Tag: Forgiveness

ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, Kregel, NetGalley, PB, Purchase

Hero Debut by Angela Ruth Strong Review

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Hero Debut

Series: Love Off Script, #2

Author: Angela Ruth Strong

Genre: Christian Rom-com

Releases: Aug 29, 2023

“Another sparkling feel-good romance, brimming with perfect doses of heart and heat!”– Bethany Turner, award-winning author of The Do-Over

Gemma Bennett is the leading lady of her own life, and her true love is writing screenplays. With her trusty pink notebook in hand, she signs up for the Citizen’s Safety Academy to research her newest blockbuster hope, a rom-com with a police officer as the hero. And the fact that the handsome and heroic Lieutenant Karson Zellner is the one leading the training? Well, who can blame her for wanting to spend evenings with the man she swooned over months ago when he responded to a call at her apartment?

Karson already has his fair share of problems before Gemma shows up, and he’s not exactly a fan of the ditzy blonde who can’t seem to stay out of trouble. The last thing he needs is a damsel in distress to rescue; there are plenty of people in real need of his help. The fact that she seems to think his job makes him a superhero is just one more strike against her. This isn’t a movie, and he feels like the furthest thing from a leading man.

Gemma can’t seem to stop doing the worst, most embarrassing things at just the wrong time. And as time goes on, Gemma begins to realize that the scripts for a perfect screenplay and a real-life happily-ever-after are two very different things. Can she step out of her own way to find the hero her story needs?

Click below to get your copy!

https://www.amazon.com/Hero-Debut-Novel-Angela-Strong/dp/0825447933

About the Author

Angela Ruth Strong sold her first romance novel in 2009, and her books have since earned TOP PICK in Romantic Times, been a finalist for the Christy, won the Cascade Award, and become Amazon bestsellers. Her book Finding Love in Big Sky released as a movie in 2022. To help aspiring authors, she started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho, and she blogs for Inspy Romance and My Book Therapy. Get to know her even better at http://www.angelaruthstrong.com.

My Impressions

“He’d become my hero when he came to my house to protect me…Is what brought him to me also going to separate us?”

Strong knocks it out of the park with Hero Debut!! The sequel to her popular rom-com Husband Auditions, this novel tells the tale of Barbie-like Gemma Bennet. Gemma enters Citizen’s Safety Academy looking for her screenplay hero, but she learns a lot in her disappointing search. Will her hero eventually emerge? Will she be prepared, or will they both cling to baggage of their perceived emotional pasts that threatens to draw the curtain early? I loved the title with its double entendre.

Written in 1st person POV, alternating mostly between Gemma and Karson Zellner, we traipse through a few weeks in the happy, but incident-prone life of Gemma. You’ll laugh uproariously all the way through this faith-based rom-com that delivers serious truths. You will benefit from the lessons, whether single or married for many years.

I loved that Strong shows us that even the protagonists we are rooting for, are not perfect. Perceptions of the past affect relationships, and two people going through the same event can experience it differently. Bravo for pointing that out!

Gemma’s roommates Kai and Charlie are present as a great foil, as are some special children. Then there’s Karson’s jovial former partner, Drew Harris. “He’s his own spotlight.”

Chock-full of quotes I will remember for a long time and pop references aplenty, I appreciated Strong’s outlook on life and even the rom-com category. She set the bar high for herself, then exceeded it, “Because the best romantic comedies have depth and meaning that make the humor poignant.”

I can’t wait for Charlie’s story, coming next as Fiancé Finale!

I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher. I also received an ebook copy via NetGalley. Plus I pre-ordered my own copy to give away. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“If you’re going to write about police, don’t romanticize our job. We give out tickets, we arrest people, and we use our firearms when needed. We’re the ones who show up after a crime has been committed. Nobody wants to see us. Though we risk our lives to protect the public, they often attack us for doing our jobs.”

“We find what we look for… And I prefer to look for the beauty and joy in life. It’s out there.”

“There are three types of people in this world. Sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs.”

“Her eyes are on me, scratching the itch of my heart.”

“Nobody is a hero all the time. We’re just all in training.”

“I don’t know if you believe in God, but His love is the only perfect love. It’s the kind that redeems when the love we’d hoped to get from other people lets us down.”

“I’ve never been in this much trouble before. I make Ramona the Pest look good.”

“I really like this thing called gratefulness. It not only helps us endure situations we never would have planned for ourselves, but it enables us to turn our sorrows into joy.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Such an excellent, fun rom-com! Strong writes some of the best!!

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

A Summer at Thousand Island House by Susan G Mathis Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: A Summer at Thousand Island House

Author: Susan G. Mathis

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 25, 2023

She came to work with the children, not fall in love.

Part-nanny, part entertainer, Addison Bell has always had an enduring love for children. So what better way to use her creative energy than to spend the summer nannying at the renowned Thousand Island House on Staple’s Island? As Addi thrives in her work, she attracts the attention of the recreation pavilion’s manager, Liam Donovan, as well as the handsome Navy Officer Lt. Worthington, a lighthouse inspector, hotel patron, and single father of mischievous little Jimmy.

But when Jimmy goes missing, Addi finds both her job and her reputation in danger. How can she calm the churning waters of Liam, Lt. Worthington, and the President, clear her name, and avoid becoming the scorn of the Thousand Islands community?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than twenty-five times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has eleven in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Peyton’s Promise, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Rachel’s Reunion, Mary’s Moment and A Summer at Thousand Island House. Her book awards include three Illumination Book Awards, four American Fiction Awards, two Indie Excellence Book Awards, and four Literary Titan Book Awards. Reagan’s Reward is a Selah Awards finalist. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.

More from Susan

BEHIND THE SCENES AT A SUMMER AT THOUSAND ISLAND HOUSE

I’ve been writing about the Gilded Age for several years now. A Summer at Thousand Island House is my eleventh published story, and I had so much fun creating it. The American Gilded Age was a time of rapid technical advances, industrialization, and thousands of new inventions from about 1870-1910. Mark Twain coined the term in his 1873 novel The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today that satirized the era of social problems that were masked by a layer of thin, gold gilding.

It’s a fascinating time in history, especially in the Thousand Islands. I grew up just twenty minutes from the Thousand Islands in upstate New York. Actually, half of the 1,864 islands are in NY and the other half in Ontario, Canada. All of my books are set during the Thousand Islands Gilded Age, when the wealthy came and scooped up the islands and built lavish summer homes, mansions, and castles.

It was an era of economic growth and wages were higher than Europe, so massive immigration drew about twenty million to the U.S. shores. Unfortunately, it was also a time of unequal distribution of wealth where the rich got richer and the poor working class suffered.

