Tag: Hope

ARC, Barbour, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour

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

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Undercover Heiress of Brockton

Author: Kelly J. Goshorn

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release Date: August 1, 2025

A Socialite in Disguise Seeks Truth and Justice

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

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

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

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

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

More from Kelly

A Little Swedish Flavor

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

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

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

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

Kalops (Swedish Beef Stew)

Recipe courtesy of Skandibaking.

SERVINGS: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

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

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

3 large carrots

1 stalk celery

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

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

2-3 bay leaves

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

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

SERVED WITH: 7 large potatoes

INSTRUCTIONS

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

My Impressions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notable Quotables:

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

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

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

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

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 27

Pens Pages & Pulses, August 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 28

Mornings at Character Cafe, August 28

Texas Book-aholic, August 29

Devoted To Hope, August 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 30

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 31

Blogging With Carol, August 31

Hannahbandanarama, September 1

For Him and My Family, September 1

Stories By Gina, September 2 (Author Interview)

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

She Lives To Read, September 3

Mary Hake, September 3

Book Looks by Lisa, September 4

Books Less Travelled, September 4

Blossoms and Blessings, September 5

Bizwings Book Blog, September 6

Holly’s Book Corner, September 6

Lily’s Corner, September 7

Jodie Wolfe, September 7

Pause for Tales, September 8

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 9

Cover Lover Book Review, September 9

Giveaway

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

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

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

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

What I Left for You by Liz Tolsma Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: What I Left for You (Echoes of the Past Book Three)

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release date: December 1, 2024

A Family’s Ties Were Broken in Poland of 1939

1939
Helena Kostyszak is an oddity—an educated female ethnic minority lecturing at a university in Krakow at the outbreak of WWII. When the Germans close the university and force Jews into the ghetto, she spirits out a friend’s infant daughter and flees to her small village in the southern hills. Helena does everything in her power to protect her family, but it may not be enough. It will take all of her strength and God’s intervention for both of them to survive the war and the ethnic cleansing to come.

2023
Recently unengaged social worker McKenna Muir is dealt an awful blow when a two-year-old she’s been working with is murdered. It’s all too much to take, so her friend suggests she dive into her family’s past like she’s always wanted. Putting distance between herself and her problems might help her heal, so she and her friend head on Sabbatical to Poland. But what McKenna discovers about her family shocks everyone, including one long-lost family member.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping.

More from Liz

I stared at my computer screen in front of me. For years, I had been searching for my great-grandmother, Anna. I got no good information. Census records in the US weren’t helpful. Some listed her birthplace as Czechoslovakia, while others had it as Austria. I had heard before that she might have been born in Czechoslovakia before, but never Austria. There were no records that I had come across that listed the city or town where she was born.

Until that one day. While searching for my great-grandmother, I ran across a passport application recorded in Warsaw, Poland, for an Anna with the same last name, though spelled differently. Her birthday was listed as 1903, which matched the birth year I knew for my great-grandmother’s niece. As I read through the application, my heart was pounding. This Anna was born in the United States but went to Dubne, Poland, with her family in 1906. It was now 1923, and she wanted to return to the US, and she would be living with…

I started to cry when I saw who her sponsor was. My great-grandfather. The name and address were correct. There could be no doubt about it. It had taken me years, but I finally made the jump to Europe and discovered that my great-grandmother was not born in Czechoslovakia but in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire and is now Poland.

Of course, good little researcher that I am, I had to find out all I could about Dubne, the town they were from. That’s when I first came across the term Lemko. What on earth was that?

Lemkos are a Slavic people that settled in the Carpathian Mountains of Southern Poland, Northern Slovakia, and Western Ukraine. They are also known as Lemko Rusyns, Rusyns (especially those born in Slovakia, like my great-grandfather), and Carptho-Rusyns. The mountains kept the world at bay, and they developed their own language, customs, and form of Christianity. For the most part, they were very poor, many of them eking out a living from the rocky ground.

They lived in “black houses,” called that because the poorest people couldn’t afford to have a chimney built. The smoke from the cooking and heating fires stayed inside the house and covered the walls with black tar. If you look at the cemetery records from Dubne, you would be old if you lived into your fifties. Conditions were brutal.

The most the average Lemko could afford was one sheep or one pig. Since this was their most prized possession, they couldn’t take the chance of a wild animal or a neighbor taking it away, so it lived in the house with them.

With all of them. Up to eleven people would live in a two-room house. When I mentioned that in What I Left for You, my editor questioned if I had made a mistake. No, I didn’t. I have no idea how they fit all those people in there, but they did. As I was tracking one branch of our family tree, I kept coming up with people living in house 43. Over and over and over. They stuffed that house full. Grandparents, parents, and children all lived together. They may not have had much, but that forged the Lemkos into strong and resilient people.

I’m proud to be Lemko-Rusyn, and I’m thrilled to share this story with you. I infused Helena, the historical heroine, with as much of the Lemko spunk and spirit as I could. Last October, my daughter and I had the privilege to travel to Poland and Slovakia and see the Lemko homeland for ourselves. It helped me to write a better, richer story because I now understand where they came from and who they were. Enjoy Helena’s story and her journey during WWII and beyond. I hope you come to understand and appreciate the Lemko people as much as I have.

My Impressions

“No matter what, God.”

