive bear and her own sense of purpose. Along the way, Kate meets Grant Cooper, a rugged park ranger with a knack for tracking and a talent for keeping her on her toes.

National parks are more than just beautiful backdrops—they’re places where people find themselves, lose themselves, and sometimes stumble into something extraordinary.

Maybe even love.

My Impressions

“399…Queen of the Tetons…”

“‘A living, breathing legend.’ ‘Exactly. She’s a symbol of the wild, a reminder that even in the heart of nature, there are stories, personalities, and connections waiting to be discovered.’”

And…we’re off on a journey to visit some of our nation’s great national parks with Suzanne Woods Fisher, told in her gentle, heart-warming style. First stop in this new series, National Parks Summers, is Grand Tetons National Park, in Capture the Moment.

If you are a fan of nature, underdogs, Suzanne Woods Fisher, plot twists, and gentle reminders to listen to the still, small voice of God, this is a must-read.

I adored the novice photographer, Kate, who thought she would get the original photo that no one else had. What a shock she gets when she arrives at the best viewing spots for the old grizzly, 399, only to discover a great crowd of disdainful professional photographers ahead of her. Fortunately, Kate is willing to learn from her mistakes and not wallow in her failures. ( And being a city-slicker, there are plenty!) “She reminded herself that mistakes were a natural part of the learning process. “Each one has a lesson to teach,” she said to herself.” Another verse that helps her when she is amazed at her own obtuseness( and don’t most of us have blinders on in some area of life?) is “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Do you not perceive it?” What I love about this moment is that Woods points out this is a verse God brings to Kate’s mind because she had hidden it in her heart long ago. Do we have verses like that? Second, are we, as we age, still working on memorizing, so God can bring those verses to mind?

Woods populates her novel with so many other wonderful characters! Of course, everyone will love Coop! How can you not! Handsome, knowledgeable, expert on bears, and compassionate. He champions Kate, the underdog, plus he understands and mentors the impossibly belligerent Frankie. This is no small feat, because it is obvious he would rather not have this sidekick 24-7! And, he is unafraid to tell the truth as it is… to those that need to hear it… which his acting director, Sally, tries to silence.

Sally. She is acting director of the park, and a piece of work! I was surprised to find that I didn’t like her any more after a night of “sleeping on it” than I did when I finished the story.

And Tim and his granddaughter, Maisie! To meet Tim is to love him, unless you are Frankie. Such a wise, thoughtful, man rooted in faith. His granddaughter, Maisie, who frequently gets dumped on him? She’s 13, loquacious, loud, and goes non-stop 24-7. Everyone seems to have a love-avoid her relationship with her. Maisie wants so hard to be accepted, loved, and seen as special. Pops finally tells her on one occasion when she takes imitation overboard, “a tulip doesn’t struggle to be different from a rose.”

Bonus note: With a great detailed map of the park at the beginning and a list of the most important characters also at the beginning, I felt well-armed to tackle the book.

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I bought my own pb copy for my keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“she realized that seeing things differently was a gift, not a burden.”

“But holding on to anger isn’t doing you any favors.”…“It’s like a poison.”…“Forgiveness is the antidote.”

“what you’re looking for can’t be found within. Only outside ourselves. Only in God.”

“…he didn’t have to hang on to that hurt anymore.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superior! National parks story told in Fisher’s heart-warming, feels-like-a-hug-style, complete with a grizzly, romance, humor, faith, and a bit of mystery.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 22

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 22

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 22

By the Book, May 23

Carla’s Book Crush, May 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 24

Devoted To Hope, May 24

Book Looks by Lisa, May 25

Texas Book-aholic, May 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 26

lakesidelivingsite, May 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 27

The Avid Reader, May 28

Blossoms and Blessings, May 28

Southern Gal Loves to Read, May 28

Stories By Gina, May 29 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 29

Blogging With Carol, May 30

For Him and My Family, May 30

Cover Lover Book Review, May 31

Karen Baney Reviews, May 31

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 1

Holly’s Book Corner, June 1

Jeanette’s Thoughts, June 2

Books Less Travelled, June 2

She Lives To Read, June 3

Pause for Tales, June 3

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 3

Lily’s Corner, June 4

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, June 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away the grand prize of a $25 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.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54226

ARC, Bethany House, BLOG, Favorite, Just Read Tours, Kindle, NetGalley, Purchase

The Shop Down the Lane by Leslie Gould Review and Giveaway

May 13, 2025 Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Shop Down the Lane by Leslie Gould, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Shop Down the Lane
Series: Letters from Lancaster County
Author: Leslie Gould
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: May 6, 2025
Genre: Amish Romance

Leslie Gould delights in this sweet and humorous Amish romance reminiscent of The Shop Around the Corner and You’ve Got Mail.