Many young women worked as servants until they married, and that’s what my stories are about—those nameless, faithful women who cooked and cleaned and served tables for the rich and famous. These “downstairs” women had fascinating stories to tell, and I plan to tell many of them.

All my novels are based on a specific place in the Thousand Islands and are the true stories of the owners of that island. So, my plot is generally true. There really was an entertainment pavilion on Staple’s Island where the patrons of Thousand Island House enjoyed all kinds of amenities, including a daycare. And US Presidents, including President Grant and President Chester Arthur (whom you meet), vacationed at Thousand Island House.

Then I overlay the storyline of the fictional servants to create the story. This makes my stories a bit more challenging, but I love a good challenge. Addison Bell cares for children. Liam Donovan manages the pavilion and Navy Officer Lt. Worthington, a lighthouse inspector and single father, comes and goes.

And all of my Thousand Islands’ stories have hope as the central theme. Hope for a better future. Hope for love. Hope for healing. A Summer at Thousand Island House also focuses on healing broken hearts and embracing God’s redemption.

Mathis’s attention to detail and rich history is classic Mathis, and no one does it better.—Margaret Brownley, N.Y. Times bestselling author

My Impressions

“Please, Lord, may this summer change my life.”

Be careful if you pray that prayer! You don’t always know what you’re asking for! Addison Belle certainly did not! But she was hopeful for something bigger and better than her life so far.

Susan K Mathis takes us back in time to the Thousand Islands of New York during the Gilded Age. Addi Belle is the female protagonist of A Summer at Thousand Island House. She comes from a rural background to be a daytime recreation teacher for young children, 4-8 yrs old, of the hotel’s clientele.

Addi does a marvelous job of teaching and training the six young children she has each day. While she takes her responsibility to educate, recreate, and train about God very seriously, most consider her a glorified babysitter.

“As far as your duties, you are required only to keep the children safe and quiet.”

This is her boss, Liam Donovan’s job description for her. He is quite delighted to see her teacher qualities of compassion and redirection in play. Others, like Miss Gert, hold a grudge against Addie and do everything they can to cause trouble. Still another character causes considerable trouble by his own selfishness and inability to consider the needs of others.

I enjoyed the attraction for each other that Attie and Liam fight. However, knowing the strict rules against male/female fraternization among staff or among staff and guests, I have to wonder about whether an attraction could really develop into something more.

I also wondered, as a former elementary teacher, about whether 4-8 year olds could truly guess at the meaning of the daily quotes Addie uses.

All in all, though, a fun story. I received a copy of the book via Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Great! Enjoyable Christian Romance of the Gilded Age

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 18

Alena Mentink, July 18

Karen Baney Reviews, July 19

Books You Can Feel Good About, July 19

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 20

She Lives To Read, July 20

Texas Book-aholic, July 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 22

Connie’s History Classroom, July 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 23

Book Looks by Lisa, July 24

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, July 25

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 26 (Author Interview)

Back Porch Reads, July 26

The Book Club Network, July 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 28

Holly’s Book Corner, July 28

Cover Lover Book Review, July 29

Blossoms and Blessings, July 30

Blogging With Carol, July 31

Pause for Tales, July 31

For Him and My Family, August 1

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/26b9c/a-summer-at-thousand-island-house-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

A Summer at Thousand Island House by Susan G Mathis Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: A Summer at Thousand Island House

Author: Susan G. Mathis

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 25, 2023

She came to work with the children, not fall in love.

Part-nanny, part entertainer, Addison Bell has always had an enduring love for children. So what better way to use her creative energy than to spend the summer nannying at the renowned Thousand Island House on Staple’s Island? As Addi thrives in her work, she attracts the attention of the recreation pavilion’s manager, Liam Donovan, as well as the handsome Navy Officer Lt. Worthington, a lighthouse inspector, hotel patron, and single father of mischievous little Jimmy.

But when Jimmy goes missing, Addi finds both her job and her reputation in danger. How can she calm the churning waters of Liam, Lt. Worthington, and the President, clear her name, and avoid becoming the scorn of the Thousand Islands community?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than twenty-five times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has eleven in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Peyton’s Promise, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Rachel’s Reunion, Mary’s Moment and A Summer at Thousand Island House. Her book awards include three Illumination Book Awards, four American Fiction Awards, two Indie Excellence Book Awards, and four Literary Titan Book Awards. Reagan’s Reward is a Selah Awards finalist. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.

More from Susan

BEHIND THE SCENES AT A SUMMER AT THOUSAND ISLAND HOUSE

I’ve been writing about the Gilded Age for several years now. A Summer at Thousand Island House is my eleventh published story, and I had so much fun creating it. The American Gilded Age was a time of rapid technical advances, industrialization, and thousands of new inventions from about 1870-1910. Mark Twain coined the term in his 1873 novel The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today that satirized the era of social problems that were masked by a layer of thin, gold gilding.

It’s a fascinating time in history, especially in the Thousand Islands. I grew up just twenty minutes from the Thousand Islands in upstate New York. Actually, half of the 1,864 islands are in NY and the other half in Ontario, Canada. All of my books are set during the Thousand Islands Gilded Age, when the wealthy came and scooped up the islands and built lavish summer homes, mansions, and castles.

It was an era of economic growth and wages were higher than Europe, so massive immigration drew about twenty million to the U.S. shores. Unfortunately, it was also a time of unequal distribution of wealth where the rich got richer and the poor working class suffered.

Many young women worked as servants until they married, and that’s what my stories are about—those nameless, faithful women who cooked and cleaned and served tables for the rich and famous. These “downstairs” women had fascinating stories to tell, and I plan to tell many of them.

All my novels are based on a specific place in the Thousand Islands and are the true stories of the owners of that island. So, my plot is generally true. There really was an entertainment pavilion on Staple’s Island where the patrons of Thousand Island House enjoyed all kinds of amenities, including a daycare. And US Presidents, including President Grant and President Chester Arthur (whom you meet), vacationed at Thousand Island House.

Then I overlay the storyline of the fictional servants to create the story. This makes my stories a bit more challenging, but I love a good challenge. Addison Bell cares for children. Liam Donovan manages the pavilion and Navy Officer Lt. Worthington, a lighthouse inspector and single father, comes and goes.

And all of my Thousand Islands’ stories have hope as the central theme. Hope for a better future. Hope for love. Hope for healing. A Summer at Thousand Island House also focuses on healing broken hearts and embracing God’s redemption.

Mathis’s attention to detail and rich history is classic Mathis, and no one does it better.—Margaret Brownley, N.Y. Times bestselling author

My Impressions

“Please, Lord, may this summer change my life.”