If you have read other reviews of What I Left for You by Liz Tolsma, you probably have already seen this quote, most likely headlining the review. I wanted to pick another quote, and there are several that I will mention later, but in order to face the darkness that is presented in this book, you need hope to hang on to. The darkness isn’t graphic, but we are dealing with persecuted Jews and other unwanted minorities, work camps, and unspeakable evil that we can only pray to learn from to avoid a repeat. 

Tolsma starts her puzzle (for indeed, that is what a dual timeline is) with a young Polish Lemko woman, Helena, who is a guardian of a small child in Nazi-occupied Poland. The other woman is a recently unattached, present-day social worker, McKenna. A Pennsylvania native, McKenna has also been responsible for a young child’s safety. 

I love how an author (Tolsma is so good at this) starts at the end of a combined story, but takes us back to the beginning of each separate thread and very slowly weaves the strands together. Each chapter starts with a line from the tragic “Song of Lemkoveyna.”

A glossary, pronunciation guide, and explanation of who the Lemkos are, is in the front of the book and most helpful. I still wished for a map, due to my own unfamiliarity with Eastern Europe. 

Tolsma draws the reader into her novel with her first ominous paragraph, expertly setting the tone of dark expectation and dread. Indeed, as we read, and even the characters question God’s presence, slowly, the seeds of faith are being tended in hearts. Slowly, some look upwards in this harrowing tale, realizing that ultimately, “evil will never win. God’s good always triumphs.” 

Also, a word of advice given is “ Remember the good.” That is exactly what first Jerzy, then later Helena do in order to survive the deplorable conditions they find themselves in. Even 

McKenna, as she searches her ancestral homeland for clues to a long-lost relative, begins to view her difficult life differently. We can’t change what happens, but we can certainly change our perception of those events. 

This is such a compelling book! You won’t be able to put it down. Grab some tissues, your fave comfort animal and drink, and settle in to learn about a minority persecuted in WWII that you probably had never heard of before. Discover the strength of the mother-child bond, and the immense love for one’s homeland. As we consider the lengths that Jerzy, Helena, and others go for love, ask yourself, how far would I go for another? Would I try to make it on my own power, or would I needs look upwards?

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

Notable Quotables:

“Happiness flies away on butterfly wings. Contentment is enduring. Lasting.”

“Everything about me was icy. My fingers. My cheeks. My toes. My heart. My soul.”-  Helena

“You don’t have a crystal ball or a direct line to God.” “Ah.” Taylor sat back, broke the chocolate bar in half, and took a bite. “That’s where you’re wrong. I do have a direct line to God. It’s called prayer.” “But you can’t see into the future.” “I do know who controls what’s going to happen.”

 “Every life is precious, created by God for a special purpose, so we aren’t going to leave you.”

“O tonight, and only for tonight, I would trust the Lord to watch over us. Tomorrow I would have to make the choice whether or not to put my faith in Him once again.”- Helena

“In times of war, we put our own needs aside and give our best to the greatest good.”

“From here the Lord will lead us in the way we should go. If we can’t trust Him, there is no one to trust.”– Jerzy

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent!! The darkness of WWII Poland is permeated by the Light of Hope. Liz Tolsma does WWII Inspirational fiction so well!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 7

lakesidelivingsite, January 7

Lots of Helpers, January 8

Pens Pages & Pulses, January 8

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 9

Life on Chickadee Lane, January 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 10

Texas Book-aholic, January 11

Connie’s History Classroom , January 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 13

For Him and My Family, January 13

Stories By Gina, January 14 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, January 14

Holly’s Book Corner, January 15

Betti Mace, January 16

Jeanette’s Thoughts, January 16

Bigreadersite, January 17

Blossoms and Blessings, January 17

Pause for Tales, January 18

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, January 18

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, January 19

Lights in a Dark World, January 19

Cover Lover Book Review, January 20

Giveaway

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

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54125

ARC, Bethany House, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, NetGalley, PB, Purchase

Hope Like Wildflowers by Pepper Basham Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Hope Like Wildflowers

Author: Pepper Basham

Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction

Release date: October, 2024

An Appalachian Girl Seeks a Place to Belong
Return to the mountains of 1910s Appalachia with beloved author Pepper Basham to discover Kizzie McAdams’s story.

Kizzie McAdams spent her childhood longing to see beyond the mountains of home, but when her job as a servant in a landowner’s house results in an unplanned pregnancy, her world tips into uncertainty and heartbreak. Disowned by her father, she seeks comfort in the arms of the man who promises to take care of her, but his support is conditional and inconsistent. She finds acceptance in the home of a nearby family who not only offer Kizzie friendship but point her to a deeper understanding of God’s love.

Despite her change of heart, her status as a social outcast brings with it continued threats and alienation so she flees her past in hopes of starting over in a nearby town. But her new world carries many of the same prejudices as the old. It also brings the unexpected friendship of businessman Noah Lewis, a man who lives with the same desire as Kizzie for helping the marginalized.

Unfortunately, Kizzie and Noah’s attempts to help those in need pit them against Noah’s elder brother, a powerful mill owner who holds control of the family finances. Is Kizzie and Noah’s growing romance strong enough to battle family power, social expectations, and Kizzie’s past to capture their happy ending? And when Kizzie’s first love returns to claim her, which future will she choose?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Pepper Bashamis an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroads and Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

More from Pepper

It’s pretty easy to overlook wildflowers.

I mean, until they show off all their pretty colors, especially in the middle of a barren place, then they’re noticed and usually appreciated but did you know there’s a lot more to wildflowers that…meets the eye?

