Welcome to the Blog Tour for Secrets in Amish Country by Mary Alford, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
Title: Secrets in Amish Country Author: Mary Alford Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Release Date: October 27, 2026 Genre: Amish Romantic Suspense
The truth could cost her everything… even her life.
Eve Lantz’s life takes a deadly shift when her return home after her brother’s sudden death is met with gunfire from an unknown assailant. Still haunted by her father’s unsolved murder, Eve is determined to uncover the truth behind the tragedies surrounding her family. Joining forces with her childhood friend, Assistant Police Chief Casey Masterson, she plunges into a dangerous investigation. Casey vows to protect Eve and expose the secrets linking these crimes, but the deeper they go, the more perilous their search becomes. The shadowy perpetrator will stop at nothing to keep his dark secrets hidden—and Eve may be the next victim.
Mary Alford is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author who loves giving her readers the unexpected, combining unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots that result in stories the reader can’t put down. Her books have garnered several awards and nominations. Mary lives deep in the heart of Texas with her husband, two cats, and a dog. Mary is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Connect with Mary by visiting maryalford.net to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.
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I love Mary Alford’s Amish romantic suspense. Alford often portrays a community in which both Englisch and Amish must work together to solve the exciting, dangerous crimes. Often there is a cross-cultural romance involved. What do you think about this type of cross-cultural romance? Do you think it happens? Very often? Tell me your thoughts! In the meantime, here’s an excerpt to whet your appetite for Secrets in Amish Country.
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Excerpt
This wasn’t how she imagined coming home. In all the long months she’d dreamed of returning to Rachel’s Crossing, Kentucky, never once had Eve Lantz pictured her homecoming beginning like this. With death waiting for her.
“He’s dead, Eve.”
Those simple words shattered her world.
Her bruder, Akin, was dead.
The lights of Rachel’s Crossing blurred through her tears. Eve pulled back on the reins and slowed the mare, pulling the buggy over to the side of the road.
She hadn’t stopped crying since the call came in from her Englischer friend, Casey Masterson, a police officer with the Rachel’s Crossing force. Casey had called the bakery where Eve worked in Munfordville, a town near Rachel’s Crossing.
Eve barely had time to be surprised by Casey’s call before he told her the reason for it. Even now—after more than ten hours had passed—she still couldn’t wrap her mind or her heart around such a tragedy.
The last time she’d seen him was at his wife Rosannah’s funeral a year earlier. That awful day was carved deep into Eve’s memory. Akin standing at the graveside, shoulders bowed, tears streaming down his face as he clutched his daughter Sophia’s small hand in his.
It appears to be suicide, Eve…
Casey’s words had cut like a knife. Not her brother. The man she’d grown up with would never take his own life.
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Wanna Win? (Tour Giveaway)
(1) winner will receive a print copy of Secrets in Amish Country and a $50 Amazon gift card!
(2) winners will each receive a print copy of Secrets in Amish Country!
Fineprint… because, well, you know…
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 26, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 2, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
“The case grew creepier by the minute, spiraling Aurora deeper into a pit she had vowed to stay out of. A dark dungeon within her mind.”
Wow!! Darlene L. Turner has outdone herself this time, in Coordinates of Death, her second psychological and Inspirational Romantic Suspense book in the Arctic Protectors Series. Having failed to apprehend a sereal ( misspelled on purpose) killer once, Aurora ( Rory) knows that her job, multiple lives, and her own sanity are on the line if she lets the Shadow Box Killer elude her this time in the frozen Yukon wilderness. Unfortunately, the SBK has a sick fascination with Rory and forces her to play a deadly game…in which she is allowed one helper, but it can’t be a Law Enforcement Officer. Aurora chooses Kordell, a former childhood friend whose adoptive family has started their own personal multi-skilled investigation-protection business.
Events of the past cast huge, impregnable shadows over both Aurora and Kordell. Can they work together to solve the mystery, form firmer grounds for faith, and keep themselves and others alive?
Part of the nearly unbearable tension of the book is caused by Turner’s style of writing. Most of the book is in the third person present, while Turner inserts the nefarious thoughts of the killer in first person present. Just creep into my mind, too, SBK!!
When I read a Darlene L. Turner book, I love to pit myself against the author. Can I use the clues to solve the crime before all is revealed? Let me say, I was thrilled with the shocking ending!
