About the Book

Book: Miss Blaire in Blackwell’s Island (Heiresses of Adventure Book One)

Author: Grace Hitchcock

Genre: Historical Romance True Crime

Release date: July 31, 2024

Will Edyth prove her sanity before it is too late?

On Blackwell’s Island, New York, a hospital was built to keep its patients from ever leaving.

With her late parents’ fortune under her uncle’s care until her twenty-fifth birthday in the year 1887, Edyth Blaire does not feel pressured to marry or to bow to society’s demands. She freely indulges in eccentric hobbies like fencing and riding her velocipede in her cycling costume about the city for all to see. Finding a loophole in the will, though, her uncle whisks Edyth off to the women’s lunatic asylum just weeks before her birthday. And Edyth fears she will never be found.

At the asylum she meets another inmate, who upon discovering Edyth’s plight, confesses that she is Nellie Bly, an undercover journalist for The World. Will either woman find a way to leave the terrifying island and reclaim her true self?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas, including the American Royalty, Best Laid Plans, and Aprons & Veils series. She holds a Master’s in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives on the Northshore of New Orleans, with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter in a cottage that is always filled with the sounds of sweet little footsteps running at full speed. When not writing, or chasing babies, she’s baking something delightful and can usually be found with a book clutched in her fist.

More from Grace

I am thrilled to share with you my FIRST novel in the HEIRESSES OF ADVENTURE series, MISS BLAIRE IN BLACKWELL’S ISLAND, which is set in New York City in 1887. I loved writing about Edyth Blaire, our cat-rescuing, spunky heroine who spends her days painting, fencing with her dreamy instructor, and avoiding society at all costs, which as you can imagine, comes back to haunt her before the end. I’ve never written about a character who despised reading, so that was a new one for me. Edyth just doesn’t like to sit still long enough to finish a book, but you’ll find out why later.

While writing this book, I am pretty certain the librarians at my local branch were wondering what in the world my hobbies are, judging from the stacks of fencing books for beginners, histories of New York crime in the 19^th century, and Nellie Bly’s Ten Days in a Mad-House, and more.

The inspiration for this book came from Nellie Bly’s scandalous exposé for Joseph Pulitzer’s newspaper, The World. In reading Nellie’s articles, I was shocked at the grounds by which the asylum would commit women and that’s when I discovered a tiny mention about an heiress with family members who had her tucked away so they could have her fortune. . . and Edyth Blaire was born.

I hope you will enjoy reading about our eccentric leading lady and her fencing master hero, Raoul “Bane” Banebridge in this friends-to-lovers romance. If you are interested in seeing pictures of the asylum and to see what I pictured the characters looking like, check out my Pinterest board here.

Are you part of a book club? I have discussion questions here!

My Impressions

“… you are no longer an heiress. As far as the world is concerned, Edyth Blaire is dead.”

[Formerly released as The Gray Chamber : True Colors: Historical Stories of American Crime, published by Barbour Books in Jan of 2020]

Grace Hitchcock’s The Gray Chamber would probably win one of my “Sleeper of the Year” awards. “Heiress” sounds fun. Historical fiction sounds interesting. Nellie Bly story, ok, up for that. The first time I read this book, I did *not* bargain for a love in danger of being lost nor a trip to Blackwell’s Island, infamous in its time for housing *insane* women. If not for someone brave like the very real Nellie Bly, the atrocious treatment of insane and supposedly mentally ill people would have continued much longer in our country!The author’s notes at the end are a must!

When I read the novel this time, I found myself digging deeper. I still have to laugh at a lady with Edyth’s favorite pastime! ( En garde, n’importe qui?!)I was still amazed at the inhumane treatment on Blackwell’s Island. And the tension as we see what both money and love bring out of the inner hearts of people. More than a close friends to lovers/romantic suspense/chiller story, Hitchcock girds her main characters hearts with a faith that they cling to by recalling very appropriate Bible verses, encouraging each other, and ultimately, showing that their love is a reflection of the greater love of the True Great Shepherd. The ultimate love that conquers hate.

At first, we are immersed in an enjoyable turn-of-the-century account of Edyth and fencing master Raoul Banebridge. Edyth is dying to have her best friend Raoul “Bane” notice her as a woman, but her eccentricities seem to block his view. When finally he begins to see Edyth for the woman she is, her eccentricities have enabled other shocking developments, the stuff my nightmares are made of. It all makes perfect sense, and I could visualize it all happening. The evil mankind can perpetrate on another, made in the image of the same God!! Don’t miss this amazing, eye-opening story about a very true part of American history retold in a fictional, very memorable way!!

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

Notable Quotables:

“I fear that this is a rabbit hole we shall never escape from, don’t you?”– Nellie Brown/Bly

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

“I will wait, Lord. I will trust You.”