Be careful if you pray that prayer! You don’t always know what you’re asking for! Addison Belle certainly did not! But she was hopeful for something bigger and better than her life so far.

Susan K Mathis takes us back in time to the Thousand Islands of New York during the Gilded Age. Addi Belle is the female protagonist of A Summer at Thousand Island House. She comes from a rural background to be a daytime recreation teacher for young children, 4-8 yrs old, of the hotel’s clientele.

Addi does a marvelous job of teaching and training the six young children she has each day. While she takes her responsibility to educate, recreate, and train about God very seriously, most consider her a glorified babysitter.

“As far as your duties, you are required only to keep the children safe and quiet.”

This is her boss, Liam Donovan’s job description for her. He is quite delighted to see her teacher qualities of compassion and redirection in play. Others, like Miss Gert, hold a grudge against Addie and do everything they can to cause trouble. Still another character causes considerable trouble by his own selfishness and inability to consider the needs of others.

I enjoyed the attraction for each other that Attie and Liam fight. However, knowing the strict rules against male/female fraternization among staff or among staff and guests, I have to wonder about whether an attraction could really develop into something more.

I also wondered, as a former elementary teacher, about whether 4-8 year olds could truly guess at the meaning of the daily quotes Addie uses.

All in all, though, a fun story. I received a copy of the book via Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Great! Enjoyable Christian Romance of the Gilded Age

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 18

Alena Mentink, July 18

Karen Baney Reviews, July 19

Books You Can Feel Good About, July 19

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 20

She Lives To Read, July 20

Texas Book-aholic, July 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 22

Connie’s History Classroom, July 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 23

Book Looks by Lisa, July 24

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, July 25

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 26 (Author Interview)

Back Porch Reads, July 26

The Book Club Network, July 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 28

Holly’s Book Corner, July 28

Cover Lover Book Review, July 29

Blossoms and Blessings, July 30

Blogging With Carol, July 31

Pause for Tales, July 31

For Him and My Family, August 1

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/26b9c/a-summer-at-thousand-island-house-celebration-tour-giveaway

ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, Purchase

Over the Horizon by Penny Zeller Review

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Over the Horizon

Series: Horizon Series, Bk 1

Author: Penny Zeller

Released: July 18, 2023

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

A most unusual proposal…

Alone in 1870s Idaho Territory, Paisley Abbott has nowhere to turn. With no other options, she finds herself consenting to an unconventional, but mutually beneficial agreement.

During an unplanned return to his family’s farm, prodigal Tyler Shepherdson inherits three orphans. When Tyler finds a woman hiding in the back of his wagon, an idea begins to form and he makes a rash decision that results in perhaps one of the most spontaneous marriages of convenience ever.

Despite an unorthodox beginning to their marriage, will Paisley and Tyler trust God as they forge ahead to create a home for three children? Will love arise from a desperate situation?

In the first book in the Horizon Series, travel to the late 1800s to the town of Horizon in the Idaho Territory with a cast of unforgettable characters, journeys of faith, and abundant humor.

About the Author

Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics.

Today Penny is a multi-published author of over a dozen books. She is also a homeschool mom and a group fitness instructor. Her desire is to assist and nurture women into a closer relationship with Christ.

When Penny is not dreaming up new characters, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters and camping, hiking, canoeing, reading, running, gardening, and playing volleyball.

Penny is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and loves to hear from her readers at her website, http://www.pennyzeller.com, her blog, http://www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pennyzellerbooks. To sign up for her monthly newsletter with book news and other fun morsels, go to https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/262119/74964679867237940

My Impressions

“You will marry me, Paisley. Your pa agreed to it.”

“…she was desperate. And sometimes, in those extremely desperate moments, one does foolish things.”

Penny Zeller is an upcoming author I look for, esp. in the world of historical fiction. Over the Horizon, book one of her series, Horizon, is set in Idaho Territory in 1872. I was quickly drawn into the narrative as Paisley Abbott resists the bullying attempts of Ivan Marchesi to marry her.

While Paisley’s escape isn’t unique in the book or movie world, the events, communication, and thoughts leading to her marriage to Tyler kept me reading. I love marriage of convenience stories, and loved seeing how much Paisley and Tyler had to learn to adjust in order to make the marriage work. “Besides, if he wanted his new marriage to grow and succeed, he’d have to mend the tension between them, just like mending the broken fence.” So realistic, this novel!! So like real life in its conflicts for newlyweds and new parents, esp. for those who are foster or adoptive parents. If you love children, your heart will go out to Albert, Lucy, and little Mae!!

I loved how Paisley kept the faith by reminding herself of God’s faithfulness in the past! We need to do the same in our own lives.

Paisley and Tyler’s problems, including those with Ivan, seem to increase after the marriage. The marriage is not easy, contrary to Tyler’s expectations. “…he knew nothing about being a father. Being a husband was likely much easier.” This made me howl!

Another recurring event that made me LOL was the way that Paisley wouldn’t lie. But she sure found some interesting, unique ways of tiptoeing around the truth!

I highly recommend this book! It is so heartwarming as it tells of five unique characters thrown together to create a family! Shades of late 1800s western Brady Bunch concept.

After reading the advance blurb for the next book, I cannot wait! It will be Mae’s story!

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

Notable Quotables:

“While he was ill-equipped at being a father and the burdens of caring for his new family seemed all too much, he would succeed by the grace of God.”

“Just remember, when you marry, it’s a vow forever—through the good, through the bad, and through the times in the middle.

“Say the right word this time, Tyler. Your future, and perhaps your life, may depend on it.”

“However, I serve a God who is the Author of miracles.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!

I felt like I was watching a reality show from the 1880s, if they had them then! But the main players were determined to follow God.

ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, Love Inspired Suspense, Purchase

Mountain Abduction Rescue by Darlene Turner Review

Babbling Becky L
Releases August 22, 2023

About the Book

Title: Mountain Abduction Rescue

Series: Crisis Rescue Team

Author: Darlene L Turner

Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Releases: August 22, 2023

A wildfire threat…

becomes a missing person search.

A serial arsonist is out for revenge in the Canadian Rocky Mountains—and kidnaps park warden Hazel Hoyt’s son and his camping troop. Now Hazel must team up with the man who broke her heart, firefighter Mitchell Booth, to find the missing boys as wildfires blaze around them. But someone has no intention of letting the pair get off the mountain alive…

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

Crisis Rescue Team

Book 1: Fatal Forensic Investigation
Book 2: Explosive Christmas Showdown
Book 3: Mountain Abduction Rescue
Book 4: Buried Grave Secrets

My Impressions

“ ‘God’s got this.’ Did He? It didn’t feel that way.”