I highly recommend this book. There are more members of the Canadian Watcher’s Squad (group Kord is a part of), so I am excited there will be several more books to come!
I received a copy of the book from the author. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“God uses the ashes of life to create beauty.”
“I think we all have some form of darkness within us. Why else would God have sent His Son to save us?”
“…even though we don’t understand why bad things happen, there’s always a reason. The deeper the darkness, the brighter God’s presence shines through.”
“I struggle. There are times I don’t understand what God’s doing and I can’t see His light in all the darkness, but I know He’s there.”
‘‘Son, God doesn’t make junk, only masterpieces, and you are a special boy. I can see that in your eyes.’ … ‘Now you need to believe it.’’
When Finley Burke moves to the peaceful lakeside village of Sunset Cove, she’s looking for a fresh start-not a mystery. But when a violent storm washes a strange tackle box onto her dock, she discovers more than fishing lures inside. Hidden within are antique jewels and secrets that link to a long-buried family feud and a suspicious death. As Finley digs deeper, she finds herself tangled in a web of
lies that threaten the calm of the cove- and her own safety.
With the help of her quirky but loyal neighbors, a sharp-eyed detective, Finley must uncover the truth before the past catches up to her.
Full of Southern charm, close-knit friendships, and suspense that keeps you turning the pages. Dockside Secrets is a heartwarming cozy mystery that proves it’s never too late to start over or to solve a mystery.
Terry Overton is a retired university professor of educational and school psychology. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Psychology.
Her professional experience includes teaching public school, teaching at the university level, and being a college dean.
She has two children, seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.
Her previous writing and publication experiences include textbook and journal articles in the fields of special education and school psychology. She now seeks to answer God’s call to share the good news and grow the church by writing Christian books and devotionals.
Over the years, Terry’s books have won the Mom’s Choice Award, Christian Indie Award, Firebird Book Awards, American Writing Winner Awards, Bookfest Winner Awards, Pencraft Award, Reader Views Silver Reviewers Award, and International Book Award Finalist. Her writing examines real world events with a Christian worldview. She enjoys writing for young children, middle grade readers, YA fiction, and adult level novels.
More from Terry
I must admit I have probably watched and read just about every Hallmark cozy mystery I have come across! I have become addicted to mysteries lately! I don’t limit it to just the cozy mysteries. Lately, I have been watching plenty of true crime. The attraction for me is the puzzle. I mean, really, who can resist a “whodunit?” I prefer more of the gumshoe approach, but I also watch several crime scene investigations.
It started out with a curiosity about why people do such actions. What motivates people to commit these crimes and then try to cover them up? In many cases, criminals just aren’t that bright. But there are some cases that remain puzzling.
I decided to give it a go. Dockside Secrets is my first cozy. It was fun to write this mystery in the little community outside of a big city. We moved to this new little cove on a lake, Sunset Cove, and this is where the characters live. The large city in the book, Sagebrush Bend, is in reality, Fort Worth, Texas. Plenty of changing landscapes here, and these appear in the story.
Grab this cozy and meet the quirky cast of characters: a retired forensic psychologist, a very proper southern lady, a nutty and loud best friend, and a middle-of-the-road peacekeeper join a fumbling local sheriff and a handsome detective to discover what really happened at Sunset Cove.
My Impressions
“She hadn’t expected trouble just sixty-two days into retirement, but it found her standing at the edge of the lake peering under her dock.”
The power of a great first sentence! This one is penned by cozy mystery author Terry Overton. I was really pleased with this book, because I had just finished a very intense thriller. I wondered if Overton’s cozy, Dockside Secrets, #1 Finley Burke mysteries, would suffer in my mind by being read next.
But not to worry. Overton’s style is simple, yet educated, comfortably peaceful while dealing with murder. As a cozy, the action is not super fast, but the pacing is steady, and the characters are introduced and clues presented in an intriguing way. I really cared about recently retired college professor Finley who had moved to a small lakeside Texas community. Expecting to find peace, Finley finds neighbors who become supportive friends (another fun, eclectic group!) and a washed-up tackle box.
What she doesn’t find is quick answers or much help from the local sheriff. Old habits die hard, and Finley finds herself returning to her amateur sleuthing ways. Enlisting the help of her neighbors, the “Sleuths of Sunset Cove” set out to discover the secrets behind the items on the tackle box. Like Pandora’s box, each of them finds secrets being released. But, will some secrets they discover of a local oil family bring them closure or more danger than they can handle?
