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The Reverend’s Second Chance by Lauralyn Keller Review and Giveaway

July 21, 2025July 21, 2025 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: The Reverend’s Second Chance

Author: Lauralyn Keller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 15, 2025

A buried secret in Harmony Springs could cost a pastor and a teacher their careers—and their second chance at love.

Lydia Jefferson buried her dreams long before the death of her husband. Now she’s locked her heart to men for good. In Harmony Springs, she’s finally found freedom from the shameful failure and loss of her past—until her childhood sweetheart arrives to be the new pastor.

Samuel Allen never thought he’d love again, not after his fiancée walked out of his life. But when his first church assignment sends him to Harmony Springs, he finds himself face to face with the woman who disappeared from his life seven years before. Could this be a second chance at love? Unfortunately, she wants nothing to do with him.

When an orphaned child brings Lydia and Samuel together again, can they face the pain of their past and learn to trust each other enough to build a home?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lauralyn Keller loves to combine history and romance in stories that touch the heart. She lives in beautiful Colorado and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, hiking, and reading.

More from Lauralyn

Baking is one of my favorite activities. I find it relaxing, and it’s so fun trying new recipes. You might have noticed that there are generally some kind of dish or treat in my stories that characters really like. For Lydia Jefferson in The Reverend’s Second Chance, that treat is a cookie called cinnamon jumbles. It plays a part in her love story with Samuel Allen, the new pastor for Harmony Springs.

I asked ChatGPT how to make the best cinnamon jumbles. Here’s what it came up with.

Cinnamon jumbles are such a cozy, nostalgic treat! They’re chewy cookies with the perfect balance of cinnamon sugar, and they’re pretty easy to make. Here’s a recipe that will give you soft, chewy cinnamon jumbles with a nice little crunch on the outside.

Best Cinnamon Jumbles Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
1 tbsp ground cinnamon (for rolling)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this step.
Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix just until combined. Don’t overmix—this will keep your cookies tender.
Roll the Dough: In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon for rolling. Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into balls. Then roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until evenly coated.
Bake: Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball slightly with the back of a spoon or your fingers. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers are set.
Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips:

Softness: For softer cookies, don’t overbake them. The cookies will continue to cook a little as they cool on the baking sheet.
Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh. They should stay soft for about 3-4 days. 😊

I (Lauralyn) hope you enjoy this cookie recipe. Maybe you can even make them and enjoy a few with a nice cup of coffee or tea while reading The Reverend’s Second Chance. Lydia would approve.

God bless,

Lauralyn

My Impressions

“… ‘not forgiving hurts you in the end. It hurts your relationship with God too.’ He pointed to the cross over the altar. ‘Considering what He did for us—dying to forgive our sins—I think we should take our example from Him.’”

The easy, gentle romance and historical Western aspects of Lauralyn Keller’s The Reverend’s Second Chance were a breath of fresh air this week. I was certainly in the mood for this novel, which is easy to read and reminiscent of the style of Janette Oke or Kim Vogel Sawyer books. This is a marriage of convenience story, where much of the book’s action takes place after said marriage.

Lydia and Samuel had been childhood sweethearts who were separated by poor decisions and time. Shocked to find themselves together in the same small town, Samuel realizes his feelings for her never changed. Lydia, however, is determined to stay far away emotionally.

I was thankful to see that Lydia had good friends and a mother-in-law who loved her enough to see the roots of her problem with Samuel are anger and bitterness. “Forgiveness doesn’t come easily…you owe it to yourself to forgive him. It’s only going to eat at you more and more until bitterness is your constant companion.”– Dorothy

When the marriage occurs, Lydia brings no love. Instead, she brings a walled heart, determined not to be hurt again. Maybe she can forgive, but trust? Again, Lydia’s confidants point out that love is more than a feeling, but a choice. “Love is hard,” Cassie said. “It means making the decision every day to love the person you vowed to cherish. Sometimes you won’t feel it, but you can still choose it.”