Apart from providing food and shelter for smaller animals and/or insects or assisting bees in pollination, wildflowers can be used as an ingredient for healing remedies and contribute to soil health and reduce erosion.

Especially in places where other plants aren’t likely to grow. They’re known as “hardy” because they can survive all sorts of weather conditions, extreme temperature, animal damage, even drought.

So why am I talking about wildflowers??

Because, in lots of ways, wildflowers are a great example of what hope looks like.

  1. Hope nourishes. Romans 15: 14 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” When we recall and reflect on what the Bible says about who we are in Christ, our hearts are encouraged and given the spiritual energy they need to remind ourselves of truth in the middle of hard times and wilderness-living.
  2. Hope spreads – Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” A heart filled with the knowledge of the love of God is a heart filled and “overflowing” with hope…and that hope is contagious. When we know whose we are and what our future looks like because of the One who loves us, we live in joy…even when the storms come.
  3. Hope restores and heals: “Isaiah 40:31 reads, “For those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
  4. Hope protects – Psalm 62:5-6 “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.” Life is hard. Sometimes, bone-achingly, soul-shakingly hard. If we’re reliant on our own ability to protect our faith or mind or soul, we will fail. We’re not strong enough and neither is any of our human defenses, but God is amply able to protect us from the storms, trials, and droughts that mean to wither our hope. HE is the hero of our heart’s story and he is armed to overcome so we can trust Him with our hope and our futures.
  5. And hope grows in the hard places. Hope does not consist of weak or wishful thinking, it grows out of nutrients squeezed from the soil it has. Hard-won, many times. Romans 5:3-4 “ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” A life with Christ doesn’t mean that pain is taken away, but there is a promise and purpose in the pain. The promise that God is with us and a purpose that He is making us more like Him.

Hope Like Wildflowers tells the story of hope, but the main character, Kizzie, isn’t relying on her own abilities to keep her hope strong. Oh no! She learned to trust in the only One who is strong enough to BE her hope. He nourishes her heart when her life has turned upside down and she’s been forsaken. He restores and heals her when she’s been broken and cast out. He protects her from dangerous men who try to hurt her, but also he protects her heart from choosing the wrong path. And through the hard places of life, Kizzie’s hope overflows in joy to touch the lives of those around her.

And it’s beautiful and unexpected.

Like wildflowers.

How has God helped bring hope to your life? What trials has His hope helped you through?

My Impressions

“Somehow, even in the middle of broken dreams, God touches the raw, painful remnants with a teensy bit of stardust.”

Pepper Basham invites us back to the 1910s in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where people are still divided by their socio-economic and racial status. This book, Hope Like Wildflowers,  is so well-titled! As Basham explains, wildflowers will fight their way up through mountain rock and other areas that one would think impossible soil. Yet, beauty springs out of surprising hardship. It is leaning into the Rock that is bigger and stronger than ourselves that gives strength to endure and overcome. We cannot do it on our own, as Nella encourages Kizzie.  “Life is hard, Kizzie. You can look for easy in all kinds of places, but more likely than not, that easy turns to its own kind of hard. The real test is what you do when the hard comes. There’s bound to be more times in life than not that the hard gets too big for your own shoulders. That’s why you need someone bigger, stronger, wiser.” 

What a journey you will go on with young Kizzie McAdams. We first see a bedraggled, rejected, pregnant, poor, mountain girl struggling to survive. But as Kizzie begins to spend time with her friends John and Nella, she begins to see there is a different road to life available, if she chooses. One that she will not have to walk alone. At first, it seems Kizzie will get trampled and tossed aside by those who are bigger and stronger. Every decision she makes will have you yearning with her as you see her difficult choices. 

Fortunately, Faith is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. As Kizzie makes decisions and moves to leave her old life behind, life actually gets harder in many ways. Will she return to her old ways, to the promised security, or will she continue to step out in faith and love?

Ms. Basham pens her novel with beautiful descriptions of the Appalachians, slices of local color, and great relatable characters with tough choices. While part of a series, this book can stand alone. Highly recommended, especially for fans of Catherine Marshall’s Christy. 

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

Notable Quotables:

“It’s difficult to smile when your focus is on things that rarely lead to joy.”

“Sometimes the very best folks rise out of a second chance because they know what they’ve been forgiven of.”

“My mama says that our true self rises to the top when we’re mad or when no one’s looking.”-Kizzie

“The Lord don’t want nothing to do with the likes of me, Nella.” “Well, that just goes to show how little you know about the Lord. The broken kind’s who He’s been after from the start.”

“True compassion cared with a steel spine.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! What a poignant time to read Hope Like Wildflowers- when Appalachia must again wade through a very difficult time, but is buoyed by the strength and resilience of its people and their hope for the future!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 30

Melissa’s Bookshelf, October 30

Life on Chickadee Lane, October 31

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 31

Devoted To Hope, November 1

Texas Book-aholic, November 1

Lighthouse Academy Blog, November 2 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 3

Wishful Endings, November 4

Book Looks by Lisa, November 4

Sylvan Musings, November 5

For Him and My Family, November 5

lakesidelivingsite, November 6

Blossoms and Blessings, November 6

Connie’s History Classroom, November 7

Labor Not in Vain, November 7

Holly’s Book Corner, November 8

An Author’s Take, November 8

Back Porch Reads, November 9

Inklings and Notions, November 9

Cover Lover Book Review, November 10

Pause for Tales, November 11

Just Your Average reviews, November 11

To Everything There Is A Season, November 12

Vicky Sluiter, November 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Pepper is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon eGift card and a print copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5482