Instead of a fave character, I believe I’ll pick a fave scene. It would have to be when each member of the group finds they want to trust each other enough to share a carefully guarded part of their past. Such a defining moment!
This is a new cozy mystery series that is now on my “to-be-recommended” list! If you enjoy small town cozies and quirky groups of characters, this may be just the novel for you!
I received a copy of the book from the author through Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“The guy is sneaky. He bends the law at forty-five-degree angles.”
“I do not spread gossip. I hear it, but that’s all.” [ Hoo, boy, is this speaker’s constant avowal hilarious!]
“cologne that could gas a room”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superior! I am happy to recommend this new cozy series!
A hidden identity. A relentless marquess. And a summer where love could expose everything.
When Cleveland society parades debutante Sylvie Bryce before another string of unsuitable suitors, she secretly claims the one thing no one can arrange for her—a life of her own. Hidden beneath a green velvet hood and emerald mask, she becomes the mysterious Lady Robin, a daring trick-shot archer who captivates the crowds at Cedar Point resort. It’s the one place where Sylvie answers to no one. The last thing she needs is a charming English marquess threatening to unravel everything she has worked so hard to build.
Miles Wentworth didn’t come to Ohio looking for love. He came to study insects, escape the shadow of a devastating scandal, and prove that a man can build a life on his own terms. But a chance encounter with a boldly independent woman—first in a glittering ballroom, and then behind the mask of a legendary archer—upends every carefully laid plan. Determined to protect her, even from himself, Miles steps into a dangerous game of secrets and deception—one that draws them closer with every anonymous letter and stolen moment…even as the truth has the power to ruin them both.
A richly atmospheric Gilded Age romance brimming with wit, hidden identities, and the tender courage it takes to love without pretense—a tale of a sharp-shooting socialite, a science-minded lord, and the summer of secrets that will change them both forever. Perfect for fans of Jen Turano and Roseanna M. White.
Abbey Downey started writing inspirational romance stories during naptime when her kids were babies and found she couldn’t stop. A life-long Midwestern girl, Abbey lives in central Indiana with her husband, two kids, and one rather enthusiastic beagle. She loves watching her middle schoolers in all their activities and fixing up a 125-yar-old farmhouse with her husband.
More from Abbey
“Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to be impressed and entertained by the marvelous skill of Lady Robin, our own famed archer. Reminiscent of Robin Hood of old, she performs feats with a bow that are only dreamed of by most masters. Now, please, sit back and enjoy the show.” – The Marquess’s Masked Archer
Why do fictional characters hide? They might keep their entire identity hidden under a costume, their face covered with a mask, or just parts of who they are kept behind a confident act, but secrets are often an element of the conflict in books we love. And it’s for the same kinds of reasons all of us have tried to hide aspects of ourselves at one time or another. Fear. Shame. Protection. Freedom. Survival.
Characters in fiction reflect the truth of our human existence. Most of us probably aren’t dressing up as a female Robin Hood to perform archery trick shots or writing secret admirer letters to win a love interest, like my characters do in The Marquess’s Masked Archer. But the reasons Sylvie and Miles choose secrecy are all too relatable.
Sylvie’s goal in hiding behind a green hood is to give herself a taste of freedom. Her high society world is prescribed and controlled. There are very few opportunities for her to make choices in life. And while she longs to have more freedom, she also worries that if she were to get the independence she so desires, she would fail miserably and be forced to return to her parents in shame. Isn’t it relatable to want something desperately but at the same time be terrified that we can’t actually handle getting it?
In a different way, Miles hides behind a new life for protection. After false accusations in his youth left him disgraced in England, he wrestles with his purpose. His passion for medical entomology has given him hope for a normal life, but he also feels the constant weight of expectations due to his noble title. He’s certain people only see what they want to when they look at him, so he hides away doing his research, hoping no one will look at all. How truly human is that? We hide so much of ourselves out of worry that people won’t understand or will immediately jump to conclusions about who we are based on one glimpse.
But God didn’t create us for secrecy. The tension of hiding makes it difficult for Sylvie and Miles to fall in love, in spite of their interest in each other from the beginning. Every step forward brings new worry that they’ll be found out and their plans will be destroyed. Each romantic moment comes with the discomfort of knowing they aren’t being completely genuine with each other. Even Sylvie and Miles’s first kiss is shrouded in questions about whether the other knows that they meant it.