Lois Yoder has always found solace in the quiet life of Paradise, Pennsylvania, where she manages a gift shop that reflects her Amish community’s simple values. Her tranquil world is upended when Moses Lantz, a former Amishman turned Mennonite and the man who broke her heart, buys the shop with ambitious plans to transform it into a tourist hub–a move that Lois fiercely opposes.

Seeking a distraction, Lois joins a bird watchers’ circle letter under an alias. But unknown to her, Moses does the same at the urging of a friend. While their correspondence blossoms into a tender romance, the enmity between Lois and Moses in real life only intensifies. Can they overcome their animosity and embrace the love they’ve found through their letters, or will their stubborn hearts keep them apart forever?

This heartwarming Amish romance includes themes of bird watching, correspondence by letters, enemies to lovers, and family secrets for readers of Beverly Lewis, Wanda E. Brunstetter, and Shelley Shepard Gray.

Also Available

About the Author

Leslie Gould is a Christy Award-winning and #1 bestselling author of more than 48 novels, including four Lancaster County Amish series. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and an MFA in creative writing. She enjoys church history, research trips, and hiking in the Pacific Northwest. She and her husband live in Portland, Oregon, and have four adult children and two grandchildren.

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

My Impressions

“She should have quit when Moses first bought Paradise Found, which was Paradise Lost now to her.”

Leslie Gould gives us a humorous remix of “You’ve Got Mail” and “The Shop Around the Corner” in The Shop Down the Lane. When her mentor Scotty sells the Amish souvenir shop she manages, Lois Yoder is doubly upset to discover the new owner. He’s none other than Moses Lantz, former Amish turned Mennonite, and one with whom she shares a past. Unable to bring themselves to be civil to each other, tensions escalate between the two while their individual woes pile up as well. Both Lois and Moses join an Amish birding circle letter separately, under assumed names. As their real life relationship crumples, their friendship on paper becomes a beacon of hope. Gould applies some good twists to this story, and uses birds to teach valuable lessons as well.

Casey and Amy probably tie for my fave secondary characters. Both are incredibly perceptive and wise. Without Amy, Lois probably wouldn’t have had the strength to remain in the Paradise community. Amy may be the closest thing to family Lois has. Casey is a good friend to Moses, but he also holds him accountable for his actions, and makes Moses think about his life’s direction. Casey is also a supportive friend to Lois.

Since I love birds, and novels with twists, this book hit some sweet spots for me. I loved how many different birds are mentioned, along with their descriptions, habits, and habitats. Such a treat for any birder! And Teresa, the Amish woman who initiates the birding circle letter, loves to compare birds to people. “They live by their values, something we would do well to emulate. Everything they do is for a purpose, from their singing to nest building to hunting.” A few times Lois has to stop and consider as she reads these lines, she is not living by her values.

At one point John rather glibly replies to a statement, saying that God had worked out all things. While this may be true, Lois is hurt. Sometimes we hurt others, spouting off Scriptural thoughts blithely, ignoring the pain a friend is presenting. Yes, God does work things out, however-

“Sometimes there was quite a bit of pain before “things” worked out. Sometimes people were stuck in the middle of something for years before it did work out. Or perhaps it never worked out in the way you hoped and you simply moved on, knowing Gott still had a plan.”

God, help me to be careful in offering empty ( albeit true) platitudes!

I recommend this novel!

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

Notable Quotables:

“Nurture others, she’d written. But depend on their strengths too.” – Teresa

“Everything we do is motivated by either love or fear,” he said. “We must decide which will motivate us before a trying situation arises. Will we be motivated to love our neighbors or fear them?”

“it was up to management to educate employees into the workers the business needed.”

“Gott made you, just as He made every single bird, to be YOU. Let others see the beauty He created in you, both internal and external.”

“God’s creation is what gives me hope. There’s so much beauty and joy, tragedy and trauma, harmony and hope. No matter how difficult life is, I feel at peace when I’m birding.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! If you enjoy Amish romance or birding, you will enjoy this novel.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card and a print copy of The Shop Down the Lane!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 13, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 20, 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!