“This place has stripped away the layers of thick skin, and I am raw, for I have had no one and nothing to lean on here but the Lord.”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent!! Even better the second time around!!

Blog Stops

Pens Pages & Pulses, February 21

Allyson Jamison, February 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 22

Devoted To Hope, February 22

Texas Book-aholic, February 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 23

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 25

Maureen’s Musings, February 25

Melissa’s Bookshelf, February 26

Books You Can Feel Good About, February 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 27

Vicky Sluiter, February 27

Betti Mace, February 28

Cover Lover Book Review, February 28

Blogging With Carol, March 1

Connie’s History Classroom, March 1

lakesidelivingsite, March 2

For Him and My Family, March 3

Mary Hake, March 3

Labor Not in Vain, March 4

Holly’s Book Corner, March 4

Leslie’s Library Escape, March 5

Inspired by Fiction, March 5

Pause for Tales, March 6

Lights in a Dark World, March 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away the grand prize of a $20 gift card with FREE SHIPPING to Grace’s Autographed Bookshop!!

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/00adcf54161

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

Specters in the Glass House by Jaime Jo Wright Review

December 28, 2024December 28, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Specters in the Glass House

Author: Jaime Jo Wright

Publisher: Bethany House

Released: October, 2024

Genre: Christian Suspense, Gothic Romance

An ominous butterfly house. A sinister legacy. An untraceable killer.

In 1921, Marian Arnold, the heiress to a brewing baron’s empire, seeks solace in the glass butterfly house on her family’s Wisconsin estate as Prohibition and the deaths of her parents cast a long shadow over her shrinking world. When Marian’s sanctuary is invaded by nightmarish visions, she grapples with the line between hallucinations of things to come and malevolent forces at play in the present. With dead butterflies as the killer’s ominous signature, murders unfold at a steady pace. Marian, fearful she might be next, enlists the help of her childhood friend Felix, a war veteran with his own haunted past.

In the present day, researcher Remy Shaw becomes entangled in an elderly biographer’s quest to uncover the truth behind Marian Arnold’s mysterious life and the unsolved murders linked to an infamous serial killer. Joined by Marian’s great-great-grandson, can Remy expose the evil that lurks beneath broken wings? Or will the dark legacy surrounding the manor and its glass house destroy yet another generation?

“Wright is in a class by herself.”–Library Journal

About the Author

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

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

My Impressions

“It is all right to be afraid…“It’s what we do with that fear that’s important. What we allow it to shape us into.”

Specters in the Glass House by Jaime Jo Wright carries some heavier themes than some of her other books. In this dual timeline, Marian Arnold, a brewery heiress whose family lost everything due to Prohibition,is determined to discover the secrets behind her mysterious mother’s death. In the present day, Remy Crenshaw is a research assistant to famous author Elton Floyd, and they are housed in the summer home that formerly belonged to Marion Arnold and her mother before her.

Ghosts, alcohol, hearing voices, murders and near murders, beautiful butterflies used for nefarious purposes, a resurgence of the Butterfly Butcher years after he went quiet, lends to a great spooky atmosphere. An undertone of need is created in some of the characters as we see abject fear, a need for acceptance unfulfilled, a foster child who is seen in only a stereo-typical, negative way.

Fortunately, Wright also includes Hope in her stories. When Remy asks if her faith is just blindly acceptance, Abigail replies, “Not blind. No. Just belief. Belief in the evidence God has given us of His existence. Belief in the personal experiences I’ve already had—the blessings. Belief that, in the end, He will make all things good.”

I found it quite interesting in reading the prologue and author’s notes that the author mentions the Frederick Meijer Gardens butterfly house in Grand Rapids. Having been there, the picture o the front of the book took me there immediately. It is interesting how Jamie Jo Wright can take something so beautiful ( a butterfly house) and use it as a thing of evil and fear. But isn’t that exactly what the enemy does so often in our lives? Things that should be beautiful turn into things that destroy us.

I don’t think I’ve ever been caught off guard by Wright’s sense of humor before. I just don’t remember it poking its head up at crazy, desperate times. Just a pinch, like salt in a cookie recipe. Enough to off-set the heavy Gothic vibes. With the amount of heebie- jeebies that Wright’s words can produce, the humor is a welcome mini-reprieve before the next big scare.

I am still mulling over the issues some of the characters present. These issues keep them from being accepted in society in the historical story, yet I have to wonder how much more acceptance and understanding is typically offered in today’s society.

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

Notable Quotables:

“Ambrose tapped Remy’s shoulder just over her heart. “And there’s a lot of good in there. I think it’s been protected. I think God has something bigger for you in mind.” Remy looked down at her hands in her lap. “I don’t know how to find it.” Ambrose was quiet for a moment, and then she answered, “He finds you, Remy. In the chaos, He finds you.””