With all the feels of Little House on the Prairie or When Calls the Heart, this story from the 1880s Montana Territory will serve up a generous slice of small town life with its challenges, friendships, and victories. I must applaud Ruby and Alice, 6-year-olds, as adorable scene stealers! My fave adult characters are John and Dorothy, with their non-judgmental ways and sage, godly advice.

Book 2 in the Second Chances in Harmony Springs series, I thought this book stood well on its own. Highly recommended!

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:

“Some family you’re born with. Some family you choose.” -Cassie

“…you can’t let fear hold you captive. We can’t change what’s going to be. But we can choose to trust, no matter what may come.” -John

“You can’t control the feeling of anger, but you can control how you act.” – Cody

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Magnificent!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 21

lakesidelivingsite, July 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 23

Guild Master, July 24 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 24

Texas Book-aholic, July 25

Simple Harvest Reads, July 26 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys , July 27

For Him and My Family, July 28

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, July 29

Fiction Book Lover, July 30 (Author Interview)

Devoted To Hope, July 30

Vicky Sluiter, July 31

Cover Lover Book Review, August 1

Holly’s Book Corner, August 2

Pause for Tales, August 3

Giveaway

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

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54254

BLOG, Celebrate Lit Tour, Favorite, Kindle, Purchase

Once upon a Courtship by Collection

September 13, 2024September 13, 2024 Babbling Becky L

About the Book

Book: Once upon a Courtship

Authors: Kit Morgan, Chautona Havig, Tricia Goyer, Marylu Tyndall, Regina Scott, Marlene Bierworth, Linore Rose Burkard, Camille Elliot, Louise M. Goudge, Lisa M. Prysock, Teresa Slack, Marilyn Turk

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

Release date: October 22, 2024

Once Upon a Courtship: A Sweet Historical Romance Collection
A Limited-Time Collection of 12 books from 12 beloved Christian authors spanning rustic landscapes, elegant ballrooms, rugged cowboys, enigmatic spies, and daring pirates! Delight your romantic heart with Colonial, Regency, Victorian, Western, and Gilded Age Romance and preorder your copy today!

Mail-Order Millie by USA Today Bestselling Author Kit Morgan
Imagine mail-order bride Millie’s surprise when she finds out her so-called husband is really a spy working for the president.

Courting Miss Darling by USA Today Bestselling Author Chautona Havig
Muriel Darling thought her heart rode off with a cowboy, but when his boss writes letters, maybe romance is in Miss Darling’s future after all.

The Privateer’s Prize by Christy Award Finalist Author MaryLu Tyndall
Left at the altar, a woman must rely on the man who broke her heart to deliver a message to change the course of the Revolutionary War.

Grace in the Storm by USA Today Bestselling Author Tricia Goyer
As hurricane winds howl, a feisty pirate and a captivating tavern owner find their destinies changed by the storm’s fury.

Leftover Mail-Order Bride by Publisher’s Weekly Bestselling Author Regina Scott
When mail-order bride Victoria’s groom left her at the altar, she vows to find love, but meets Jack, seeking help on the ranch, love optional.

Clara’s Compassion by Critically Acclaimed Author Marlene Bierworth
Clara’s compassion for workers on the frontier of the Canadian Rockies proves conflicting for railroad boss, Graham, in matters of the heart.

Miss Spencer Meets Her Match by Multi-Award-winning Author Linore Rose Burkard
Miss Spencer attends a Cinderella Ball unwillingly, not knowing the “prince” is in disguise.

Lissa and the Spy by USA Today Bestselling Author Camille Elliot
Seeking a marriage of convenience, plain Lissa becomes entangled with enigmatic Lord Stoude and a secret mission for the Crown.

Abiding Faith, Freedom’s Call by Multi-Award-Winning Author Louise M. Gouge
A pacifist Quaker widow and a prisoner of war officer risk their lives. Will the gap between peace and the American Revolution be a chasm too wide?