Another great rescue story by Darlene L Turner! Why read Mountain Abduction Rescue?

First, The cover. This cover with a purple background, a pit, and a mountain lion at the mouth… Yikes!! Your heart will be beating in double time before you even start this romantic suspense book!

Secondly, Author Darlene Turner is known as “Turn a Page Turner” because of her constant, electrifying action. Terrified and helpless describes the feelings I had much of the time reading Mountain Abduction Rescue! A firebug is setting fires all over Micmore National Park, killing trees, wildlife, and people. But his sights are set on one particular, hapless family.

Thirdly, Familiar characters. With Micmore National Park (Alberta, CA) Warden Hazel Hoyt and

Wildfire Unit leader Mitchell “Boomer” Booth, we have characters we have previously met, whose carefully reconstructed lives are now unraveling. While Hazel chafes under the extreme gruffness of her father-boss, Mitchell deals with the loss of family relationships and a hostile boss.

Fourthly, Familiar situation. While there may not be serial firebugs and arsonists in the northern Rocky Mountains, few Canadians or Americans are untouched by the wildfires. I find that this story actually brings hope that the courageous firefighters battling the real-life blazes will be successful!

My heart was in my mouth as I waited to see if Hazel and Mitchell would be able to rescue her 8 yr-old-boy, Jackson, and his friends. Also, so much past to overcome both in family relationships and in romantic ties. Will there be a romance for Hazel and Mitchell? Will they survive to consider it? I saw part of the ending coming, but part took me by complete surprise.

While Frank, Hazel’s father, takes pride in training her and Jackson about survival, it isn’t his stern words that help her when she is desperate. It is the soft admonition of her mother: “Whenever your strength is gone, look to your Father. The One who holds you in the palm of His hands. He’ll provide endurance. Trust Him. Trust in yourself.”

I also loved that though Mitchell seems unable to turn to God, God uses him and his late mother’s faith nuggets to build up Hazel. “When you don’t know what to say, be silent. Just be present. Listen and pray for guidance.” Indeed, God’s Word does not return void!

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

Notable Quotables:

“In order to move forward in life, you need to look back at your troubles and deal with them. It’s then you will find peace.”

“I’m no expert on God, but I remember my mom saying once that sometimes we may not understand His silence, but He will answer. In His timing.” “But what if I don’t like the answer?” “Then He will give you the strength to endure the storm.”

“I’ve learned throughout the storms in life that God doesn’t give us more than we can handle. He’s right there with us in the thunder. We just need to look to the horizon.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! I was very, very nervous by the time I finished this book! I didn’t have to imagine the Canadian wildfire smoke, either! ( We could see and smell the real thing!)

ARC, Barbour, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, NetGalley, PB, Purchase

Man of Shadow and Mist by Michelle Griep

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Man of Shadow and Mist

Series: Of Monsters and Men, #2

Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction, Romance

Release: May 2023

“The world seems full of good men—even if there are monsters in it.”
–Bram Stoker, Dracula

England, 1890

Vampires are alive and well in North Yorkshire, leastwise in the minds of the uneducated. Librarian Rosa Edwards intends to drive a stake through the heart of such superstitions. But gossip flies when the mysterious Sir James Morgan returns to his shadowy manor. The townsfolk say he is cursed.

James hates everything about England. The weather. The rumours. The scorn. Yet he must stay. His mother is dying of a disease for which he’s desperately trying to find a cure—an illness that will eventually take his own life.

When Rosa sets out to prove the dark gossip about James is wrong, she discovers more questions than answers. How can she accept what she can’t explain—especially the strong allure of the enigmatic man? James must battle a town steeped in fear as well as the unsettling attraction he feels for the no-nonsense librarian.

Can love prevail in a town filled with fear and doubt?

About the Author


I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I’ve been writing since I discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I write–except for that graffiti phase I went through as teenager.

My Impressions

“I am an outsider. I have always seen things differently, and it puts people on edge. Makes them nervous when their long-held beliefs are challenged.”

“How do I love thee? Let count the ways.” No, I am not talking about the relationship between the heroine, Rosa Edwards, and either of the possible love interests, Sir James Morgan or Albin Mallow. Rather, I speak of the wonder of the novel that is Man of Shadow and Mist by Michelle Griep. The spooky, inviting cover!! Spell-binding. Mesmerizing. Unpredictable. Full of true faith. Great Quotes. Masterful. Griep is a Wordsmith extraordinaire. ( ie: “A few more word grenades launched from Mallow and the situation would explode Miss Edwards’s reputation to shreds.” or

“Morgrave Manor was as pleasant as a cold slap to the cheek.” (Can’t you just feel that one?!! ) And so many other great visual word pictures I want to share but will save for you to discover!!

How can two solitary individuals fight ugly, local superstitions and rumors that villanize a rich, transplanted family? As evil happenings increase and coincide with either the appearance of Sir James Morgan or ill weather, gossip runs rampant and feelings get out of hand.

I loved that Rosa Edwards is brave enough to stand against public opinion and defend her new friend against ridiculous, unfounded claims. I also love to see that while her parents are eager to marry her off, she maintains a special connection and understanding with her father. This is not true in most books in the time of arranged marriages.

Sir James is tall, good looking, and underneath all his frightening demeanor, the kindest, most thoughtful, caring man I’d ever want to meet. With an amazing faith that doesn’t require God to answer prayers in his favor.

The parson and Mrs. Hawkins are both secondary characters whose influence is greatly needed and freely bestowed, without being judgmental. Will James and Rosa take their timely words to heart?

I love how Griep inserts Bram Stoker himself and his manuscript into the novel. Talk about an Easter egg. This has got to be a Fabergé! Each chapter begins with quote from Dracula by Bram Stoker.

I recommend this extraordinary novel for historical fiction lovers, faith quote lovers, possibly Jaime Jo Wright readers, and Dracula lovers.

I received complimentary copy from the author through Barbour Books, and also through Cekebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought a 3rd copy to give away. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“Lady Dorina hails from Transylvania, the historical birthplace of such monsters.” Mrs. Edwards sniffed. “My family roots tie back to Ireland, sir, but that doesn’t make me a leprechaun.”

“If God wor so small tha’ thou could understan’ ‘im, ‘e would not be good enuff ta stand wi’ thou in all that ye face. Every one of us needs a God who is bigger than we credit, else ‘e ‘ood not be God.”

“Expect the good Lord ta give thou a glass o’ water when yer parched, ta grant thou rest when weary, ta gi’ miracles ‘n mercy ‘n a regular dose o’ comfort when thou needs. But the one thin’ thou shouldn’t expect—ever—is for ‘im ta show up lookin’ like thou might imagine.”