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

Catherine’s Pursuit by Lena Nelson Dooley Review and Giveaway

May 5, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Catherine’s Pursuit

Author: Lena Nelson Dooley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 22, 2025

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

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

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

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

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Multi-published, award-winning author Lena Nelson Dooley has had more than 1,000,000 copies of her 50+ books sold. Her books have appeared on the CBA, Publisher’s Weekly, and ECPA bestseller lists, as well as Amazon bestseller lists. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the local chapter, ACFW – DFW. She’s a member of Christian Authors’ Network. She likes to create characters and stories that grip her readers hearts.

More from Lena

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

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

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

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

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

My Impressions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 6

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 7

Pause for Tales, May 7

Texas Book-aholic, May 8

Sylvan Musings, May 9

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 11

Devoted To Hope, May 12

Holly’s Book Corner, May 12

lakesidelivingsite, May 13

Books You Can Feel Good About, May 14

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, May 14

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

Book Looks by Lisa, May 16

Cover Lover Book Review, May 17

For Him and My Family, May 18

Mary Hake, May 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 19

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lena is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54213

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, New-to-Me Author, Purchase, Wild Heart Books

Embers of Truth by Avrie Swan Review and Giveaway

April 30, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Embers of Truth

Author: Avrie Swan

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 15, 2025

A fiery heroine teams up with a gruff detective to catch a thief, but the real danger may be trusting each other.

With her family nearing destitution and her home on the brink of foreclosure, Carina Clarke has little left to lose. Yet in one fateful evening, the 1871 Peshtigo Fire destroys the last of all she holds dear and separates her from her sister and friend. Carina vows to find them—even if it means moving to a different city and taking up work at a textile mill while she searches.

Oliver Ramhurst is determined to make his father proud of his work as a Pinkerton detective. His assignment to capture a thief at a textile mill in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, could be the opportunity he needs—if the feisty Miss Clarke will stay out of his way. When the clever woman offers to help him ferret out the culprit, Oliver reluctantly agrees. But does she want more from him than she’s saying?

As the danger grows and they draw closer to discovering the true identity of the thief, Carina and Oliver realize that nobody is who they seem. Carina must decide who can be trusted and who may be a villain in disguise—for when the hour grows dark, trust may be the only thing that can save her.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Avrie Swan is a Christian author and avid reader with a love for all things historical. Having grown up exploring antique stores and museums, she eventually decided to combine her interest in history with her love for writing and began working on her first full-length novel at the age of fourteen. She especially enjoys writing stories that focus on themes of family, faith, and growth through difficult times.

When Avrie is not writing, she is watching old movies, collecting antique books, and hunting for agates. A native Wisconsinite, she enjoys spending the cold winters indoors with her cat on her lap and a good book in her hand.

More from Avrie

Hello, folks!

What do you do when you run out of your favorite type of book at the local library? Well, in the case of sixteen-year-old me, you sit down and try to write one yourself. Thus was born the first iteration of Embers of Truth, followed shortly thereafter by the second and third. After countless revisions and many cups of coffee, I finally achieved what I wanted—a book filled with mystery and action, with a main character tenacious enough to weather the storms I tossed her way. Carina’s story was a joy to write, and I know sixteen-year-old me would be happy to read it if she could.

In this first book of The Peshtigo Fire Chronicles, I decided to explore the theme of trust and learning to accept help. Carina has difficulty trusting others, an issue born out of past experiences. However, as she comes to learn, we cannot let bad experiences affect the way we see others. Have you ever unjustly judged someone because of something that happened to you, even if it was unintentional? I have. It’s easy to do!

In addition to exploring themes of trust, Embers of Truth also examines what it means to put our goals before helping others. Oliver is determined to impress his father, and while he takes the mill case to help the workers there, he also secretly hopes it will finally make his father approve of his occupation. Putting our needs above others is a part of human nature, but that doesn’t mean we can’t change. Watching Oliver realize this is one of my favorite parts of the story.

Much like Oliver, I also realized several things while writing Embers of Truth. The first was that I would never handwrite a novel again, a decision my right wrist thanked me for. The second was that God is incredibly, incredibly gracious. The third and final thing I realized was that I would have made a terrible Pinkerton detective. I’m much more suited to sitting bundled up under warm blankets with a book than going undercover to find a criminal!

I encourage you, dear reader, to follow along with Oliver and Carina as they traverse snowy Milwaukee and decide whether you could be a detective. Make sure to curl up with a nice cup of coffee or tea and a blanket as you enjoy this intriguing, romance-filled story. God bless you!