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, Love Inspired Suspense

The Garden Girls by Jessica Patch Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

Blog Stops

Book Looks by Lisa, September 5

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 6

Inspired by Fiction, September 7

Stories By Gina, September 8 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 8

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 9

Texas Book-aholic, September 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 11

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 13

Simple Harvest Reads, September 14 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Blogging With Carol , September 15

For Him and My Family, September 16

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 16

Holly’s Book Corner, September 17

Just Your Average reviews, September 18

About the Book

Book: The Garden Girls

Author: Jessica R. Patch

Genre: Thriller

Release date: April 23, 2024

On a remote Outer Banks island, a serial killer collects his prized specimens. And to stop him, an FBI agent must confront his own twisted past.

FBI agent Tiberius Granger has seen his share of darkness. But a new case sets him on edge. It’s not just the macabre way both victims—found posed in front of lighthouses—are tattooed with flowers that match their names. There’s also the unsettling connection to the woman Ty once loved and to the shadowy cult they both risked everything to escape.

Bexley Hemmingway’s sister has gone missing, and she’ll do anything to find her—including teaming up with Ty. That may prove a mistake, and not just because Ty doesn’t know he’s the father of her teenaged son. It seems the killer is taunting Ty, drawing everyone close to him into deeper danger.

As the slashing winds and rain of a deadly hurricane approach the coast of North Carolina, the search leads Ty and Bex to an island that hides a grisly secret. But in his quest for the truth, Ty has ignored the fact that this time, he’s not just the hunter. Every move has been orchestrated by a killer into a perfect storm of terror, and they will need all their skills to survive…

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 devotionals through her monthly email newsletter. You’re invited to join the Patched In community at her website: http://www.jessicarpatch.com and receive a FREE short thriller, Nobody Has to Know.

She resides in the Memphis area with her husband and her spoiled tri-color Shetland Sheepdog since becoming empty nesters. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.

More from Jessica

Does Dark Subject Matter Belong in Inspirational Thrillers?

Spoil alert! Yes.

I am often asked why I write thrillers with darker subject matter and should I? My answer is easy and it’s biblical.

In the Bible, you’ll find all sorts of twisted, dark subject matter. Simply read the book of Judges. God didn’t sanitize the Bible or the people, which include sexual immorality, murder, gruesome violence against women and even cannibalism and child sacrifice (you won’t find child sacrifice in my books, so rest assured). He didn’t approve of these things nor did He condone them, but He also didn’t edit it out for easy reading pleasure. It was important to reveal the dark human condition and what happens apart from God; many heinous things were perpetrated by God’s people as they edged away from their faith into disobedience.

Reading this darker subject matter is hopeful because it reminds us of who we, too, can become apart from God actively in our lives and that God can still accomplish His redemptive purposes in the midst of that darkness. Light shines and is a beacon of hope. Of salvation.

So I don’t shy away from the underbelly of humanity whether it’s through an unbeliever or a believer who has run off the rails and needs brought to repentance and restoration. Light always shines in my books—God rescues, redeems, reconciles and redirects. I’m willing to go there in my stories because I know that it doesn’t stay dark. It doesn’t stay hopeless because we are never without hope.

In The Garden Girls, I wanted to explore that darkness but not with pointy horns and pitchforks. I think we all run from blatant evil that isn’t hiding or masking itself. But what about when evil masquerades as an angel of light? What about when it’s charming, smells good, offers pleasure, and seems harmless? Like a shiny lure that is attractive but when bitten, hooks and binds the unsuspecting victim. Biblical principles and truths weave through the story and in at the heart, it’s a redemptive story. One that takes hurricane force to bring a man to Truth, and choice to bow his heart and yield to sacrificial love.

My Impressions

“I don’t believe anything in our life is wasted. This shell is chipped and broken. Been tossed by the waves. No control and yet it’s here on this beach. It’s not so far destroyed that I can’t recognize what it’s meant to be or find the beauty in it. I think the broken shells have stronger, richer stories than those I find that are in mint condition.”

Jessica Patch has penned another very memorable thriller, The Garden Girls. While Book 3 in FBI: Strange Crimes Unit, Garden Girls stands well on its own.

Young women are disappearing, without a trace until tattooed bodies begin appearing by lighthouses in North Carolina. The Special Crimes Unit is activated and sets up a home base in the Outer Banks. Returning there id difficult for one of their members, Ty Granger. Years ago, he escaped a religious cult based there in the mountains. Plus, his former girlfriend, Bexley Hemingway, lives in the area. 

I liked how the Special Crimes Unit is like a family. They look out for each other. Especially in Ty’s case, the members are closer to him than his real family. Yet, his real family with its twisted past has left an indelible mark on Ty. He may have escaped the cult. He may be the religious behavioral analyst on the team, but he refuses to go from belief in one over-controlling religion to faith in God, which he considers another controlling religion. While several of Ty’s teammates are believers, Ty feels they are in a cult just as dangerous as the one of his youth. 

This is a very gritty novel that explores the darkness of man’s depravity without God. We see how dark the mind of the seri*l kill*r is. We even see how dark is the hopelessness that Ty experiences when that same mastermind has almost totally outwitted him. “This went far deeper than a killer wanting revenge. This was a killer who wanted complete dominion over Ty.” Ty begins to lose all hope. Will  God step in and begin to show up for him?