“You’re richer for the pain, for the fear. In its twisted agony, God makes it so that life becomes deeper, more meaningful, and you can look into your future and hear the voices of the generations to come and ask yourself, What will I leave behind for them? Fear?… Or faith?” Felix took a sip of his water, then breathed deeply. “I chose faith—even though I’m still very much afraid most days.”

“Sometimes coffee really was all a person had to make the bad feel a little bit better.”

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

Small Town Secrets by Lillian Duncan Review and Giveaway

February 14, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Small Town Secrets

Author: Lillian Duncan

Genre: Christian—Romantic Suspense

Release Date: October 13, 2023

On the surface, Shady Valley looks like the ideal all-American place to live with beautiful flowering trees lining both sides of the street as you enter the picturesque town. Neighbors help neighbors. Doors are often left unlocked.

Serious crimes are practically nonexistent— almost but not quite!

But like all small towns, everyone knows everyone, which means everyone knows everyone’ s business, and not everyone in Shady Valley is what they appear to be. Some have secrets— deadly secrets— that they hide behind the masks they wear.

When Angie McVey disappears on her wedding day, rookie officer Cami Martine is determined to find her best friend, but there are no leads to follow. Angie seems to have disappeared into thin air.

If Cami is to bring her best friend home, she will need to discover the deadly secrets of her friends and neighbors to find the one who wears the biggest mask.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lillian Duncan… turning faith into fiction.

For years, my tagline was “stories of faith mingled with murder & mayhem” since I wrote Christian suspense and mystery novels.

In 2012, I heard the words, “you have bilateral brain tumors.”

I had no idea how much those words would change my life, but they did. When life changes for a writer, their writing changes as well. So I wanted my tagline to reflect the new me. I still love to write suspense and mystery novels but also have branched out into other genres.

In spite of being diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors and a rare genetic disease (Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), God continues to strengthen me and give me peace and joy as well as the blessing to be able to continue to write.

I’m a multi-published author who lives in the middle of Ohio Amish country with my husband and a menagerie of pets. After more than 30 years working as a speech pathologist for children, I believe in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word.

My goal is to write stories that entertain but also demonstrate God’s love for all of us.

More from Lillian

Small Town Life VS. City Life

I spent most of my growing up years in the country, then I moved to a larger city for college and then an even larger city for much of my adult life. And then I slowly made my way back to the area I grew up in. I’ve spent the last twenty-two years living in the quaint little town of Shreve, Ohio.

Shreve has two gas stations, one stop light and zero fast-food restaurants! I love living in Shreve. Is there a difference between small town life and city life? Absolutely.

Big cities have a lot to offer. You won’t get any argument from me about that. Museums, your choice of restaurants, plays and concerts. But small towns have a lot to offer as well. Neighbors that know each other’s names a sense of community, peace and quiet, and low crime. Oh, and did I mention peace and quiet?

I know people love living in big cities, but I’ll stick to small town life. And that’s why most of the books I write are set in small towns—not always but most of the time.

My latest book, SMALL TOWN SECRETS, is based in the fictional small town of Shady Valley, but definitely resembles my hometown of Shreve, Ohio. Except nothing this exciting happens in Shreve–which is a good thing. That’s why I like living there.

But nothing happening would make for a boring book so Shady Valley has a few secrets–secrets that could kill!

On the surface, Shady Valley seems to be the ideal all-American place to live with beautiful flowering trees lining both sides of the street as you enter the picturesque town. Neighbors help neighbors. Doors are often left unlocked.

Serious crimes are practically nonexistent—almost but not quite!

When Angie McVey disappears on her wedding day, rookie officer Cami Martine is determined to find her best friend. Unfortunately, there are no leads to follow.

Angie seems to have disappeared into thin air.

But not everyone in Shady Valley is what they appear to be. Some have secrets—deadly secrets—that they hide behind the masks they wear. If Cami is to bring her best friend home, she will need to discover the deadly secrets of her friends and neighbors and find the one who wears the biggest mask.

SMALL TOWN SECRETS is a fast-paced mystery and suspense novel that will keep you turning pages past your bed time. By the way, the book will also be available as a Large Print book as well.

My Impressions

“Her mind told her not to trust him, but her heart told her something different.”

Small towns can be a lot of fun with everyone knowing their neighbor and their business. Shady Valley, OH, is no exception, with its unlocked doors and safe environment. However, things take a dark turn when a bride goes missing on her wedding day, and secrets begin to unravel.

I was hooked by Lillian Duncan’s plot in Small Town Secrets. It was like I was transported down a rabbit hole, eagerly reading to discover who was behind Angie’s disappearance and the other crimes that followed. I was curious to see if Cami and Zack could put aside their differences and work together to bring justice.