Sincerely,

Avrie Swan

My Impressions

“…you are not nothing. You are a child of God, and if you keep that fact at the front of your heart and mind, there will be no circumstance you cannot face.”

Avrie Swan has produced a historical romance set around the Peshtigo fire, with two socially mismatched main characters. What makes the story work well for me is the fact that although society doesn’t claim the same divisions today, people always have a way of dividing themselves into groups they believe superior to others. Oliver, son of a prominent Chicago judge, is a Pinkerton detective tasked with discovering the thief at a textile mill in Milwaukee. He meets spunky, alert, loom girl Carina there. Carina is working at the mill to earn money as she searches for her sister following the Peshtigo fire. Somehow, Carina twists Oliver’s arm into allowing her to assist in his factory investigation.

I enjoyed this constant action, tense story. Swan provides a good feel of the dangers and hopelessness of the common laborer in a mill job. She also brings forth elements of humor in Mrs. Fields ( I can just see her twinkling eyes) and contrasts the love of family that Carina once enjoyed and Oliver never knew. I appreciated the faith emphasis, whether it was about forgiveness (“There’s always a chance for forgiveness. You simply have to ask for it.”) or about giving every aspect of our lives over to God. (“Every once in a while, I find myself trying too hard to control the circumstances of my life. It’s then that I have to stand back and let God take over.”- Mrs. Fields) Relationships between characters are a crucial part and driving force of this novel.

The romance between Carina and Oliver surely begins on a very rocky note. Definitely enemies to lovers trope. And there were times I cringed at the duo as a detective partnership! When the guilty party is discovered, I realized I would have made a horrible agent. No, I would not have put up with the cost that Carina and Oliver must pay to ferret out the truth.

While the Peshtigo fire does play an important part in the story, most of the story takes place in Milwaukee.

Loose ends at the story’s finish beg for more books in the series, which are expected. I’ll be waiting!

Notable Quotables:

“In the end, we are all the same, regardless of money or status. What defines us isn’t the clothing we wear or the manner in which we speak. It’s the way we treat others that truly shows who we are inside.” – Pastor Lane

“did Jesus judge all men based on the actions of one? Did He not forgive even the ones who wronged Him?”- Mrs. Fields

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great! I’m looking forward to book 2 of The Peshtigo Fire Chronicles!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 1

Holly’s Book Corner, May 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 2

Texas Book-aholic, May 3

Blogging With Carol, May 4

Simple Harvest Reads, May 5 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 6

Blossoms and Blessings, May 6

Book Looks by Lisa, May 7

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 8

Betti Mace, May 9

Stories By Gina, May 10 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 10

Cover Lover Book Review, May 11

Pause for Tales, May 12

Devoted To Hope, May 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 13

For Him and My Family, May 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Avrie is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54210

ARC, Bethany House, BLOG, Just Read Tours, Kindle, NetGalley, Purchase

Kate Landry Has a Plan by Rebekah Millet Review and Giveaway

March 28, 2025March 28, 2025 Babbling Becky L

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Kate Landry Has a Plan by Rebekah Millet hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Kate Landry Has a Plan
Series: Beignets for Two #2
Author: Rebekah Millet
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Release Date: March 18, 2025
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Forty-year-old Kate Landry’s carefully planned life has become as messy as the powdered sugar on her famous beignets. Juggling the responsibilities of running her café, raising her teenage niece, and the emotional baggage from her breakup, Kate finds her world once again turned upside down when her first-ever crush, Micah Guidry, returns to town as the hunky local librarian.

As Kate struggles to implement her plans to expand her café amid the New Orleans Mardi Gras madness and the meddling of her conniving ex-fiancé, Micah becomes the unwitting hero of her misadventures, stirring up feelings she thought she’d long buried. How can falling in love in the Big Easy be this hard?

More Books from this Series:

About the Author

Rebekah Millet is a double Selah Award, Cascade Award, and ACFW First Impressions Award-winning author of contemporary Christian romance novels. A New Orleans native, she grew up on beignets and café au lait, and loves infusing her colorful culture into her stories. Her husband is an answer to prayer, who puts up with her rearranging furniture and being a serial plant killer. Her two sons keep her laughing and share in her love of desserts.