“Without hope, there was no meaning in life. The ocean was vast and shadowy, always reminding her that darkness lurked and was immense, terrifying and unpredictable, but when dawn peeped over the horizon it brought light to the darkness and color. Vibrant and beautiful. That was hope—light piercing the darkness, overwhelming it with its glory and majesty, bringing a new day and fresh mercy. Light chased away shadows and sparkled on the shores, beckoning one to come and stand in its presence with outstretched arms and to be wrapped in its warmth. Yielding to hope was possible.” Ty has been self-sufficient for so long. Finally, the terrifying hurricane and the fiend Ty and his team are chasing bring Ty to the end of himself. Will he give up or let go and let God?

I always like to write down a guess mid-way through the book when I’ve figured out the culprit. I missed it by a mile. Patch does a great job of tangling the clues together like knotted fishing line. 

I recommend this book for those who are fans of the NCSI series and its spin-offs. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. 

Notable Quotables:

“And the truth of drawing near to God rang true. He didn’t have to ask. He only had to draw.”

“He needed renewed strength. Not his own strength but something far greater and powerful—more powerful than this hurricane—to allow him to continue. Owen was right.

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great!

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jessica is giving away the grand prize package of a paperback copy of Her Darkest Secret, a paperback copy of A Cry in the Dark and a $35 Amazon gift card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5432

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kregel, New-to-Me Author, Purchase

Justice Delayed by Sarah Hamaker Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Justice Delayed

Author: Sarah Hamaker

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release date: May 15, 2024

Journalist Brogan Gilmore had been a rising star when an unethical shortcut on a story leads to his fall from grace. A chance encounter with convicted murderer Melender Harman a few months after her release from prison provides Brogan with a chance for career redemption—if he can land an interview with her.

After serving her 17-year sentence, Melender has one objective: To uncover the truth about what happened to her cousin the night the toddler disappeared. When Brogan pursues her for an exclusive story, she reluctantly agrees if he’ll help her reexamine the original investigation into Jesse’s presumed kidnapping and murder.

While re-investigating the case, Brogan struggles to keep his objectivity as he begins to believe Melender is innocent of the crime—and starts to envision a possible future together. Then a shocking discovery throws their relationship—and investigation—into turmoil.

As Brogan and Melender come closer to solving what happened to Jesse, will their budding relationship survive the truth?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

An award-winning and best-selling author of inspirational romantic suspense, Sarah Hamaker loves writing books “where the hero and heroine fall in love while running for their lives.” She’s an AWSA certified writer and speaker coach, and podcaster of “The Romantic Side of Suspense.” Sarah lives in Virginia with her husband, four children and three cats.

More from Sarah

When Stories Teach Us Valuable Lessons

As a rather shy child, books became both my friends and teachers. While I had a few close friends, I spent hours of my childhood and teen years reading a plethora of books. I visited far away places and long ago times. I met famous people and viewed historical events. I solved my share of mysteries and wept with the characters over losses. I fell in love with heroes and rooted for heroines to save the day.

Researchers have discovered that literary fiction can improve your capacity to understand what others are thinking and feeling. Literary fiction also teaches us about social behavior, including how to view the world through other people’s eyes. In other words, reading fiction helps us develop empathy as well as allows us to experience the ups and downs of someone else’s life and thus become more able to handle similar situations in our own lives.

While I didn’t set out to write Justice Delayed with this research in mind, early reviews of the book have touched on that theme. For example, one reader said, “One of my favorite quotes is when [Melender, my heroine] defends her action of true forgiveness to [Brogan, my hero], ‘It was for my good and His eternal glory that I went to prison for a crime I didn’t commit. That didn’t mean I gave up trying to find justice in this world-it meant I didn’t despair when justice didn’t come.’ Wow! What a lesson in forgiveness and letting go of bitterness which in turn provided a peace that cannot be matched. She never allowed bitterness to take hold of her heart.”

Another reviewer said this: “Greed, politics and outright evil are a part of story, but the truth and goodness shine through it all as the walls start crumbling down, and you learn what truly happened that night. This was one of the best inspirational suspense books that I have read in quite some time. It left an impression on me, even if the message came from a fictional character.”

And another pointed this out: “Not only did Melender teach those around her how to forgive, but Melender taught me that lesson at well.”

While I had written Justice Delayed five years ago, I recently finished reading the late Tim Keller’s last book, Forgive, which touched on themes I explore in my book. Today, we so often ignore forgiveness as being too hard, too messy to offer and much too difficult to receive. Melender’s story is one example of how you can extend forgiveness even when it’s not been requested and to live a life of forgiveness in extremely arduous circumstances. Keller’s book has challenged me in many ways to forgive more without strings attached.

What have you learned from a book recently?

My Impressions

“Sometimes, the path to redemption takes some strange turns,” she said softly.”

“Brogan, I believe with all my heart God graciously put me in circumstances designed to strengthen my faith.”

Where do I start gushing about Delayed Justice by Sarah Hamaker?  I totally identified with Melender, the 35-yr-old woman, who claims complete innocence of the heinous crime of which she’s been tried, convicted, and served her complete sentence. I also totally understood the thoughts of the disgraced, reformed investigative reporter, Brogan Gilmore, who agrees to help Melender for his own gain. Yet, as he investigates the past with her, more doubts, dangers, and inconsistencies arise. Is this woman he’s falling in love with, as innocent as she claims?