In the end, Sylvie and Miles’s story is also about what happens when they’re forced to take off the masks. It takes trust in each other and in God for them to finally get to the moment of happily ever after that we all love so much. Just like in fiction, when we trust God with those secret parts of ourselves, we can start to see how living in truth offers more freedom than hiding.
Do you enjoy a hidden identity or secret admirer trope? What’s your favorite book that includes one of those?
My Impressions
“In a world that denied them the ability to choose most things for themselves, the occasional chance to determine their own fate was worth fighting hard for.”
This statement. It epitomizes the motivations of many of the actions of our MCs, Sylvie Bryce and Miles Wentworth. While Abbey Downey has set her Gilded Age historical romance, The Marquess’s Masked Archer, in the early 1900s in the Lake Erie playground of the Ohio rich and famous, you don’t have to be rich or famous to identify with these two MCs! How many of us have either fought against society’s expectations, overly controlling parental expectations, or unfair gossip that ruined a reputation while the Truth doesn’t matter? Oy, vey!!
Sylvie is in her “third season” and her high-society mother is determined to make her a match before Sylvie gets passed over again. Problem is, Sylvie doesn’t have any desire to be the compliant socialite wife that would fit in her social circle. She wants one thing. “All she wanted was to be allowed to choose her own companion for that future, but even that was more than anyone believed she could manage. In their eyes, obedience was all she was capable of.”
When her mother chooses Miles as the best prospect because of his English title, Sylvie decides he is the last man possible she will marry… even as she is inexorably drawn to his unique character qualities of seeing her as a real person with valid wishes, hopes, and dreams for the future.
But…secrets play a huge part in this story. Miles’s past in England is something he fights hard to keep hidden as he comes to America, attempting to re-invent himself as who he wants to be- a successful entomologist, uninterested in the society ladies his best American friend introduces him to.
This is a novel to be read not for the surprise of the ending- because it’s one you know where it’s headed- but how will Downey get you there? How much angst will she put her characters through? ( A lot.) Inability to figure out what other key players may be thinking or planning is key. And let’s face it. Mind reading of others, especially ones we love or are in conflict with, can be hard! So we see questions about Miles and Sylvie’s motivations , Sylvie’s mother’s and another society debutante’s machinations, and society’s approval of Sylvie’s archery show. And, I must say, I love the Mr. Kinsey thread. He is a fave character, even though I’m not Team Kinsey! ( Maybe next book, Ms. Downey, please?!)
Woven into this book is the slow, subtle realization of just Who God is, and how He cares for His own. What does His protection really look like? Did he fail Miles in England when he allowed tragedy after tragedy? Is he failing Sylvie when she can’t seem to break free from her parents’ bondage? Read this story for the historical romance, but consider the God implications for your own life! The best kind of story!
My thanks to CelebrateLit for a copy of the book via BookFunnel. I also purchased my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“But we tend to fight against growth. Would you have made the effort to change if it wasn’t pushed on you?”
“Fear and worry had a way of pressing someone into actions they didn’t want to take.”
“Would he ever be free from the assumptions people made about him? Would he ever be able to release the past and move forward?”
“After facing tragedy followed by a life-altering ordeal, the idea of a God who reached out to take care of individual believers didn’t match his experience. But it couldn’t hurt to take his longings to the only one who might have the power to influence the way they turned out.”
“Assumptions always worked the same way. No amount of protesting would change someone’s mind once it was made up.”
“In England, Miles had faced responsibilities and expectations he wasn’t ready for and didn’t want. The judgments of others had been enough to suffocate him. Where was the God who cared about creatures as tiny as these insects then?”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent!
Read this story for the historical romance, but consider the God implications for your own life! The best kind of story!
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for High Exposure by Kelly Borjas, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
Book Details
Title: High Exposure Series: Jagged Edges #1 Author: Kelly Borjas Publisher: Kregel Publications Release Date: September 15, 2026 Genre: Romantic Suspense
The riveting start to an adventure-driven romantic suspense series from a debut author
Determined travel blogger Julia Stevens is on her final assignment in snowy Silverberg, Colorado. She’s running from her past—and God—but the charm of small-town life brings little comfort when she’s face-to-face with the winter sport that killed her sister: skiing. Upon her arrival in town, she discovers a dead body and is quickly compelled to research the situation, give justice to the man’s story, and kick off her new career in journalism.