‘Tis the moment thou lets go of thy expectations tha’ God can fettle wi’ ye. ‘Til then, ye’ve not surrendered, thou see?”

“It’s not what goes into the body that makes one an infidel, but what comes out of the heart.”

“Ye can trust that God will grow each of His true children into His likeness in His own time and in His own way.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent!! I love how Griep can take the Gothic and make it thrilling, full of word candy, faith-filled, and logical as well!!

Giveaway

This first post of Man of Shadow and Mist is a personal giveaway. I am giving away one paperback copy of Man of Shadow and Mist. Unfortunately, this copy arrived with a crease in the cover. Leave your name and email if you want to be in the drawing, which I will conduct on Tuesday, June 6th. I will email the winner on June 7th.

ARC, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, Love Inspired Suspense, New-to-Me Author

A Cry in the Dark by Jessica R Patch Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: A Cry in the Dark

Author: Jessica R. Patch

Genre: Inspirational Psychological Thriller

Release date: February 28, 2023

Deep in the Kentucky hills, three women have been found brutalized and murdered.

But the folks in Night Holler have their own ways and their own laws.

And they’re not talking…

Led to an isolated Appalachian Mountain town by a trail of disturbing murders, FBI special agent Violet Rainwater’s determined to catch a serial killer with a twisted agenda. With locals refusing to reveal their secrets, Violet’s only ally is Detective John Orlando. But even John has an ulterior motive—he’s convinced this case is connected to his wife’s murder.

As they dig deeper, Violet uncovers a link to her own unresolved past. For years she’s worked the cold case of her mother’s abduction, which had led to her birth. The need to look into the eyes of the sinful man who fathered her consumes Violet. Until she can, she’ll never have peace. Because she’s terrified she might be exactly like him.

In this chilling novel, when the present collides with Violet’s mysterious past and John’s tragic loss, they must unravel the warped, sinuous connections before the killer strikes again. But solving the case might not be nearly as terrifying as the possibility that Violet’s finally found her roots…

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Jessica R. Patch is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author known for her dry wit, signatures twists, and complex characters. She loves reading true crime books, discussing cold cases over chips and salsa with her girlfriends, and hunting down serial killers in her romantic suspense novels and psychological thrillers.

Jessica loves to encourage and inspire people to forward living through her Forward Friday Blog posts and through her monthly email newsletter. You can join the Patched In community at her website: http://www.jessicarpatch.com.

She resides in the Memphis area with her husband, two young adult children, and her spoiled tri-color Shetland Sheepdog. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.

More from Jessica

A Cry in the Dark can’t be compared to Scooby Doo, but I can thank Scooby Doo for being my first introduction into the world of mystery and all matter of things that go bump in the night. But, in the end, the masks of darkness are always revealed in the light and are exposed. Justice served. This is why I write gritty crime fiction/psychological thrillers outside of my Love Inspired Suspense books.

In Luke 22:53 NLT, they come to arrest Jesus and crucify Him. “Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.”

Darkness gets one moment. Just one. When they crucify and kill Him. But we know what happens next! Light bursts out of that dark tomb and victory is ours. We’re rescued in darkness from darkness into marvelous light.

In a thriller, darkness gets its moment. I don’t shy away from those tough things. The Bible didn’t shy away from it! We read about a Levite who gave cruel men his concubine which they abused all night until she died, and then he cut her up into parts and sent her to the tribes! God never approves of darkness, nor does He edit it out or sanitize the people. We see the depravity of humans when walking apart from God all through the Bible. And honestly, I’m glad He doesn’t edit out things I’d rather not see or read about. God works in broken people’s lives and through brokenness to accomplish His redemptive purposes. I’m broken. You’re broken. He can use the righteous as well as the wicked. I need to be reminded that without Him, I could fall into those same traps (not cutting up women but… you know) and I need to know that despite my weakness and brokenness, God can and will still use me!

A Cry in the Dark has some violence and darker subject matter (though it is not graphic in real time) because darkness gets a moment…and then hope reaches in, hears the cries in the dark of broken people, and rescues them. And in the end, that’s what this book is about. A great and powerful rescue mission out of darkness and into light!

My Impressions

“And Reeva knew in that moment, she’d birthed a monster.”

“Monsters can’t be fixed.”

Whew! I made it out of Jessica R Patch’s latest book, A Cry in the Dark, alive! Some characters, due to the nature of this thriller-chiller, won’t.

Violet Rainwater, part of the Strange Crimes Unit, joins her teammates in the hollers of Kentucky to ferret out “The Blind Eye Killer,” who is tormenting his victims before he ends their lives. Violet is good at profiling killers, but her real reason for her career choice is to have better access to tools to find her father. Her background closes her off from everyone, and God wasn’t around when she needed Him, either. She believes the lies she has been told about herself all her life. Will she always be “unloved and unwanted”?

John Orlando is part of the Memphis Missing Persons Unit. He offers his services to the team, knowing he may be able to discover information about his late wife’s tragic death. Will the truth be more than he can handle?

This is the first novel I have read by Jessica Patch. It can stand alone well. Oh, but the willies!! I didn’t bargain for quite so many when I chose this book. But Patch has a way of luring the reader in deeper, into the dark recesses of the human psyche, until you simply MUST place yourself in the heroine’s shoes and figure out the mystery. I loved that a wide variety of suspects is offered up like a smorgasbord. All seem like viable candidates. Patch will have your mind and heart twisting and turning like a wild coaster ride as you attempt to follow the action.

Best of all, though, light breaks through the darkness at the end. God does not stay silent, but as Violet discovers, He was there waiting all the time. “But I couldn’t reach out until I recognized that I needed to reach…and then…I found God had already stretched out His arm to meet mine. He grabbed ahold, and He didn’t let go.”

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

Notable Quotables:

She had never been smart enough, good enough, kind enough, behaved enough…nothing. Even when she went into law enforcement, it wasn’t enough for Reeva. For Grandmother.

“We might start out havin’ to survive, Agent. But we can turn survivin’ into thrivin’.”- Mother

It’s hard to know who you are when you’ve been told for so long who you’re supposed to be.

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! Incomparable Psychological Thriller!