If you enjoy contemporary mystery and suspense, with a touch of romance and faith, this book is definitely worth checking out. It also explores the themes of enemies-to-lovers, being unequally yoked as a couple, and mental illness. The book also emphasizes the need for earthly fathers to accurately portray the Heavenly Father. Even if you solve the mystery before the end of the book, you’ll still be on the edge of your seat between your knowledge and the criminal’s capture!

The book ends with a devotional note that offers guidance on how to deal with unjust situations.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, but I also bought my own copy. This review is entirely my own, and no positive review was required.

Notable Quotables:

“You do know that you don’t have to keep the entire world safe. That’s not your job. God loves you for you, not for what you do.”

“God listened to her wordless prayer anyway. He knew her heart.”

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent! A thrill-ride!

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 10

Texas Book-aholic, February 11

Artistic Nobody, February 12 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, February 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 13

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 14

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 15

Bigreadersite, February 16

Guild Master, February 17 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 18

Fiction Book Lover, February 19 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, February 20

Because I said so – adventures in parenting., February 21

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, February 22 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 22

For Him and My Family, February 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lillian is giving away the grand prize 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/29c58/small-town-secrets-celebration-tour-giveaway

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Purchase

The Gilded Curse by Marilyn Turk

December 10, 2023 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Gilded Curse

Author: Marilyn Turk

Genre: Historical Suspense

Release Date: July 31, 2023

In early 1942, a mysterious telegram draws Lexie Smithfield back to the island her mother thought was cursed. Now the only heir to the dwindling family fortune, Lexie plans to sell the family’s vacation “cottage” in the Millionaire’s Village on Jekyll Island. But someone else is interested in the cottage and is getting more desperate to find what they’re looking for, even to the point of murder.

Lexie’s childhood friend, Russell Thompson, is now the Jekyll Island Club’s superintendent and the keeper of members’ secrets, especially one that would shatter Lexie. When he learns Lexie is in danger, he stays close to protect her, but soon discovers an attraction to Lexie he didn’t expect.

Could the danger be from someone they know or is it possible that the threat of Nazi invasion on their coast is a reality? Or is the island really cursed?

Russell and Lexie must work together to discover the real danger and keep from getting hurt or killed in the process.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Award-winning author Marilyn Turk writes historical and contemporary fiction flavored with suspense and romance. Marilyn also writes devotions for Daily Guideposts, Walking in Grace, and contributes to other Guideposts publications. She and her husband are lighthouse enthusiasts, have visited over 100 lighthouses and also served as volunteer lighthouse caretakers at Little River Light off the coast of Maine.

When not writing or visiting lighthouses, Marilyn enjoys reading, walking, boating, fishing, gardening, tennis, and playing with her golden retriever. She also sings in the choir at her church and leads a women’s Bible study group. Marilyn and her husband have a combined family of four sons, one daughter, and four grandsons. She’s still hoping for a granddaughter someday.

She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Faith, Hope and Love Christian Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Word Weavers International, and the United States Lighthouse Society.

Marilyn is also the director of the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference.

More from Marilyn

When my agent told me a certain publisher was looking for Southern Gothic novels,

I wondered what those were. What I found out was that they were gothic-style novels set in the South, usually an old antebellum mansion, for example, “Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte.” Think “Jane Eyre” or “Wuthering Heights” set in the southern United States. I had just visited Jekyll Island, Georgia and toured the Millionaires’ Village there, so those mansions came to mind. These homes, which were actually vacation “cottages” of the rich and famous, were built in the Gilded Age of the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is said that the 100 members of the club represented most of the wealth in America at that time. However, the members aged and passed away, leaving their wealth or debt to their descendants, the Great Depression caused many to lose their fortunes, then two world wars wreaked havoc on the country, so most of those homes were abandoned. Thanks to ongoing renovation efforts by the state of Georgia, many have been rebuilt. My main character in The Gilded Curse, Alexandra Smithfield (Lexie), inherits one of those abandoned mansions right at the start of World War II. The family fortune gone, she intends to renovate and sell the mansion she hasn’t seen since childhood since her mother believed the island cursed, due to some tragedies that happened to their family while there. So Lexie is “cursed” in two ways – by inheriting something she can no longer afford to keep and by the imagined curse her mother believes. When suspicious events happen around her cottage, she wonders if her mother was right.

Today, you can take tours of the Millionaires’ Village and see the former “cottages” of Pulitzer, Vanderbilt, J.P. Morgan, etc. You can also stay at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, renovated and now part of the Jekyll Island Club Resort. Some of the characters in my book were real people who lived in 1942, particularly the Maurice sisters, two single sisters who loved the island and never wanted to leave it, even when the President of the United States wanted the island vacated during the war. One interesting thing about the Maurice house: efforts to renovate it have met one obstacle after another, leading some people to believe the sisters’ spirits are still there and very particular about what they want done to their house.