Cade Haskins is back home after a failed mission and his subsequent retirement from the DEA. His father’s declining health has pushed Cade to prioritize family, and he helps at the historic Silverberg Hotel on his dad’s behalf. When Julia shows up at the hotel, Cade becomes her local contact. He quickly realizes she has a knack for sniffing around where she shouldn’t, and he attaches himself to her side.
With the local death connected to a meth ring, Julia’s investigation has unknowingly put a target on her back. As the danger increases and she begins to learn more about Cade and his family, she finds herself trusting the God she was running from. And Cade? He doesn’t want to get dragged back into DEA work, but it seems like he may not have a choice if he wants to protect Julia . . . and his growing attraction to her.
Kelly Borjas grew up in Southwest Colorado and later moved to Southern California. She has a degree in communication studies from Biola University and a master’s in leadership and organizational studies from Azusa Pacific University. She is a cohost of the Lit Ladies podcast. Find her at kellyborjas.com.
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My Impressions
“The time had come—to face her past … and her future.”
Why should you pick up High Exposure, Bk 1 of Jagged Edges, from debut author Kelly Borjas? To be honest, covers can make or break a book. This one lets you know you’ll be frozen cold along with the characters before you’re very deep into this great romantic suspense novel. Brrrr! And a travel blogger? Right now, in America, there are some very successful individuals visiting different sites, taking pictures, trying local food offerings, and describing local scenery to invite tourists. And this is exactly what our determined heroine, Julia, is doing for a living. Plus, the locale? A small, obscure town in the wintry Colorado mountains. Yes, please! I want to visit Silverberg! Or maybe not, there may be a little too much tension and cooking going on in that small town, and not the legal kind! Now, attach the Kregel publishing name to a book, and I am convinced I am going to love the book. Last, but not least, Kelly’s literary agent is Lynnette Eason. There’s a very well-known name in romantic suspense that promises this book will be well-worth the read!
And it is! While Julia’s attempt to outrun a tragedy in her past sends her touring the States as a photo-journalist for a travel magazine, her real desire is to become a news journalist. Can her depiction of a dead-in-the-winter Colorado mountain town boost the town’s winter tourism and help the town’s hotel (that Cade’s family owns)? Will that be enough to move her into the realm of serious reporting? Little does Julia know the avalanche that will begin to build slowly when she first enters town to find a very unpleasant surprise in her rental air bnb!
Thanks to his dad’s cancer battle, Cade has recently returned home to Silverberg to help run the hotel. Now, in his dad’s sickness, former DEA agent Cade needs to show newly arrived photo-journalist Julia all the alluring winter possibilities of Silverberg. Unfortunately, getting stalked, threatened, and facing constant danger from an unknown source might put the town in the most positive light. Can Cade run the hotel, protect Julia, protect his DEA association, and protect his heart from the beautiful travel blogger as well?
Borjas quickly got me invested. The town seems so picture-perfect in so many ways. Until Julia’s present begins to unravel, a bit at a time, just as she’s struggling to put it back together. “If she were still a praying woman, she’d ask God for a solution. But she’d abandoned that faith element the day Nikki had died.” Julia convinces a grudging, hot-and-cold Cade to help her investigate the mystery she lands in the middle of. But the deeper they delve into trying to solve the oddities of the town, the more complex their relationship becomes, as both try to keep secrets yet work together.
Themes running through the novel are family, belonging, faith, secrets, meth, DEA, travel photographer, skiing, and Colorado.
I’m already looking forward to Borjas’s second book, Dark Chasm. I need more of Cade’s family! I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher through JustRead Tours via NetGalley. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“…you don’t have to be all things to all people. You’re human and can ask for help, even if you’ve messed up before.”…
“Especially if you’ve messed up before.”
“He would choose to be thankful today for all that he had. No one ever knew how much time was left. But they had today.”
“Men like to give solutions to problems. Women just want to be heard.”
“As a writer, I work to convey the beauty around me—sometimes it’s in the orthodox; other times it’s in the unorthodox that beauty shines. Most of all, truth and love showcase beauty, shining through despair and lies.”
“Struggles create either endurance or termination. As humans we must decide whether to pursue the challenge or give up.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superb! A very exciting start to an amazing new romantic suspense series from debut author Borjas! More, please!