Blog Stops

The Sacred Line, May 23

Genesis 5020, May 23

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 24

Walking Fruitfully, May 24

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 25

Betti Mace, May 26

Cover Lover Book Review, May 26

Pause for Tales, May 27

Texas Book-aholic, May 28

For Him and My Family, May 28

Simple Harvest Reads, May 29 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Blogging With Carol, May 30

Blossoms and Blessings, May 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 31

Splashes of Joy, May 31

Godly Book Reviews, June 1

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, June 1

Holly’s Book Corner, June 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 3

amandainpa, June 3

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 4

JESUS in the EVERYDAY, June 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jessica is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed paperback of Her Darkest Secret!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/26265/a-cry-in-the-dark-celebration-tour-giveaway
Barbour, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, NetGalley, New-to-Me Author

When Tomorrow Came by Hannah Linder Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: When Tomorrow Came

Author: Hannah Linder

Genre:Christian Fiction / Historical / Romance

Release date: April, 2023

They Waited Their Whole Lives for Their Papa to Return

Nan and Heath Duncan, siblings abandoned by their papa and abused by their guardian, have no choice but to survive on the London streets. When a kind gentleman rescues Nan from such a life, the siblings are separated and raised in two vastly different social worlds. Just when both are beginning to flourish and years have healed some of their wounds, their long-awaited papa returns and reunites them—bringing demands with him. Nan is expected to marry a rich suitor she’s never liked, and Heath is expected to forsake his gentle spirit and become the hardened man his father always was.

Dangers unfold, secret love develops, fights ensue, and murder upsets the worlds Heath and Nan have built for themselves.

They’ve waited their whole lives for their papa to return, for tomorrow to come—but now that it has, will they be able to see through to the truth and end this whirlwind of a nightmare before it costs one of their lives?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels. She is a double 2021 Selah Award winner, a 2022 Selah Award finalist, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Hannah is a Graphic Design Associates Degree graduate who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, and International bestsellers. She is also a local photographer and a self-portrait photographer. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments—piano, guitar, and ukulele—songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse. To follow her journey, visit hannahlinderbooks.com.

More from Hannah

Love interests me. Not just in the romantic sense, but in every sense, because love is the driving emotion behind so much of what we do. It’s the heartbeat of everything. What do we have but love? Yet isn’t it the very essence of our greatest pain?

Sometimes it doesn’t make sense. Sometimes love has no reason. Like a tumultuous wind or a wet branch that sways in different directions, love is often petulant and aimless and powerful. But sometimes it’s soft, like a flower lifting dewy petals to the sunshine. The epitome of everything good, sweet, and true.

What makes love change? What makes two friends who have always been fraternal one day confess romantic affection? How much wrong, how much affliction, does it take for sweet love to sizzle into hatred? Even then, is it really hatred? Or merely the charred crust of the adoration still throbbing beneath? And how strong are the cords of new love? Will they break at every pull and tug, or are they more unfaltering than anyone might think?

Maybe those are silly questions. Maybe, like snowflakes, every heart knows a different answer. But if I explored anything in When Tomorrow Came, it was this. I glided through the story and felt love shift from brotherly to intimate, from hopeful to disappointed, from untested to proven, from safe to betrayed.

Just as love is the heartbeat of life, it is also the heartbeat of this story. I hope you will find yourself falling in love with the characters and their journey as much as I did.

My Impressions

“When’s Papa coming back?” “Today or tomorrow.”

Young, starving, street urchin siblings from London in the 1800s are separated and raised quite differently, in When Tomorrow Came by Hannah Linder. Nan is raised in high society, by the Stanhope family, with a special attachment to her older foster brother, Gilbert. Nan’s brother Heath is taken in by a poor, caring rector, who teaches Heath how to show people the love of God. This is a balm to my reader’s heart, as Heath is so abused as a child that he cannot understand or love a God who allows many horrible things to happen on His earth.

When Heath and Nan’s absentee biological father finally reappears, the expected bliss of belonging and unconditional love do not come with him. Instead, a papa they don’t remember, who is given to drink, meanness, lies, and threats has arrived.

I did love Nan and Heath and their devotion to each other, as well as Gilbert and Nan’s relationship of deep sibling love. Loftus and Temperance added much to the story. While I loved Mr. Stanhope for his wisdom and caring ways, he was not as developed as other characters.

Linder paints great, but not pretty, pictures of child poverty, abuse, and the machinations of minds bent on revenge.

The loyalties we see in different relationships are beautiful, but choking for Nan and Heath, in the case of their father.

I found the narratives hard to follow as there is no distinction or separation between which characters are being discussed. I had to go back and re-read many times, when the character discussion switched with no warning to the reader, from one sentence to the next.

While an emotionally-charged novel, I had trouble becoming fully engaged until the last third, when it seemed finally all story seeds sprouted. Action, danger, suspense, mystery, romance- it all seemed to come together here and the novel became unputdownable.

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

Notable Quotables:

“Why couldn’t he just grab her onto his lap, hum the old songs, and be the papa the little girl inside of her still needed?”

“Perhaps it is as important to forgive as to ask for it.

“Love was too powerful to die, so it shriveled and formed into something new. A kind of hatred. A bitterness…”

“There was no changing what already was. There would never be room for tomorrow until Papa let go of every yesterday—and all of its hurt.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Great! I enjoyed the story.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, April 28

To Everything There Is A Season, April 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 29

Connie’s History Classroom, April 30

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, April 30

Lily’s Book Reviews, May 1

Genesis 5020, May 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 2

Betti Mace, May 3

Book Looks by Lisa, May 3

Labor Not in Vain, May 4

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, May 4

Cover Lover Book Review, May 5

Blogging With Carol, May 6

For Him and My Family, May 6

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 7

Where Faith and Books Meet, May 8

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 8

Holly’s Book Corner, May 9

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 10

Splashes of Joy, May 10

Pause for Tales, May 11

Books I’ve Read, May 11

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/25adf/when-tomorrow-came-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

Finding Miss Fairfield by Grace Hitchcock Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Finding of Miss Fairfield

Author: Grace Hitchcock

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: August 29, 2022

When an engagement of convenience becomes anything but convenient . . .

Forced into a betrothal with a widower twice her age, Charleston socialite, Sophia Fairfield is desperate for an escape. But, while her fiancé is away on business, he assigns his handsome stepson, Carver, the task of looking after his bride-to-be. Much to her dismay, Sophia finds herself falling in love with the wrong gentleman—a man society would never allow her to marry, given Sophia was supposed to be his new stepmother. The only way to save Carver from scandal and financial ruin is to run away, leaving him and all else behind to become a Harvey Girl waitress at the Castañeda Hotel in New Mexico.

Carver Ashton has had his life planned out for him since birth, but when he encounters Sophia Fairfield, he glimpses a new life—apart from his overbearing stepfather’s business. But, when the woman he loves disappears before he can express his devotion, Carver abandons all to find her. However, his stepfather has other intentions for Sophia and will stop at nothing until she is his bride . . . even if it is against her will.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives in the New Orleans area with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter. Connect with her online at GraceHitchcock.com.