My Impressions

“Lexie was beginning to believe there were too many secrets on the island, including those that involved her. She promised herself she’d discover the truth and trust Russell to help her. Unless he was too busy keeping his own secrets.”

Marilyn Turk combines romance, suspense, mystery, and WWII to bring us the first book in the Suspicious Shores series, The Gilded Curse.

In 1942, Lexie Smithfield has returned to the summer playground of the rich and famous, Jekyll Island, to dispose of her family’s dilapidated cottage. Having lost her father to an accident, her mother to dementia, and her brother to the war, Lexie has no one to rely on but herself.

When Lexie returns, she finds a childhood friend, Russell Thompson, superintendent of the club, waiting for her. She also encounters former unwanted acquaintances, a surly gardener, and rumors of ghosts in her cottage.

The cottage has secrets and is most forbidding. Yet, someone is after something valuable in the old cottage. As things go from bad to worse, Lexie hears over and over in her head her Mother’s voice, claiming the curse of Jekyll Island has ruined their family.

With strange sightings off the coast and strange happenings in the cottage, can Lexie and Russell work together, overcoming social barriers, to find the truth before the curse claims its last victim? Can Lexie find her way back to God, or is He angry at her because she has ignored Him for so long?

I loved the topics broached in this touching story. PTSD, mental illness, respect for veterans, better treatment for mentally ill, social barriers, fears, fear of God. All are a natural part of the story.

And the history! I love learning new things, and I never knew some of these facts about WWII and our own shores.

I highly recommend this book. I immediately went to my fave retailer and bought the sequel, Shadow of the Curse, for more adventures with Lexie and Russell.

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

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent!! I’m ready to visit Jekyll Island!!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 11

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 11

Pause for Tales, December 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 13

Mary Hake, December 13

Betti Mace, December 14

Texas Book-aholic, December 15

Min Reads and Reviews, December 15

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 16

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 18

Holly’s Book Corner, December 18

Blogging With Carol, December 19

Cover Lover Book Review, December 20

For Him and My Family, December 21

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, December 22 (Author Interview)

Little Homeschool on the prairie, December 22

Connie’s History Classroom, December 23

Lily’s Corner, December 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Marilyn is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a 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/293d1/the-gilded-curse-celebration-tour-giveaway

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

Lost and Found by Suzanne Woods Fisher Review

September 28, 2023September 28, 2023 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Title: Lost and Found

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Genre: Amish Romance

Released: September 2023

Trudy Yoder shares a passion for birding with Micah Weaver–and she has an even greater passion for Micah. Their friendship is finally turning romantic when Micah abruptly grows cold. Worse still, he wants to leave Stoney Ridge.

Micah Weaver thought he was over Trudy’s older sister. A year and a half ago, Shelley had broken his heart when she ran away from Stoney Ridge to pursue a singing career in Nashville. Then, out of the blue, she’s started to leave distressing phone messages for him.

When the bishop asks for volunteers to scout out a possible church relocation in Tennessee, Micah is the first to raise his hand. Despite scant details, he’s confident he can find Shelley. After all, his reputation as a field guide is based on finding birds that don’t want to be found.

What Micah doesn’t know is that what you’re looking for isn’t always what you find.

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher loves stories worth telling about people worth remembering. With over a million copies of her book sold worldwide, this bestselling, award-winning author of more than 30 books is always on the lookout for the unsung hero with an untold story.

Readers are invited to stop by Suzanne’s website at: http://www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

My Impressions

“We’re all on a spectrum of our own perceptions.” While this thought belongs to David Stoltzfus, the more I think about it, the more I think it sums up all the different characters in this wonderful book, Lost and Found, by Suzanne Woods Fisher.

Many families are leaving the Stoney Ridge district so their children don’t join more the more permissive Beachy Amish, which has recently moved into area. With church and school attendance down, Bishop David Stoltzfus has to decide how to handle to crisis for his Old Order district.

Just as Trudy believes she and Micah are becoming close, a voice from the past threatens to undo any developing relationship. And speaking of developing, a big development may change life for many. Can it be stopped?

So much to love about this story! Trudy, the patient, plain girl is about to snag her dream man. Or so it seems. Micah is finally coming to his senses, until… ( you’ll have to read to find out!) And the birds!! I had my bird app and Google open as I read and really enjoyed all the different bird references(wow!) I have always loved seeing how carefully and lovingly David Stoltzfus handles his flock in this series. I even wished I could get a glimpse or listen of loud, obnoxious Hank Lapp who brightens each book. Not so long ago, an author asked what book we’d like to live in. This one for me! To be able to interact with all these great characters and take a birding tour with Micah, besides!