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

My Impressions

“Cowering Chihuahuas!” “Pitiful pit bulls!” and a “bridal bouquet targeting me like a deployed missle.” Oy, vey, mix very creative clean swearing with hilarious, slightly sardonic attitude of our forty-something single narrator, you know we’re in for a barrel of laughs with Kate Landry Has a Plan, penned by the fabulous Rebekah Millet. Add in a setting of a St. Charles St. ( middle of Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans)café, a best friend who is a love- life meddler, a jr. high school crush returned 20 years later, ooh, la, la!! Laissez le bon temps rouler!! ( Let the good times roll!)

What amazes me, is that in the midst of these laugh-a minute- pages, are tucked in faith nuggets and truths that Micah ( the jr. high crush returned as local librarian), Julia ( bff), and Mariah, the once-jilted narrator, share and ruminate on. After all, Kate Landry and her now-deceased sister had a plan for their lives. And Kate is bound and determined to follow it. But as Kate pursues her path, she puts at risk her friendships, a chance at a new love, and her relationship with her adopted teenage niece.

Julia confronts her. “‘Have you been praying on this?’Gentleness layered her tone. A dull ache began throbbing in my head. ‘Of course.’ ‘And listening for direction?’ ‘Yes.’ I rested my elbows on the table, massaging my temples. ‘And I’m not hearing anything.’ ‘Maybe you need to give it more time.’” How many times do we go ahead and act, after praying, when we haven’t heard an answer? Our earthly timeline becomes more important than God’s ability to see the future and map out the perfect plan.

And my heart hurt. Both Kate and Micah have painful pasts, plus Kate has helicopter parents who are still trying to squish her into a very shallow mold. I watched a Kate gets busier and busier with her plan ( ouch) disregarding godly advice from friends.

But don’t be fooled! Just because there are solid faith moments, the laughs never stop!! ( And how better to help us remember those important parts!) Meet C’est Fou ( gotta love that name!!), an animal bane of Kate’s existence. Or the “ugly” pet Kate had to put up with (although I take offense, as a lover of that breed). As Kate’s mind spins between the ugly physical practical animal issues, her out-of-control business, will she lose sight of the plan God has for her?

I did not get a chance to read the first book in the series, Julia Monroe begins Again. Mistake. This book can be enjoyed without the first, but it would be so much richer knowing Julia’s story first and how Kate figures into that!

Fave secondary character? Probably Julia, possibly Mrs. Adélaide.

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

Notable Quotables:

“You don’t need an apology from someone to forgive them. And believe me, in this case, forgiving Ryan isn’t for him. It’s for you.”– Julia

“Just because God says not now, doesn’t mean not ever.”- Julia

“…you like helping people’s dreams come true.” – Micah

“You’ve got this, because God has you.”- Mayté

“Instead of praying and truly listening, I’d run headlong into my selfish desires. My old, sinful nature wanted control. But time after time, God had proven His ways were perfect for me.” – Kate

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Superb!! I expect this novel to win a Christy!!

Tour Giveaway

1) winner will receive a print copy of Julia Monroe Begins Again, Kate Landry Has a Plan, and a $20 Cafe du Monde gift certificate!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 26, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on April 2, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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

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

Tides of Healing by Sandra Merville Hart Review and Giveaway

March 4, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Tides of Healing

Author: Sandra Merville Hart

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: February 11, 2025

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

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

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

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Sandra Merville Hart, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author of inspirational historical romances, loves to discover little-known yet fascinating facts from American history to include in her stories. Her desire is to transport her readers back in time. She is also a blogger, speaker, and conference teacher.

More from Sandra

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let me explain.

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

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

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

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

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

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

My research trip to Vicksburg’s battlefield and museums inspired the writing of Streams of Courage, Book 4, River of Peril, Book 5, and Tides of Healing, Book 6.

Avenue of Betrayal, Book 1, is set in the Union capital of Washington City (Washington DC) in 1861, where a surprising number of Confederate sympathizers and spies lived. Boulevard of Confusion and Byway to Danger are set in Richmond, the Confederate capital in 1862. Actual historical spies touch the lives of our fictional family. The heroines in Books 1 – 3 are two sisters and their cousins. Another set of characters begin with Book 4, and three friends are the heroines in Books 4 -6.

Through both real and fictional characters, this series highlights activities spies were involved in and some of the motives behind their decisions.

I invite you to read the whole Spies of the Civil War Series!

My Impressions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notable Quotables:

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

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

“Hunger couldn’t afford pride.”