Jory’s Story by USA Today Bestselling Author Lisa M. Prysock
When a spy and local adversaries descend, can a governess protect the duke’s children and her heart?

Priscilla’s Promise by Award-Winning Author Teresa Slack
Priscilla Channing wants to honor her father by marrying the man he chose. But he’s not the same man, nor she, the same woman.

The Gilding of Minnie Tucker by Multi-Award-Winning Author Marilyn Turk
A Biltmore maid opens the wrong door and stumbles into a guest whose mutual attraction could be their doom.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Authors

Twelve authors bring you stories that span from the Colonial era, through Regency, Victorian, Western, and into Edwardian and the Gilded Age.

More from Chautona

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to write historical fiction? Here’s a “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” version that sorta shows how it can go.

If you give an author a historical assignment, she’ll want to choose an era for it. If she chooses Colonial, she’ll need to research what that period included.

She’ll research it and discover that there were lots of places colonized by lots of countries.

She’ll pick one. If she picks American, she may discover how big of a role ships played in that period. A pirate might appear.

If a pirate appears, she’ll jump the Colonial ship for a swashbuckling one and buy an eyepatch—just to get into character.

While learning of how lawless the open sea could be, pictures of a lawless Old West with cowboys and sheriffs might tempt her to leave rolling sea waves for waving prairie seas.

She’ll buy a covered wagon. If she buys that wagon, her HOA will demand she get it out of her front yard. She’ll settle for spurs. The cat will not be amused.

If her cat protests too much, she’ll decide to get him a girlfriend. She’ll go online and order one. That will remind her of mail-order brides. She’ll begin researching. The idea of dip pens and beautiful paper and wax seals will make a serious hit to her budget. She’ll justify it as “research.” If she goes overboard, she might start a story-by-mail service with a new letter sent each week. Reams of paper fill her front yard. The HOA will send a sternly-written letter.

But the deadlines loom on the horizon. She’ll pray for help. Thinking about prayer will remind her that her (not-as-yet-to-be-put-on-paper) fictional town needs a church. And some civilizing. If she prays and all that happens… she’ll research more.

While researching, she’ll remember she meant to do a story from earlier in the century. She’ll buy a ball gown—Regency style. What’s a ball gown with nowhere to wear it? She needs a ball!

If she wants to go to a ball, she’ll need to know how to dance. She’ll sign up for English country dance lessons and learn that the waltz of that time is very different from ours.

She’ll research how it evolved. If she studies well, she’ll learn how scandalized folks were and decides to move her story forward. She likes the waltz. To prove it, she’ll buy vinyl albums of Strauss’ waltzes and play them nonstop.

If she plays the music too late, her neighbors will call in a noise complaint. The HOA will call an emergency meeting. She’ll miss it. She’s too busy deciding between that mail-order bride and an antebellum miss (and stuffing a thousand envelopes to mail tomorrow).

Pictures of waltzes at balls with hoopskirts and satin prompts her to order her own. If she puts it on, it threatens to get stuck when she tries to walk out the front door.

If she gets stuck, she’ll shimmy out of the dress (good thing it was a little big) and lets it sit there as décor.

The HOA comes armed with pitchforks and scissors. Fascinated, she wonders where they got the pitchforks. The gown does not survive.

Her indignation prompts her to reconsider and write something more Gilded Age—the long, close-fitting gowns (except for bustles as big as those hoopskirts!). If she puts one of those on and walks out the front door, she’ll find a man there. Gaping. She may think she looks stunning. If she thinks that, he might pull out a stungun—along with a court order to appear and pay a fine.

When she sees that fine, she may swoon (or it could be she didn’t know how to lace the corset correctly). He’ll catch her and help her to her couch (it’s not a fainting couch).

When he brings her a drink, she may tell him the whole story.

And if she tells him the whole story, he might suggest writing Sci-Fi would be safer.

After a long nap and a weird dream, she decides he’s right. She’ll write about people in space. And chances are, if she researches writing about people in space, she’ll discover that it’s just another Colonial story.