At times, due to Hamaker’s skillful and honest characterizations, I even felt empathy and sympathy for each of the angry, vindictive family members who want nothing more than to ruin the rest of Melender’s life. What amazed me, though, was Melender’s ability to forgive. 

Grandmother Sudie, long dead, is a veritable influence for Jesus’s perfect forgiveness that Melender clings to in prison and lives out. “Child, when we allow anger over wrongs done to us to take root in our hearts, we’re saying to God Almighty that crimes committed against us are worse than crimes committed against Jesus. Our crimes against Jesus were nailed to the cross. How can we hang on to unforgiveness when our Savior does not?”

I understand these words in my head. I have repeated them, and used them in my  own life. But… could I really draw on His power to employ them against such extreme evil done against me by those that should have my best interest at heart?! I am challenged to check my heart against the little foxes, so if there ever is a time when something this extreme were to happen, it will require no big change in my heart. 

Life lessons, drama, fear, ( um, terror, should I say) very even pacing of suspense all the way through the novel had me enthralled. I only put down the book when life forced my hand. This was my first Sarah Hamaker novel, but I am thrilled to see it is also the first in its series! Hamaker’s combination of all the above factors with glorious reminders of life-changing truth could easily elevate romantic suspense to one of my fave categories!! Well done, Ms. Hamaker!!

Fave secondary character? The already passed away great-grandmother Sudie for her great wisdom, and spiritual admonitions given with heaping helpings of love and approval! 

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:

“Find a young man who loves the Lord more than he loves you, and you won’t go wrong.”

“It was for my good and His eternal glory that I went to prison for a crime I didn’t commit. That didn’t mean I gave up trying to find justice in this world. It meant I didn’t despair when justice didn’t come.”

“life isn’t fair, especially to those who haven’t the ability to ensure an equal playing field.”

“Child, just when you think the Almighty has forgotten about our needs, He sends someone or something to remind us of His provision and His promise to never leave us nor forsake us. You remember that when you feel abandoned by Him.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent!! Justice Delayed just knocked out other fantastic romantic suspense novels for my fave in this category that I’ve read in 2024!!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 4

Inspired by Fiction, September 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 5

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 6

Texas Book-aholic, September 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 10

For Him and My Family, September 11

lakesidelivingsite, September 12

Holly’s Book Corner, September 13

Pause for Tales, September 14

Cover Lover Book Review, September 15

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, September 15

Lights in a Dark World, September 16

Stories By Gina, September 17 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sarah is giving away the grand prize package of a $75 Amazon Gift Card, a print copy of Justice Delayed, and the following Justice Delayed-themed swag: Canvas Tote, Notebook and pen, Drink Coaster, Bookmark, and Sticker!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5431

ARC, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, Launch Team, NetGalley, PB, Purchase, Revell

Between the Sound and Sea by Amanda Cox

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Between the Sound and Sea

Author: Amanda Cox

Publisher: Revell

Releases: August 6, 2024

Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Historical, Mystery

Every family has its secrets. Josephina Harris wouldn’t mind if her family still had a few of their own after a lawsuit tarnishes their name. When an opportunity opens to become a temporary keeper of a decommissioned lighthouse on a North Carolina island, she jumps at the chance to escape her small town to oversee its restoration.  

As the work begins, “Joey” discovers strange notes tucked deep in the crevices of the old stone walls–pages torn from a lighthouse keeper’s log signed by someone named Mae who recounts harrowing rescues at sea. Fascinated by a woman lighthouse keeper, Joey digs into the past only to discover there’s never been a record of a lighthouse keeper by that name.

When things start to go amiss on the island, locals are convinced that it is the ghost of the lighthouse keeper and his daughter who were lost at sea during World War II. As Joey sifts through decades of rumors and legends and puts together the pieces of the past, what emerges is a love story–one that’s not over yet.

Multiple Christy Award winner Amanda Cox is your guide upon the raging seas of young love, heartbreaking loss, and learning to risk it all for a chance at happiness in this timeless novel.

About the Author

Before becoming a stay-at-home parent, Amanda Cox spent her time counseling children, families, and individuals through life’s challenging moments. Now she uses those same skills to develop layered characters and stories, bringing them on a journey of hope and healing. A journey she hopes her readers experience in their own lives as they read.

A few of her favorite things are the sanctuary of the great outdoors, the feeling of pen on paper, the sound of her children’s laughter, and exploring new places with her husband of 18 years. (Oh, let’s not forget good fiction and good coffee. She’s addicted to both.) You can stay connected with her latest writing updates at http://www.amandacoxwrites.com. You can find her on social media by searching Amanda Cox Writes

To get a free short story featuring characters from The Edge of Belonging visit: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/fuj7mlfd83

My Impressions

“Regret is a strange animal, son. It makes you create alternate realities inside your head with hindsight as your guide. You long for those imaginary outcomes until it’s a sickness. But there’s also another side to regret… I knew how much it cost to get it wrong.”

Indeed, this twisty, dual-time novel of Amanda Cox, Between the Sound and the Sea, is full of regrets. Walter is desperately trying to make up for his regrets from 60 years earlier. Finn doesn’t know how to step away from his broken past into a safe life. And Joey thinks she can somehow solve her problems by proving her worth to a town who has rejected her. Can these three work together to restore an old Outer Banks lighthouse and solve the mystery of the light keeper and his daughter who disappeared years ago?