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

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

Blog Stops

Bizwings Book Blog, February 26

Holly’s Book Corner, February 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 1

Pause for Tales, March 2

Texas Book-aholic, March 2

Devoted To Hope, March 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 4

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 5

Betti Mace, March 5

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 6

Cover Lover Book Review, March 7

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 8

Connie’s History Classroom, March 9

For HIm and My Family, March 10

Stories By Gina, March 11 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, March 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sandra is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54163

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

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

February 22, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Guarding the Mountain Man’s Secret

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: January 28, 2025

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

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

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

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

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain saga filled with high-stakes adventure, forced proximity, a Christmas surprise, and love that heals wounded hearts.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Misty M. Belleris a USA Todaybestselling author with over 1 million books old. She writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

More from Misty

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blessings!

Misty

My Impressions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notable Quotables:

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

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

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

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 23

Books You Can Feel Good About, February 23

Melissa’s Bookshelf, February 24

Madi’s Musings, February 25

Simple Harvest Reads, February 25 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 26

For Him and My Family, February 26

Life on Chickadee Lane, February 27

Betti Mace, February 27

Texas Book-aholic, February 28

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 1

Jeanette’s Thoughts , March 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 2

Cover Lover Book Review, March 3

Mary Hake, March 3

Devoted To Hope, March 4

An Author’s Take, March 5

Holly’s Book Corner, March 5

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 6

Blossoms and Blessings, March 6

lakesidelivingsite, March 7

Pause for Tales, March 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54159

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, Purchase

The Maestro’s Missing Melody by Amy Walsh Review and Giveaway

February 1, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book:The Maestro’s Missing Melody

Author: Amy Walsh

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Release date: September 13, 2024

She was thrilled to apprentice with her fiddler hero—until she got to know him. He regretted his decision to play teacher to college kids—until he got to know her.

For aspiring musician and college student McKay Moonlight, winning a summer internship with Scottish master fiddler Huntley Milne was a dream come true. When a last-minute change moved the internship program from the Scottish Highlands of her ancestors to a village she’d never heard of along the River Deben, McKay was determined to make the best of it. However, she didn’t expect to make such a terrible first impression on her summer mentor.

Hosting a bunch of college students was the last thing Maestro Huntley Milne needed. He was already up to his ears in problems, with Aunt BeeBee being placed in a care home, resulting in him having emergency custody of his tween nephew and niece. Then he met McKay Moonlight, and the chaos really began.

The Maestro’s Missing Melody is a charming story featuring endearingly eccentric characters, a treasure hunt caper through the nooks and crannies of a mansion, and genuine laugh-out-loud moments. Sunshine and thunderclouds attract in this delightful age-gap Christian romantic comedy from Amy Walsh.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Amy Walsh is a 5th-grade teacher who loves teaching children about what she loves to do herself: reading and writing. She enjoys outdoor activities, especially hiking and camping. Amy also appreciates opportunities to share her faith through singing, teaching, and writing for her church family. Amy and her husband, Patrick, have three children: Bree, Spencer, Liz, and a son-in-law, Kyle. Amy and her family love to spend time together celebrating special occasions, listening to great music, swimming and kayaking, and having occasional ping pong tournaments.

More from Amy

The Maestro’s Missing Melody Cast of Characters

Maestro Huntley Milne regrets committing to host a group of college students, especially when Aunt BeeBee ends up in a care home, forcing him to move into the Milne Monstrosity on Sycamore Street which is about two hours northeast of London. Aunt BeeBee is nagging him to locate the missing Milne stave book, Dory and David are fretting about being put back into foster care, and even his aunt’s cats are high maintenance. Then he meets McKay Moonlight…

McKay Moonlight was thrilled when she won the musical apprenticeship at Maestro Huntley Milne’s Highlands Music Center. After all, she had a little crush on him for years after seeing him play at the Rocky Mountain Fiddler Championships. When the apprenticeship is relocated to a tiny town near the Deben River, rather than the Highlands of her ancestors, she takes it in stride. Who would think her traveling mishaps would cause her to be late and forget something very important – ruining her chance to make a good first impression on her summer mentor.

The Milne Monstrosity was built by a wealthy plantation owner, who brought his family to England just prior to the American Civil War. This mansion is a hodgepodge of turrets, towers, secret passages, and gables – – and does not fit in with the other homes on Sycamore Street AT ALL. Beatrice Milne has filled the mansion with many colorful and eccentric collections. Other unique features of the Milne property are a tiny guest house which is the exact replica of the Monstrosity, and a stone amphitheater decorated with musical gargoyles within view of the River Deben.