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Want to Win? (Tour Giveaway)
(1) winner will receive a signed copy of High Exposure, a bookmark, and a $20 Amazon gift card!
The Fine Print… because, of course, it’s necessary!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 15, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 22, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
When the wife he believed dead calls from China, an ER doctor races to find her before her enemies silence her forever.
Ethan Wright never recovered from the death of his first love.
Six years ago, Mei Lin discovered evidence linking powerful officials to a human trafficking ring. She planned to smuggle the details out of China and join her new husband in America—but COVID sealed the borders before she could escape. Snatched by the men she’d been investigating, she was wrongfully imprisoned while authorities claimed she had died in quarantine. Now, Mei Lin’s sudden release doesn’t mean she’s free.
Ethan will stop at nothing to get his wife out of China, but he has no idea where she is. He must reach out to his estranged father, a former CIA agent who has powerful connections. With his dad’s help, Ethan begins a desperate search. He finally finds Mei Lin, but she refuses to run without the evidence that could expose the conspiracy—and ensure they’re never hunted again.
Reunited after years apart, Ethan and Mei Lin must rediscover the love they thought they’d lost—while staying one step ahead of enemies who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets hidden.
From a USA Today bestselling author… You’ll love this heart-pounding suspense and gripping romance as Ethan and Mei Lin discover that real love is strong enough to survive anything.
Robin Patchen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Coventry Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. Working in marketing, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while homeschooling her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Visit robinpatchen.com/subscribe to receive a free book and stay informed about Robin’s latest projects.
More from Robin
Saying Goodbye to Shadow Cove
When I typed the last sentence of Shadowing You, the final Wright Heroes of Maine book, I was dehydrated from all the tears I’d shed. These Wrights feel like family to me. I can’t imagine leaving them behind.
From about book five, I knew about Ethan, the son his father kept secret. I didn’t know his plot yet, though. When I met Mei Lin and understood where she’d been for the last six years, I couldn’t wait to share their story.
But first, I want you to get to know Gavin.
The Wright family has two branches. Roger Wright and his wife, Peggy, raised six sons on an apple farm in central Maine. Roger was a physician who never put his work ahead of his children. He was steady and present, the kind of man his boys grew up wanting to be.
His brother Gavin is a different story. He was a CIA officer, gallivanting the world while his wife, Evelyn, raised their five daughters. For most of the girls’ lives, he was distant and guarded, always one assignment away from coming home. Even after he retired from the CIA, he started a business that kept him close to DC—and far from his family in Shadow Cove.
None of those girls knew anything about their father’s son.
Ethan was raised by a single mother in Virginia. Gavin supported them but visited on his own terms. Ethan grew up knowing he was his father’s secret, too shameful to share with Gavin’s real family.
All Ethan ever wanted was a family of his own, which might be the reason that, when his girlfriend finished nursing school and returned home to China, he followed her and proposed. They were married the same week. But after the honeymoon, Ethan had to return to the States, and Mei Lin had to stay in China until her visa came through.
It should have been a matter of weeks, maybe a couple of months at most. But the pandemic hit. And then Mei Lin disappeared. A few months later, Ethan and her parents got word that she’d contracted the disease and died.
But Mei Lin isn’t dead. Six years ago, she uncovered a human trafficking ring and started gathering evidence against the man in charge. She didn’t know he was on to her until she was arrested and thrown into prison. Nobody came to visit her, not her parents, not her brother, and not the husband who’d promised to love her forever. A few years into her imprisonment, she lost hope that she’d ever be freed. And then, after six torturous years, she was released—just like that.
She might be out of prison, but her enemy can’t let her escape from China. Mei Lin calls the husband who left her to rot, not asking—or expecting—anything from him except some money to help her get to safety.
She certainly doesn’t expect him to fly around the world to find her.
But Ethan hasn’t forgotten Mei Lin. Now that he knows she’s alive, he’ll do everything in his power to get her to safety, including rushing into a country he barely understands. And reaching out to the father he rarely speaks to.
But Gavin isn’t the only one who jumps in to help Ethan and Mei Lin escape China. I won’t spoil it for you, but I know you’ll enjoy seeing some old friends in this story.
Thanks for spending your valuable time in Shadow Cove. Enjoy one last story before you move on to your next destination.
As for me, I’ll be just up the coast in Briar Bay, Maine, where three castaway children…
Well, we’ll talk about that one next time.