Cheers for obscure history revealed! Never would I have guessed WWII was this close to our mainland! Why weren’t we taught this in US history?!

I found myself with the characters saying in my head, “I wish this or that would happen, or wouldn’t have happened.” Or I was guilty as I read, of saying, “Why? Why did [character] do that?!” Whether in reading or real life, it’s so easy to get caught up in the “if only” rut. You can see Amanda Cox’s background as a therapist come through as she explores the characters’ actions and feelings. “It was past time to leave behind the ‘if onlys.’ ‘I’m not sure going backward is ever the answer. We learn what we can from the hard times and keep moving forward.’”

This mesmerizing novel will have you reaching for the Kleenex more than once as Cox visits themes of regret, fear, and heartache. Is there a path for these characters I now love to find peace, forgiveness, hope, and restoration?

Because I love to spotlight secondary characters, I will name Pete as my fave such character. I loved how God used him in the narrative and also how he grew!

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

Notable Quotables:

“But that’s the beauty of love and grace, Cay. The real kind. We don’t have to earn it.”

“God meets us right where we’re at. And maybe things in our lives get broken down and beaten up along the way. The good news is restoration work is kind of His specialty.”

“When people are hurt and scared, they aren’t always able to reason through things well. They can’t see past the pain and fear.”

“I feel like I’ve slipped and fallen into an episode of Scooby-Doo. Send help.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! Cox proves once again why she is a multiple Christy award winner!

ARC, Bethany House, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, NetGalley, PB, Purchase

Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright Review and Giveaway

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Night Falls on Predicament Avenue

Author: Jaime Jo Wright

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Release Date: April 9, 2024

In 1910, Effie James is living a dream for two. Her younger sister is harboring a secret that has left timid Effie determined to fulfill her daring sister’s grand plan of seeking out adventure in their small Iowa town. When a British gentleman arrives, disrupting their peace with efforts to find the wife many claim lived her final days at the now abandoned house at 322 Predicament Avenue, Effie is thrust into intrigue she couldn’t have prepared for. But what she finds inside will forever link her to the scandal staining the house’s walls and to a woman whose secrets promise a curse.

A century later, Norah Richman is living out her late-twin’s dream of running their great aunt’s bed-and-breakfast on Predicament Avenue–a place Norah believes nothing good can come out of after her sister’s abduction and murder thirteen years ago. Her first guest is a crime historian and podcaster, and Norah resolves to stay far away from the charming and enigmatic man–until another guest is found dead. As they dig deeper, something sinister unfurls that will reveal an ominous unknown far greater than the possibility of death itself.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Jaime Jo, the coffee-fueled and cat-fancier extraordinaire, has entwined her life with the legendary Captain Hook, residing serenely in Wisconsin’s rural woodlands.

Her literary vocation involves penning Gothic tales, a baffling change from that of Austenites, with a preference to the master of dark, Edgar Allan Poe.

More from Jaime Jo

True crime did NOT just become popular in this century! Scour the old newspapers for a full and detailed telling of the latest crime. That’s how I got the idea for Night Falls on Predicament Avenue! Yes! I read an old newspaper article from the late 1800’s in which they described in quite delectable detail, the crime scene of a murder in a house with questionable history. That being said, it’s also important to note, that forensics DID just recently become popular in the last 50-100 years. In the 1800’s, if you were murdered, it was common for your neighbor to tour and trample over your crime scene out of curiosity and/or the hope they might be of service in solving the crime. More likely than not, they were merely wanna-be podcast listeners of true crime shows simply born too early for that technological advancement.

My Impressions

“I can hear the darkness.”

“Sometimes findin’ out the truth is too painful. It’s easier to figure out how to get by an’ pretend the past doesn’t haunt you.”

Haunted, I am. Jaime Jo Wright, led by her self-acknowledged muse of Edgar Alan Poe, offers up one of her eeriest novels yet. What makes Wright, with her themes of death and fear so beloved?

For some, it may be the tendency towards the macabre. Wright pens this dual timeline and includes interludes of an unreliable narrator, totally obsessed with death and God’s judgment. At first, I questioned why I was reading something so dark. However, having read several of Wright’s books, I know that eventually the mysteries will be explained, and specters will be unmasked. Eventually, breaking through the dark clouds of the shadow of death, Wright will present that Ray of Hope that shines brightly enough to tunnel through the darkness victoriously.

Small town Shepherd, Iowa, holds secrets as it sees two murders a century apart. In 1901, the bankers’ daughters, Polly and Effie James, witness a terrible occurrence at 322 Predicament Avenue. Polly, terminally ill, becomes almost comatose after being an eye-witness. Effie, the bookish and more rule-oriented of the two, searches for a way to bring her sister back from what she believes is a premature sickness. Society conspires against Effie at every turn. At risk to her own reputation, Effie befriends a newcomer to town and starts investigating with him, breaking every expectation her parents have for her future.

Nearly a century later, Nora Richman owns 322 Predicament Avenue, capitalizing on its dark history to attract visitors to her B and B. A true-crime podcaster comes to stay, ruffling Nora’s nerves as he revives the two murders, one being that of Nora’s twin sister a decade earlier. Nora is a shell of herself since that event, barely able to leave her home, and wants nothing to do with resurrecting the hurtful past. Another death and a second visitor to the house sets in motion a course of events that could totally break Nora.