Dory and David are tween twins who went from foster home to foster home until they were finally adopted by Mama Bee. Dory enjoys riding her bike around her village, learning to play the flute, reading great books – – and finally having a family, even if her adopted mother is much older and let’s say “different” from other parents. David plays the guitar very well, but his real passion is for building gadgets. The twins were content living in the Milne Monstrosity in Eden Cove with Mama Bee encouraging them to explore their interests and grow their talents. But now, Mama Bee is in a care home and they are stuck with grumpy Uncle Huntley until Mama Bee comes home. That’s IF she ever comes home.

Beatrice Milne, aka Aunt Bee Bee or Mama Bee, always had her fingers in so many pies, and those pies were always so splendid, that she seems larger than life to the people of Eden Cove. Now she is a patient of Balmy Bay Residences, the care home she helped refurbish as one of her projects. What’s with her change in personality – and her obsession with Huntley needing to search for the missing Milne stave book?

Arabella and Gerard are Aunt Bee Bee’s ginormous cats who have a love/hate relationship with the Maestro. Who knows, maybe they can help with the treasure hunt for the missing stave book…

My Impressions

“God never abandons His people –even when their faith has dwindled to nothing, and when they’ve lost all hope.”

The neat thing about this series of books, Our House on Sycamore Street, is that each book is by a different author, involving varying genres and time periods. All stories take place in the same little town, all on the same street on an English island. Amy Walsh’s contribution, The Maestro’s Missing Melody, bk 6, is a fun contemporary rom-com. McKay Moonlight is a star-struck intern who has won a spot as a summer student in a small group being mentored by Scottish maestro Huntley Milne.

When family circumstances change the plans for the summer itinerary, Maestro Milne regrets his promise to hosts the college students and especially seems to dislike McKay. How God uses what the Maestro sees as major inconveniences in his life to bring about change and a reckoning about life’s meaning is a wonderful thing to see.

However, God usually uses hard things to bring growth and the Maestro rails against God for past life events as well as current difficulties. Can McKay’s faith and optimism along with that of quirky Aunt BeeBee and twins David and Dory breathe life back into Huntley’s dead soul?

I really connected with the lost, lonely, and afraid characters in this novel. Such deep hurts and fears to carry around! And yet, so much of the suffering seems chosen or at least magnified beyond the original pain, if that is possible . But that is how it is when we either don’t seek God’s guidance in our plans or actively refuse His help.

I would have liked to discuss this book with a book club. Some characters’ actions had me scratching my head. (“Can a person really do that?” I wondered, many times. )

I was pleased to find some final storyline tie-ups, but it involved an epilogue and an “after epilogue epilogue”, plus a bonus scene on the author’s website. I would prefer all action wrapped up within the book. Just my two cents’.

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

Notable Quotable:

“That God cares and provides. That God listens and whispers. That when we are alone in the wilderness, it’s there that God teaches, strengthens, and emboldens us.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! It would be interesting to see what the twins are up to in 10 years!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 25

Stories By Gina, January 26 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, January 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 28

Texas Book-aholic, January 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 31

Books You Can Feel Good About, February 1

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 2

Blogging With Carol, February 3

For Him and My Family, February 4

Fiction Book Lover, February 5 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, February 5

Holly’s Book Corner, February 6

Pause for Tales, February 7

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When the Avalanche Roared by Lauralee Bliss Review and Giveaway

January 29, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: When the Avalanche Roared (A Day to Remember Book Five)

Author: Lauralee Bliss

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

Release date: January, 2025

The Day Hope Seemed Swept Away

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

Lillian Hartwick has been in the small railroad town of Wellington, Washington, caring for her cousin and assisting the postmaster when February snows bring all train traffic to a halt. Slow-witted but kind Griffin Jones, who works odd jobs for the railway while enduring taunts from other workers, has tried his best to gain Lillian’s interest, but she is engaged and waiting her fiancé’s arrival from California. Predawn thunderstorms on Tuesday, March 1, 1910, trigger a devasting avalanche, sweeping two trains down Stevens Pass. Lillian and Griffin work together to help survivors, including Griffin’s tormentors. In the midst of the catastrophe their feelings for each other grow. But is it enough when Lillian’s fiancé finally arrives in the spring, ready to claim her as his own?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lauralee Blisshas always liked to dream big dreams. Part of that dream was writing, and after several years of hard work, her dream of publishing was realized in 1997 with the publication of her first romance novel, Mountaintop, through Barbour Publishing. Since then, she’s had twenty books published, both historical and contemporary. Lauralee is also an avid hiker, completing the entire length of the Appalachian Trail both north and south. Lauralee makes her home in Virginia in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with her family.