I received a copy of this book from Revell Reads through NetGalley. Plus I bought my own paperback for the keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“When you’re Amish, family was everything.”

“The future of this church hinges on how you lead everyone, how you hold it all together. You know how that old saying goes. Aller Mann fer sich un der Deiwel fer die Iwwriche. “Everyone for himself and the Devil takes the rest.”

“What the Englisch referred to as nature, like it was all happenstance, Jesus knew only as creation, a work of God. Even better, the Bible described the entire cosmos as a temple, full of the glory of God. An unending outdoor cathedral. That was why he loved his work. It felt like holy work.”

“Jesus noticed the sparrows. And the widow’s mite. And the lilies in the fields. He welcomed little children that the disciples shooed away. Nothing was too insignificant for Jesus. So why shouldn’t we take every concern to him?”

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Magnificent! I loved my time spent with the folk of Stoney Ridge! Another Fisher masterpiece!!

Barbour, BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Kindle, NetGalley

Behind Love’s Wall by Carrie Fancett Pagels Review and Giveaway

November 22, 2021 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Behind Love’s Wall

Author: Carrie Fancett Pagels

Genre: FICTION/ Christian/Romance

Release date: November 1, 2021

Two successful women, a hundred-and-twenty-years apart, build walls to protect their hearts. Modern-day Willa, a successful interior decorator, is chosen to consult for the Grand Hotel’s possible redesign. She discovers a journal detailing the struggles of a young woman, Lily—which reveals dark secrets. The renowned singer wasn’t who she pretended to be. As Willa reaches out to Lily’s descendant, a charismatic and prominent landscape artist, she lets down her guard. Should she share the journal with him, or once again erect a wall as she struggles to redesign both the Grand and her life?

Click here to get your copy!

My Impressions

Behind Love’s Wall, the latest addition to the Doors to the Past series by Barbour, is a great dual timeline novel. Penned by Carrie Fancett Pagels, herself originally a “Yooper,” this romantic mystery is set on the magical Mackinac Island. Having a passing familiarity with the area, I enjoyed Ms. Pagels’s description of the Island, its landmarks, and the Grand Hotel itself.
I had a little trouble with the dual timeline at first. This is unusual for me, as I generally read many dual-timelines without feeling lost. Eventually, I closed the book with a well-satisfied feeling that all things worked out, and there were some great twists and surprises that truly made the novel delightful. Bravo for a stunning conclusion!!
The author’s notes were of great interest to me. They elaborate so well on the author’s research and separate fact from fiction, which I love.

Be prepared for the unexpected! Many of the main characters surprised me, like Michael. I really empathized with him as he struggled. I especially connected with Lilly, the heroine of the early timeline. How many times do we humans worry about a malady running through bloodlines or obsess over some parental issue we are sure we will inherit? Faith is a gentle aspect, bringing in hope and release from self-made prisons.
Recommended!

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

My Rating

Great! Busy Dual Timeline, Mackinac Island Hides Family Secrets

About the Author

ECPA-bestselling author Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D., is the award-winning author of over a dozen Christian historical romances. Twenty-five years as a psychologist didn’t “cure” her overactive imagination! A self-professed “history geek,” she resides with her family in the Historic Triangle of Virginia but grew up as a “Yooper” in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Carrie loves to read, bake, bead, and travel – but not all at the same time! You can connect with her at http://www.CarrieFancettPagels.com.

More from Carrie

Why I Wrote This Novel

I got a chance to write another novel set on Mackinac Island!!!

I’m the author of over twenty published stories. I have many books, both novel and novella length, set at the Straits of Mackinac including Maggie Award winner and Romantic Times Top Pick My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island. In the summer, I go up to the area and I’m blessed to sign books at the Island Bookstore—sometimes hundreds of books which is such an amazing thing I can’t tell you! Now that MHBoMI is out of print, Barbour has been helping by doing limited print runs for while I am up there.

My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island was originally part of a full series that I pitched but it didn’t get picked up for all three stories. MHBoMI got picked up as part of the My Heart Belongs series that Barbour put out a few years ago. The second book in my original Brides of Mackinac series was heroine Sadie’s story, which was published as a novella “His Anchor” in First Love Forever collection. So I had two of my book babies delivered out into the world and Lily’s story sat there for a while.