(Oh, and she’ll need a new home. She had to sell hers to pay the HOA fines. Anyone want to subscribe to her story letters?)

My Impressions

Once Upon a Courtship is an anthology of twelve different novellas by different authors. All are Christian-themed, sweet, and clean. They range from the Colonial to the Gilded Era. I read a sampling of four authors’ works: MaryLu Tyndale, Regina Scott, Marlene Bierworth, and Chautona Havig.

MaryLu Tyndale’s story, The Privateer’s Prize, was just as enjoyable as her other pirate stories I’ve read. Jilted at the altar by Isaac, Thea encounters him as a hostile privateer as she attempts a journey North as a spy during the Revolutionary War. Attempting to force Isaac to band to her wishes, Thea’s actions cause damage that is hard for Isaac to forgive, even as he attempts to keep her safe. As the two struggle to stay ahead of their pursuers, they begin to see themselves as they had been years earlier, with flaws that would have torn them apart. Even now, God is refining each of them.

Isaac regrets the way he treated Thea in the past,

“He had not only broken her heart, but he had pushed her away from God, a far worse condition than being jilted.”

Even as Isaac realizes a deeper, truer love for Thea( and she for him) he still holds one possession firmly in his fisted hands.

“Isaac had turned back to God, had committed his life to Him, but he had never fully given Him everything. He had never put Him first. How could he justify such selfishness when Jesus had given His all, His very life, for Isaac?

***********

“Humility. One more item to add to the list of characteristics Mrs. Dalrymple expected Victoria’s husband to possess, along with patience, faithfulness, fiscal responsibility, kindness to animals, and frequent tithing. He would have to be an absolute paragon among men. She’d never find a groom to match.”

In Leftover Mail-Order Bride by Regina Scott, Victoria Milford has traveled west in 1870s Washington Territory to be the answer to a mail-order bride ad. Upon finding the gentleman already married when she arrives, Victoria must find work or a husband. Her hostess, Mrs. Dalrymple, fancies herself a matchmaker. Will Victoria follow Mrs. Dalrymple’s advice or her own heart? What happens when the gentleman who most appeals, Jack Willets, only wants a wife who will be an assett to the ranch?

***********

In Clara’s Compassion by Marlene Bierworth, a young woman travels West to the Canadian frontier, the Rockies, and the end of the current railroad. By marrying the railroad master there, Clara can still teach like she wants and receive her inheritance that may soon be lost. But will her compassion for all people, no matter their origins, blend with that of her husband-to-be, whose railroad exploits these same people?

When confronted about her activities that offend the self-righteous townspeople, Clara avers,

“Compassion for the needy holds no boundaries where God is concerned.” What will it take to make these two hearts like-minded and the townspeople willing to accept both Clara and her husband-to-be?

Notable Quotables:

“Does being accepted by the majority make ignoring the minority acceptable?”

“You are like my conscience taking bodily form.”

*************

In Courting Miss Darling, Chautona Havig does it again! She at once amuses me, admonishes me, teaches me, and entertains me. Muriel answers a letter of introduction and begins corresponding with a Dakota Territory rancher. We follow the correspondence of these two lonely people as they slowly reveal who they are on paper. I really admired Muriel for her strength, wisdom, and love she shows teaching the Casper, Wyoming children. Pete also has many good qualities, one being an ability to remember a “conversation” and ask more questions about someone in connection to that. That was one quality that endeared him to Muriel, and it was a real-life quality that endeared my hubby to me as we corresponded for awhile during our long-distance dating.

I enjoyed reading Pete’s mom’s admonition about self-confidence:

“you are a son of the King of Kings. That means you are to be humble, for you are not the King Himself, and confident because your Father is the King and will protect you against all manner of things.”

Ms.Havig leads the her characters on a very twisted path to matrimony. But, oh, the lessons they and you, the reader will learn as you journey together!

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.