My Impressions
“The Lord sees you. The Lord knows you. The Lord loves you.”
These words, first spoken by an old lady in prison to Mei Lin, find purchase all the way through Robin Patchen’s last book of The Wright Heroes of Maine, Shadowing You. How long will it take these words of positive, Biblical affirmation to break through the negative words planted in Mei Lin’s mind early in life by her grandmother?
Freed from prison China after 6 years, but realizing she has a mortal enemy, Mei Lin contacts her American husband, Ethan Wright. Ethan is stunned to hear from Mei Lin, whom he was married to very briefly before he left China. While waiting for her visa to come through, he was informed six years ago that she contracted the plague and died during the pandemic.
From one stunning connection to another, Ethan reaches out to his estranged father, Gavin Wright, for help in locating Mei Lin in China and getting back out again.
Expect the usual high adventure, constant movement, imminent danger, and romantic suspense built around faith that Patchen weaves into all of her stories. Because this is the series wrap-up, we get to see the hidden son (Ethan) decide whether or not he is an accepted part of the Wright family, plus character growth in the patriarch of this branch of the family, Gavin Wright. And we see a beaten-in-spirit woman. Can she ever recover who she was originally? To understand all the moving pieces and players, this book needs to be read as the last of its series. Otherwise, I believe one might be overwhelmed by the huge number of Wright family members who populate the novel’s pages.
Words that come to mind to describe the book might be control, worthy, seen, trafficking, mistake, found family, betrayal, assumptions,and loved.
If you dare open this book, try to read fast. The tension will force you to race your thundering heartbeat and the action to discover if Ethan and Mei Lin and their allies can indeed escape China and be safe from those who will stop at nothing to hide their secrets. We say goodbye to the Wrights, but Patchen holds out an ocean of hope for a new series, starting with The Castaways in January. I’m there!!
I received a copy of the book from the author through CelebrateLit via BookFunnel. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“You can be right about everything,” his mother used to say, “or you can be happy. You get to choose.”
“Our God is a God of miracles, sweetheart. There’s no heart He can’t reach.”
“You’re priceless, so obviously, you can’t be more trouble than you’re worth.”
“You’re priceless because Jesus says so. And I happen to agree. I would sacrifice all that I am and all that I have for you.”
“One step at a time. Okay?” She put her hand in his. “But we do not know the steps.” “We’re going to have to trust God to lead us.”
“Why grieve a storm before it happens?”
“He liked to believe he was in control. China had torn that fantasy to shreds.”
“And love didn’t weigh a person to decide whether she was worth the cost. It simply gave everything it had. It wasn’t about what she was worth or he was worth. Love was worth the sacrifice.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superior! Loved the story, the character growth, the family warmth.
A woman rebuilding after tragedy and a grieving father searching for hope discover that the past isn’t finished with them.
After the Peshtigo Fire reduces her teaching dreams to ash, Willow Deeran refuses to let the flames win. She pours her last hope into an audacious plan: opening an orphanage for the children left homeless by Wisconsin’s deadliest wildfire. All she needs is funding—and a partner she’s never met.
Violin maker Valentine Ashardt has spent the year since the fire hiding behind his grief, haunted by the daughter he lost in the blaze. Helping Willow build the orphanage offers more than purpose. As silent co-owner, he’ll have access to every child who comes through its doors. Surely, one of them will be his Mary.
As anonymous threats mount, old accusations resurface, and a mysterious little girl with no memory arrives on their doorstep, Willow and Valentine must decide if their dreams might not look different than they’d once hoped. Because sometimes God’s plan looks nothing like what we imagined. And sometimes the family we’ve been desperately searching for has been standing beside us all along.
For fans of Joanna Davidson Politano and Jody Hedlund—a tender story of faith renewed, purpose rediscovered, and love rising from the most unexpected ruins.
Avrie Swan is a Christian author and avid reader with a love for all things historical. Having grown up exploring antique stores and museums, she eventually decided to combine her interest in history with her love for writing and began working on her first full-length novel at the age of fourteen. She especially enjoys writing stories that focus on themes of family, faith, and growth through difficult times.
When Avrie is not writing, she is watching old movies, collecting antique books, and hunting for agates. A native Wisconsinite, she enjoys spending the cold winters indoors with her cat on her lap and a good book in her hand.