In the Covid summer of 2020, I arrived in my home state of Michigan and over dinner with a close friend I learned that the folks at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island were having legal trouble with their previous long-time designed Carlton Varney suing them. I’d been disappointed that the Mussers, who’d owned the Grand for generations, had sold the hotel but this new development really bugged me. While I was in the Upper Peninsula, I finished an Indy book, Dogwood Plantation, which only figures since I often write my Michigan stories while I am in Virginia and vice versa! I knew the only other book I wanted to work on was to complete my Brides of Mackinac trilogy (not exactly since they aren’t all in one series!) with Lily’s story. I also had a manuscript about 70% done that was my very first contemporary Women’s Fiction novel. When my agent encouraged me to submit a Mackinac Island story set at the Grand Hotel to Barbour’s Doors to the Past series, I knew immediately that the only story for historical I wanted to write was Lily’s. That meant that I needed, for this dual-timeline series, a contemporary story. That wasn’t just a chance sharing at dinner—I believe the info about the lawsuit was meant to be passed on to me one of those God-incidences. My modern-day heroine then became an established resort designer who had a trunkful of issues just like Lily did.

Was I ever glad that I had finally written my first contemporary Women’s Fiction (Butterfly Cottage) because that skill set came in very handy in writing the modern-day 2020 story of Willa in Behind Love’s Wall! This was the most difficult novel to write that I have done so far as I write in character and going back and forth between the 1895 and 2020 timelines could be draining. I tried to write each character and setting on separate days but that couldn’t always be managed.

I pray that this story will touch readers’ hearts. I pray that someone, like the young waitress I meant on Mackinac Island who had been spiritually moved by My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island (she read her grandmother’s copy after her grandma passed away!), will read this book and feel that connection to our Maker. That’s what Christian Fiction is all about!

Blog Stops

Life of Literature, November 18

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 18

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 19

Cats in the Cradle Blog, November 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 19

Inklings and notions, November 20

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 20

For Him and My Family, November 21

Mary Hake, November 21

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 22

Texas Book-aholic, November 22

For the Love of Literature, November 22

deb’s Book Review, November 23

Betti Mace, November 23

Genesis 5020, November 23

Older & Smarter?, November 24

Remembrancy, November 24

Blossoms and Blessings, November 25

Stephanie’s life of determination, November 25

Connect in Fiction, November 25

Rebecca Tews, November 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 26

Through the fire blogs, November 27

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 27

Pause for Tales, November 27

Bigreadersite, November 28

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 28

Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 28

Connie’s History Classroom, November 29

Bizwings Blog, November 29

Labor Not in Vain, November 29

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 30

To Everything There Is A Season, November 30

Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 1

Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen, December 1

Where Faith and Books Meet, December 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a 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/137e9/behind-love-s-wall-celebration-tour-giveaway

Bethany House, BLOG, Favorite, NetGalley, PB

Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green

January 25, 2020 Babbling Becky L

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About the Book

Title: Veiled in Smoke

Series: The Windy City Saga (#1)

Author: Jocelyn Green

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Released: February 4, 2020 ( I read an ARC.)

Genre: Christian Historical

Meg and Sylvie Townsend manage the family bookshop and care for their father, Stephen, a veteran still suffering in mind and spirit from his time as a POW during the Civil War. But when the Great Fire sweeps through Chicago’s business district, they lose much more than just their store.

The sisters become separated from their father, and after Meg burns her hands in an attempt to save a family heirloom, they make a harrowing escape from the flames with the help of Chicago Tribune reporter Nate Pierce. Once the smoke clears away, they reunite with Stephen, only to learn soon after that their family friend not only died during the fire–he was murdered. Even more shocking, Stephen is charged with the crime and committed to the Cook County Insane Asylum. Though homeless, injured, and suddenly unemployed, Meg must not only gather the pieces of her shattered life, but prove her father’s innocence before the asylum truly drives him mad.

My Review

“It was a lie, Meg had realized years ago, that the end of the war meant the end of suffering.” The Civil War is over, and the boys and men who survived are home. Yet Meg and her sister, Sylvie Townsend, discover that Stephen Townsend’s time in notorious Andersonville has wreaked havoc with his grip on reality. Meanwhile, Nathaniel Pierce of the Chicago Tribune interviews Stephen as a veteran. Life becomes murky when the city catches fire and Stephen’s best friend is murdered, leaving Stephen the cops’ main suspect.

Veiled in Smoke 1

Jocelyn Green is an expert at creating historically accurate and intriguing backgrounds while painting in-depth portraits of her characters. Both Meg and Sylvie exhibit intense loyalty and love for their parents, as well as a great need for their approval. Unfortunately, their understanding of their parents’ love and care is limited by the blinders they wear.
The young ladies also wear blinders when it comes to the young men in their lives. They cannot truly see the love, honesty, and true character(or lack thereof) of their beaux.
So many ideas and themes are presented. Forgiveness. The idea that it’s ok to be imperfect, and in fact, sometimes imperfect is better. Also, accepting life as it is, imperfect, not expecting it to be rosy or requiring others to be perfectly well or perfectly behaved all the time. (Ouch! Preaching to myself!!) True compassion. Sometimes we can’t achieve this until we’ve walked a mile in somebody else’s shoes, or at least had a bit of hardship in life. Faith, believing God is limitless and truly in control.
Two more thoughts. It was hard to breathe as I traveled with Meg and Sylvie and Nate as they desperately tried to outrun the Great Fire. I could smell the smoke, my lungs felt full to bursting, and my anxiety level was high. And then many somethings began falling from the sky!