More from Grace

Q: What type of fiction do you write? What is it about this type that appeals to you? 

Grace Hitchcock: I write historical romance with a dash of suspense, unless it was for my true crime books which have a bit more than a dash of suspense  For my American setting novels, The Gilded Age speaks to me as it was a time of change for women. While still having that epic romance feel with balls and dancing and courtships with a sweet romance, women were breaking ground and making history and pairing that with the fact that it was a time of emerging inventions, it is an all-around exciting era to research, read, and write.

Q: Who were the Harvey Girls?

Grace Hitchcock: Whenever I tell people I am writing about a Victorian Harvey Girl romance, they usually assume the Harvey Girls are associated with an old-time saloon, but nothing could be further from the truth. In the 1890s, there were not many respectable jobs for women, so when Englishman Fred Harvey created his chain of fine dining restaurants along the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroads, single women without an education, or in need of earning their own way, were given a chance to earn an honest wage without the speculation that they offered anything else but food as a service. With Mr. Harvey’s strict rules about the waitress’s code of conduct, the women were given their independence while still maintaining their good name and place in society under the protective, fatherly arm of Fred Harvey. These extraordinary, brave women became known as the Harvey Girls, the ladies who tamed the Wild West with fine china, good pie, and exceptional service with complete propriety.

While Harvey Houses were built to serve the needs of the passengers on the rail to encourage tourism in the west, the railroad workers and local townsmen also dined at the restaurant, but usually at the lunch counter. At a time when men filled towns and women were scarce, inevitably, a railroad worker or townsman would express interest in marrying a Harvey Girl. In order to marry, she would need to fulfill her work contract or risk paying a fine of a month of salary. The fine was set in place to ensure that Fred Harvey would have enough workers and that he wouldn’t simply train a girl to have her shipped to a town of bachelors and leave him without a waitress.

As you can probably tell, such a set up sends an author’s head to spinning with all the romance that could come from a woman venturing out on her own in a land filled with cowboys, bandits, ranchers, and farmers. The possibilities for romance are endless! There is so much more I could write about these fascinating ladies and their contributions to society, but I hope you enjoyed this taste of history on the Harvey Girls!

Q: What are your publications? And what are you currently working on? 

Grace Hitchcock: After signing with The Steve Laube Agency in 2015, I sold three novellas to Barbour Publishing and then, in March 2019, I released my debut novel, The White City, from Barbour Publishing and signed for a second novel, The Gray Chamber.

My latest release, His Delightful Lady Delia,concludes my 3-book American Royalty series for Bethany House Publishers and hit the shelves in November 2022.

This spring, I signed with Kregel Publications for my first ever REGENCY series!!!! I am thrilled for this dream come true!

While I wait for its release, I’m keeping busy editing and writing book two in my Harvey Girls Aprons & Veils series, The Pursuit of Miss Parish.

The Pursuit of Miss Parish summary:

Love’s gentle promise becomes nothing more than a withered dream.

With dreams of love and a hope for belonging, shy Belle Parish leaves her position as a maid in Charleston to travel to New Mexico with her best friend to become mail-order brides. Colt Lawson’s letters hold great promise and while his devilishly handsome face matches his picture, something does not add up. Discovering his lie only moments before they wed, Belle flees the church and straight into the Castañeda Hotel Harvey House. Giving up the prospect on ever marrying, she dons her nun-like uniform and focuses on her role as a Harvey Girl waitress until a strong, former Texas Ranger rides into her life.

Colt Lawson didn’t want to send that letter to Belle Parish in the first place, but her first response had all but captured his heart. When he is left standing at the altar alone, he is left with two choices—either release his dream of a love marriage, or attempt to win her heart. Wooing her would be a lot easier if that Texas Ranger wasn’t back in town. Who wants a dusty rancher with a past when she could have a shining knight in a Stetson?

While you wait for The Pursuit of Miss Parish to release in Summer 2023, please be sure to check out book one in my brand-new Harvey Girl series set at the historical Hotel Castañeda, The Finding of Miss Fairfield, a tale about Charleston socialite who is on the run from an engagement of convenience.

Happy reading, friends!

My Impressions

Grace Hitchcock has once again crafted a compelling novel involving faith, romance and suspense. My heart was in my throat as I followed Sophia’s path from Charleston to New Mexico. God allowed many unsavory, threatening, and greedy people in Sophia’s life. Will she ever get a chance to see what life could be like, following only God and her own decisions?

Another great look at the Harvey Girl empire: the girls, the rules, the camaraderie and the competition.

You will be glued to your seat as you flip pages to see if Sophia and Carver can have a future together, or whether evil will overcome. The power of loyalty, friendship, and forgiveness all stood out to me in amazing detail. Bravo!!

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

Notable Quotables:

“I long to fly, but I am caught in a cage forged by society and propriety. I am only good for singing my despondent songs of things lost and only exist to entertain all that look upon me . . . never meant to be free.”

“She was not going to be silent any longer. Sometimes actions were the best way to be heard.”

“You sound like a dying cat.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! The action and suspense never stops!

Blog Stops

Connie’s History Classroom, March 12

Christina’s Corner, March 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 13

Genesis 5020, March 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 14

deb’s Book Review, March 14

Texas Book-aholic, March 15

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, March 15

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 16

Splashes of Joy, March 16 

Melissa’s Bookshelf, March 16

Vicky Sluiter, March 17

Cover Lover Book Review, March 17

Simple Harvest Reads, March 18 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, March 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 19

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 19

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 20

For Him and My Family, March 20

Blogging With Carol, March 21

Back Porch Reads, March 21

Artistic Nobody, March 22 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

EmpowerMoms, March 22

She Lives To Read, March 23

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, March 23

Pause for Tales, March 24

Holly’s Book Corner, March 24

Mary Hake, March 24

Lights in a Dark World, March 25

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, March 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away the grand prize package of $50 Amazon gift card, a signed copy of the book, a bookmark, and a book magnet!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/24b7a/the-finding-of-miss-fairfield-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

Finding Miss Fairfield by Grace Hitchcock Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Finding of Miss Fairfield

Author: Grace Hitchcock

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: August 29, 2022

When an engagement of convenience becomes anything but convenient . . .

Forced into a betrothal with a widower twice her age, Charleston socialite, Sophia Fairfield is desperate for an escape. But, while her fiancé is away on business, he assigns his handsome stepson, Carver, the task of looking after his bride-to-be. Much to her dismay, Sophia finds herself falling in love with the wrong gentleman—a man society would never allow her to marry, given Sophia was supposed to be his new stepmother. The only way to save Carver from scandal and financial ruin is to run away, leaving him and all else behind to become a Harvey Girl waitress at the Castañeda Hotel in New Mexico.