More from Lauralee

Pure Joy

Lauralee Bliss, Author of “When the Avalanche Roared”

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds… James 1:2 NIV

How does one equate a scripture like this with the death and destruction inherent in natural disasters? It seems an oxymoron to expect joy when faced with twisted metal and broken lives, such as in the deadliest avalanche in American history depicted in When the Avalanche Roared. Even now I think of the natural disaster of the hurricane that just recently destroyed mountain communities in western North Carolina, with homes and lives swept away in an avalanche of water and mud. So it was back in March, 1910 when a mile wide bank of snow detached from Windy Top in the northern Cascades of Washington State, slamming into three parked trains near Wellington, sending cars and sleeping passengers tumbling into the ravine. Over ninety lives were lost.

This could be considered a trial of supreme magnitude. Yet scripture commands we consider joy in the midst of it. The word joy evokes smiles and laughter, peace and satisfaction. It brings to mind Jesus resting in the boat in the midst of a raging storm, tossed about on high waves while the disciples huddle together in abject fear. After He calms the seas He asks them, “Where is your faith?” It demands the human mind look away from apparent destruction to something higher. To look beyond what one sees to the unseen. To trust God even when nothing appears trustworthy.

When the Avalanche Roared delves into the flames that spark, not from smoldering locomotives in a ravine, but within a small rail town that banded together in the wee hours of a frigid morning to rescue others. The destruction is evident. But the grit and determination of those who dug out people from heavy snow solidified by rain and cared for the suffering while their town remained isolated from the world speaks of a picture far greater than the picture of destruction. So it is today with communities swallowed by mud and trees and splintered fragments of homes as reminders of a destructive hurricane. Beyond the visual are the outpouring of help and compassion and holding the hands of those weakened by disaster in gestures of hope and resolve. And in this, a new birth of joy is realized.

God created us to find joy in struggle, to develop perseverance to achieve a goal despite what is thrown our way, to realize that when we do, we truly lack nothing. And therein we find lasting peace even in the midst of catastrophe.

Strangers unite to help the hurting.

A friend flew from Florida to North Carolina and arranged with this store owner for a free truckload of water for communities devastated by the hurricane.

My Impressions

“While tragedy appeared to tear lives apart, it also had a way of knitting people together for God’s great purpose.”

What an amazing series Barbour has produced with this series, A Day to Remember! Each book recounts a little-known tragedy in North American history. Though related by theme, each novel is a standalone. Lauralee Bliss pens the latest, exciting release, When the Avalanche Roared.

I am pleased to say I didn’t cry as I read this book. But I’m pretty sure my heart did. My heart broke for the “gentle giant” of a man, Griffin Jones, a Wellington, WA rail worker in 1910. Unable to read, possibly mentally slow (I couldn’t decide on this one), his fellow workers play pranks and denigrate him at every opportunity. Life in the Cascade Mountains is brutal, but Griffin’s coworkers make it nearly unbearable! Yet, Griffin, because of his faith, is kind, seeking to help others whenever he can, and resists retaliation against his enemies. What if it could be said of all of us Christians as it is to Griffin: “You showed me a God who wasn’t some steeple or pages in a book but a living Person who cared.”

Lillian Hartwick travels to the small railroad town of Wellington to help her cousin Elizabeth, who is expecting. When Lillian becomes depressed by the difference between her home city and this hamlet, Griffin takes it upon himself to suggest Lillian help in the mailroom. Lillian learns to love the Wellington people, but how will her rich fiancé (who has been away) feel about the town and her growing friendship with Griffin? Will he understand the town’s desperate needs following the tragedy?

Besides Griffin, I loved the characters of Sarah Covington and Mrs. Bailets. Sarah Covington does not give in to the peer pressure of those around her and succumb to panic, but rather quotes and truly believes verses like Isaiah 40:31-“They that wait on the Lord renew their strength and will mount up with wings like eagles.” Mrs. Bailets seems to be present wherever and whenever there is a need.

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

Notable Quotables:

‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.’ When you got Him leading you, you don’t need nothing else.”– Griffin’s mom

“His understanding is a picture much bigger than ours. And we can leave our hurting questions with Him.”

“You can’t pretend before the Lord. He knows your heart, everything about you.”

“Give this to God… He can carry it.”

“He couldn’t give her hope, though with God there was always hope.”