Fear of death. This is Effie’s predicament. “When a person lived afraid of death, when they could feel death’s cold breath on their neck every moment of the day, there was no courage left to be had. No anticipation. No hope. Only the force of one’s own will to try to outrun the fear before they were eaten alive by it. Before their greatest fear became their worst reality.” Whew, if reading that doesn’t explain Effie’s life and make you, the reader, afraid, I don’t know what will! Anderson, Effie’s English acquaintance, fears something very much.

Nora doesn’t so much fear death as life itself. Nora’s guest, Sebastian, is afraid of something that is altering his life. Nora has so many questions. How can she stop being afraid? Her friend answers, “He left you to live. So live, Norah. Believe there haven’t been mistakes, only a busted-up old world in need of hope.” The real question Wright challenges us, the reader with, is will we surrender to hope or fear? On what basis?

What an incredible wrap-up! I guessed one culprit, but never in a million years would I have nailed the other villain. Wright also drives home the point people are not as we judge them to be.

Bravo, Miss Wright! I’m ready for your next novel of creepy hope!!

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

Notable Quotables:

“Death had been a guest here at Predicament Avenue for decades, and it was clear that Death wasn’t ready to check out quite yet.”

“It’s a’right to admit you’re not a’right.”

“It was as if the sun had gone down at 322 Predicament Avenue the night Naomi’s murdered body had been found, and it had never risen again.”

“What was it about being afraid that pushed a person away from God instead of toward Him?”

“Fear steals our joy and is the agony of those with no hope. It will not define us. Fear is the enemy we will defeat.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!! Nobody can tell a chilling tale like Jaime Jo Wright, yet bring enough hope into it that you are amazed at the journey, begging for more!!

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 10

Devoted To Hope, April 10

By The Book, April 11

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 11

Inspired by Fiction, April 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 12

Texas Book-aholic, April 13

Blossoms and Blessings, April 13

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 14

Blogging With Carol, April 14

Betti Mace, April 15

JESUS in the EVERYDAY, April 15

Live. Love. Read., April 16

For Him and My Family, April 16

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 17 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 17

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 18

Holly’s Book Corner, April 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 19

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 20

Sylvan Musings, April 20

Bigreadersite , April 21

Back Porch Reads, April 21

Lily’s Corner, April 22

Simple Harvest Reads, April 22 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, April 23

Denise L. Barela, April 23

The Lofty Pages, April 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jaime Jo is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 gift card to Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, MI and an autographed 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/2af9e/night-falls-on-predicament-avenue-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, 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, Bethany House, BLOG, Favorite, Kindle, NetGalley, PB, Purchase

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright Review

Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: The Vanishing at Castle Moreau

Author: Jaime Jo Wright

Publisher: Bethany House

Released: April 4, 2023

Genre: Historical Suspense, Mystery, Gothic

A haunting legend. An ominous curse. A search for a secret buried deep within the castle walls.

In 1870, orphaned Daisy François takes a position as housemaid at a Wisconsin castle to escape the horrors of her past life. There she finds a reclusive and eccentric Gothic authoress who hides tales more harrowing than the ones in her novels. As women disappear from the area and the eerie circumstances seem to parallel a local legend, Daisy is thrust into a web that could ultimately steal her sanity, if not her life.

In the present day, Cleo Clemmons is hired by the grandson of an American aristocratic family to help his grandmother face her hoarding in the dilapidated Castle Moreau. But when Cleo uncovers more than just the woman’s stash of collectibles, a century-old mystery and the dust of the old castle’s curse threaten to rise again . . . this time to leave no one alive to tell the sordid tale.

Award-winning author Jaime Jo Wright seamlessly weaves a dual-time tale of two women who must do all they can to seek the light amid the darkness shrouding Castle Moreau.


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

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

My Impressions

“…fear was, and would always be, her closest companion.”

“Welcome to the Hotel California! …You can check out, but you can never leave!” (The Eagles) I heard that song playing over and over in my mind as I read Jaime Jo Wright’s newest Gothic suspense book, The Vanishing at Castle Moreau. What an incredible book! I laughed a lot at Wright’s wicked sense of humor. I was tempted to count the numerous references she inserted to pop culture and literature. (A challenge?) A dual-timeline, the two, possibly three stories tied together well, contrasting and paralleling each other. 2 different young women, in different centuries, answer the call for caretaker to an elderly grandmother who is sequestered in Castle Moreau. For both, it is an escape. But soon, both Daisy and Cleo find there is no escaping the hold of Castle Moreau. Spooky, haunting, yet filled with rays of Hope from faith breaking through, Wright eventually brings her novel to a satisfying non-paranormal conclusion. You don’t want to miss this suspenseful novel with its amazing conclusion from Jaime Jo Wright and Bethany House.

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

Notable Quotables:

“Are you mad? Will you become what you hate?”

“Beauty is found in walls of stone, beauty where love begins.”

“…the castle called with an addictive element. Beckoning. It reached into the deep places in one’s soul and began to expose them for what they were. Broken pieces. Pieces only God could heal, and only others could help rescue if they simply had kindness in their hearts.”

The simple truth was that genetics ran deep, generations didn’t escape the curses of those who came before, and sins were likely destined to repeat themselves.

Protect. Save. Run. Her mantra in life.

“…fear was, and would always be, her closest companion.”

“It is in the dark corners, in the places we avert our eyes from, where truth lingers. Truth is not palatable. In fact, most cannotmanage the truth.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent to the Max!! Only Jaime Jo Wright could write a story this humorous and spooky, and yet have it end with solid Hope!