Veiled in Smoke 2

I had never heard of the term, “soldier’s heart.” How fitting. How sad. So many times, we, the civilians for whom those men and now women sacrificed, refuse to understand and accept with open arms our vets who return to us.
As usual, Jocelyn Green will have me thinking for a long time to come about people and their treatment of others.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher. No positive response was required. All opinions are my own.

My Rating

5 Stars- Hits My Reading Sweet Spot ( and makes me think and think!)

About the Author

2578437 Jocelyn Green is a former journalist who puts her investigative skills to work in writing both nonfiction and historical fiction to inspire faith and courage.

The honors her books have received include the Christy Award in historical fiction and gold medals from the Military Writers Society of America and the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association.

Complex and nuanced characters, rich historical detail and twisting plots make her novels immersive experiences. Her fiction has been praised by Historical Novel Society, Romantic Times, Library Journal, historians specializing in her novels’ time periods, as well as popular and acclaimed authors Laura Frantz, Lori Benton, Jody Hedlund, Sarah Sundin, Joanne Bischof, Julie Lessman, and more.

Jocelyn loves Broadway musicals, the color red, strawberry-rhubarb pie, Mexican food, and well-done documentaries. She lives in Iowa with her husband, two children, and two cats she should have named Catticus Finch and Purrman Meowville.

Visit her at jocelyngreen.com.

Bethany House, BLOG, NetGalley

The Curse of Misty Wayfair by Jaime Jo Wright

March 5, 2019 Babbling Becky L

ABOUT THE BOOK:

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AUTHOR: Jaime Jo Wright

TITLE: The Curse of Misty Wayfair

GENRE: Christian mystery, suspense

PUBLISHER: Bethany House Publishers

RELEASED: January 2019

Left at an orphanage as a child, Thea Reed vowed to find her mother someday. Now grown, her search takes her to Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin, in 1908. When clues lead her to a mental asylum, Thea uses her experience as a post-mortem photographer to gain access and assist groundskeeper Simeon Coyle in photographing the patients and uncovering the secrets within. However, she never expected her personal quest would reawaken the legend of Misty Wayfair, a murdered woman who allegedly haunts the area and whose appearance portends death.

A century later, Heidi Lane receives a troubling letter from her mother–who is battling dementia–compelling her to travel to Pleasant Valley for answers to her own questions of identity. When she catches sight of a ghostly woman who haunts the asylum ruins in the woods, the long-standing story of Misty Wayfair returns–and with it, Heidi’s fear for her own life.

As two women across time seek answers about their identities and heritage, can they overcome the threat of the mysterious curse that has them inextricably intertwined?

MY REVIEW:

I had looked forward so long to read The Curse of Misty Wayfair. Jaime Jo Wright lived up to all expectations. At first, it was hard to get into this dual-time novel, but before too long something clicked. I was hooked on the apparition that keeps appearing in both generations. Take one insane asylum, a familial curse, a post-mortem photographer, and a modern-day woman who can’t rise above her family’s opinions; you have the recipe for a very gloomy story. (Thankfully, the story doesn’t stay gloomy.) Both Thea and Heidi are absolutely lost, looking for their identity. Their searches are leaving them unfulfilled. “We weren’t created to find our identity in life. We were created to discover our Creator. In doing so, our identity is defined.” Wise words.

The ultimate light of the book is the light of Scripture and finding one’s self in God’s attitude toward you, instead of others.’ However, humor, a look at autism, family secrets, and progress from old-time asylums also help round out the novel to make it fully appealing. (I loved the “creative cussing.”) Being from a rural area, it was hard to imagine someone who would be “suffocating by woods,” but I imagine, if one is used to the big city, it is quite possible.

Wright knows how and when to play the shock card. She does this with great aplomb. While I had some things figured out, other things I wouldn’t have figured out in my wildest dreams. Now I am glad there are other Jaime Jo Wright books out there. Must go find…must go find…must go read…

I was given a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher. I am under no obligation to leave a positive review, and all opinions are solely my own.

MY RATING:

Curse of Misty Wayfair

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

13916081 Professional coffee drinker & ECPA/Publisher’s Weekly best-selling author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing spirited turn-of-the-century romance stained with suspense. Coffee fuels her snarky personality. She lives in Neverland with her Cap’n Hook who stole her heart and will not give it back, their little fairy TinkerBell, and a very mischievous Peter Pan. The foursome embark on scores of adventure that only make her fall more wildly in love with romance and intrigue.

Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimejowright.com!