Carver Ashton has had his life planned out for him since birth, but when he encounters Sophia Fairfield, he glimpses a new life—apart from his overbearing stepfather’s business. But, when the woman he loves disappears before he can express his devotion, Carver abandons all to find her. However, his stepfather has other intentions for Sophia and will stop at nothing until she is his bride . . . even if it is against her will.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives in the New Orleans area with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter. Connect with her online at GraceHitchcock.com.

More from Grace

Q: What type of fiction do you write? What is it about this type that appeals to you? 

Grace Hitchcock: I write historical romance with a dash of suspense, unless it was for my true crime books which have a bit more than a dash of suspense  For my American setting novels, The Gilded Age speaks to me as it was a time of change for women. While still having that epic romance feel with balls and dancing and courtships with a sweet romance, women were breaking ground and making history and pairing that with the fact that it was a time of emerging inventions, it is an all-around exciting era to research, read, and write.

Q: Who were the Harvey Girls?

Grace Hitchcock: Whenever I tell people I am writing about a Victorian Harvey Girl romance, they usually assume the Harvey Girls are associated with an old-time saloon, but nothing could be further from the truth. In the 1890s, there were not many respectable jobs for women, so when Englishman Fred Harvey created his chain of fine dining restaurants along the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroads, single women without an education, or in need of earning their own way, were given a chance to earn an honest wage without the speculation that they offered anything else but food as a service. With Mr. Harvey’s strict rules about the waitress’s code of conduct, the women were given their independence while still maintaining their good name and place in society under the protective, fatherly arm of Fred Harvey. These extraordinary, brave women became known as the Harvey Girls, the ladies who tamed the Wild West with fine china, good pie, and exceptional service with complete propriety.

While Harvey Houses were built to serve the needs of the passengers on the rail to encourage tourism in the west, the railroad workers and local townsmen also dined at the restaurant, but usually at the lunch counter. At a time when men filled towns and women were scarce, inevitably, a railroad worker or townsman would express interest in marrying a Harvey Girl. In order to marry, she would need to fulfill her work contract or risk paying a fine of a month of salary. The fine was set in place to ensure that Fred Harvey would have enough workers and that he wouldn’t simply train a girl to have her shipped to a town of bachelors and leave him without a waitress.

As you can probably tell, such a set up sends an author’s head to spinning with all the romance that could come from a woman venturing out on her own in a land filled with cowboys, bandits, ranchers, and farmers. The possibilities for romance are endless! There is so much more I could write about these fascinating ladies and their contributions to society, but I hope you enjoyed this taste of history on the Harvey Girls!

Q: What are your publications? And what are you currently working on? 

Grace Hitchcock: After signing with The Steve Laube Agency in 2015, I sold three novellas to Barbour Publishing and then, in March 2019, I released my debut novel, The White City, from Barbour Publishing and signed for a second novel, The Gray Chamber.

My latest release, His Delightful Lady Delia,concludes my 3-book American Royalty series for Bethany House Publishers and hit the shelves in November 2022.

This spring, I signed with Kregel Publications for my first ever REGENCY series!!!! I am thrilled for this dream come true!

While I wait for its release, I’m keeping busy editing and writing book two in my Harvey Girls Aprons & Veils series, The Pursuit of Miss Parish.

The Pursuit of Miss Parish summary:

Love’s gentle promise becomes nothing more than a withered dream.

With dreams of love and a hope for belonging, shy Belle Parish leaves her position as a maid in Charleston to travel to New Mexico with her best friend to become mail-order brides. Colt Lawson’s letters hold great promise and while his devilishly handsome face matches his picture, something does not add up. Discovering his lie only moments before they wed, Belle flees the church and straight into the Castañeda Hotel Harvey House. Giving up the prospect on ever marrying, she dons her nun-like uniform and focuses on her role as a Harvey Girl waitress until a strong, former Texas Ranger rides into her life.

Colt Lawson didn’t want to send that letter to Belle Parish in the first place, but her first response had all but captured his heart. When he is left standing at the altar alone, he is left with two choices—either release his dream of a love marriage, or attempt to win her heart. Wooing her would be a lot easier if that Texas Ranger wasn’t back in town. Who wants a dusty rancher with a past when she could have a shining knight in a Stetson?

While you wait for The Pursuit of Miss Parish to release in Summer 2023, please be sure to check out book one in my brand-new Harvey Girl series set at the historical Hotel Castañeda, The Finding of Miss Fairfield, a tale about Charleston socialite who is on the run from an engagement of convenience.

Happy reading, friends!

My Impressions

Grace Hitchcock has once again crafted a compelling novel involving faith, romance and suspense. My heart was in my throat as I followed Sophia’s path from Charleston to New Mexico. God allowed many unsavory, threatening, and greedy people in Sophia’s life. Will she ever get a chance to see what life could be like, following only God and her own decisions?

Another great look at the Harvey Girl empire: the girls, the rules, the camaraderie and the competition.

You will be glued to your seat as you flip pages to see if Sophia and Carver can have a future together, or whether evil will overcome. The power of loyalty, friendship, and forgiveness all stood out to me in amazing detail. Bravo!!

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

Notable Quotables:

“I long to fly, but I am caught in a cage forged by society and propriety. I am only good for singing my despondent songs of things lost and only exist to entertain all that look upon me . . . never meant to be free.”

“She was not going to be silent any longer. Sometimes actions were the best way to be heard.”

“You sound like a dying cat.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! The action and suspense never stops!

Blog Stops

Connie’s History Classroom, March 12

Christina’s Corner, March 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 13

Genesis 5020, March 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 14

deb’s Book Review, March 14

Texas Book-aholic, March 15

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, March 15

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 16

Splashes of Joy, March 16 

Melissa’s Bookshelf, March 16

Vicky Sluiter, March 17

Cover Lover Book Review, March 17

Simple Harvest Reads, March 18 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, March 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 19

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 19

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 20

For Him and My Family, March 20

Blogging With Carol, March 21

Back Porch Reads, March 21

Artistic Nobody, March 22 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

EmpowerMoms, March 22

She Lives To Read, March 23

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, March 23

Pause for Tales, March 24

Holly’s Book Corner, March 24

Mary Hake, March 24

Lights in a Dark World, March 25

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, March 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away the grand prize package of $50 Amazon gift card, a signed copy of the book, a bookmark, and a book magnet!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/24b7a/the-finding-of-miss-fairfield-celebration-tour-giveaway