More from Avrie
Hello, folks!
It’s hard to believe Sparks of Hope is the third and final entry in The Peshtigo Fire Chroniclesseries. Writing this book was bittersweet… but also undeniably exciting. Willow and Valentine’s story took me some time to develop, and the result is a book with a lot of heart. Their tale explores themes of found family and growth while also rounding out Carina and Charlotte’s journeys. I hope you enjoy the conclusion to their stories!
One of my favorite elements in Sparks of Hope is Valentine’s occupation as a luthier. My family has always enjoyed music, and since I took violin lessons for several years when I was younger, I thought it only fitting to include a violin maker in one of my stories. I didn’t know much about the process of building violins when I started my research for the book, but I soon discovered it’s a fascinating and detailed craft. I have the utmost respect for the skilled people who shape the instruments enjoyed by so many.
While music plays a small role in Sparks of Hope, the story’s central theme is purpose. Have you ever wondered what God’s plan was for your life? That question weighs heavily on Willow’s mind after a disaster ruins all her carefully laid plans. She finds herself needing to choose a new path and pursue a different dream…although achieving it may not be quite as simple as she hopes.
In honor of the upcoming release of Sparks of Hope, I thought it would be fun to do a “this or that” game featuring some elements from the book. Which options do you prefer? Pick your favorites and then head over to my Instagram (@avrieswanwrites) or website (avrieswan.com) to share your choices!
Scarf or shawl
Griddlecakes or fresh bread
Cottage or townhouse
Sleigh ride or autumn walk
Frozen harbor or snowy forest
Blessings,
Avrie Swan
My Impressions
“purpose is a strange thing. It doesn’t always align with what we expect, nor does it follow our rules. And things don’t always turn out exactly the way we think they will.”
When the raging inferno of the October 8, 1871, Peshtigo, WI, devours the town and destroys more lives than the great, well-known Chicago fire of the same day, how can any hope of recovery rise from the ashes of utter devastation? Avrie Swan’s main characters, Willow Deeran and Valentine (Val) Ashardt of her third book in The Peshtigo Fire series, will have to dig deep within themselves, their relationships and their faith to find Sparks of Hope.
Willow’s life-long dream is to start a school for the children of Peshtigo. A big dream for a young woman whose family’s poverty precludes even enough education for her to be able to read and write. Then the fire. Her body survives, but partial amnesia and a loss of everything they own destroys that dream. What would change if she could just recall events surrounding the fire? Could it help with the new purpose that God has seemingly placed in her lap, as soon as she prays? (Isn’t this just like God to answer a prayer before the words are hardly out of our mouths?)
But this new purpose creates great problems. Financial. Safety. Familial discord. ( Can I say I was so disappointed that Ma isn’t very supportive of this new dream, while Da is just the opposite personality, warm, loving, and affirming at every possible turn? )
And the financial help for her new orphanage idea comes from the most unexpected source. Val’s best friend Quincy, a newspaper reporter, is actually who Willow approaches for help. Val who is a talented stringed instrument carver and a social recluse is visiting his friend at the office. Overhearing the need, Val offers to be a silent partner. Quincy objects! “You don’t even know this woman.” “No, I don’t. But I respect a good deed when I see one.”
And so an unlikely, socially inappropriate relationship between two single, different classes (yes, America had them and still manages to have them!) begins! And so does the tongue wagging! Some of it is busybody stuff, some is reactionary and funny(!), and some is conniving and terribly damaging.
The antagonists in this novel are beautifully drawn. Not beautiful, mind you, just well fleshed out, needy, selfish, and can’t see beyond their own needs to understand the hurt in others’ lives.
Fave characters? I have several. Mary. So sweet, so adorable, so cracks open more than one hard heart! Da, for his genuine love and unconditional love and support of his daughter. ( Unfortunately, perhaps some of that is missing in his relationship with his son, though it would be much more difficult?) And a “bad guy.” I actually loved Hattie. Not what she does, but she is rather hilarious in her overbearing, obtuse ways and is the pefect catalyst. Well done!
Trigger warnings for those who want them: fire scenes, grave mental health issues.
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher through CelebrateLit via BookFunnel. I also bought my own copy. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“God has a plan for us all, Willow. He has known what we will do in life since the very beginning. But that plan isn’t always what you expect.”
“There was no saving what had been lost. Not then, and not now.”
“The best way to handle rumors is to let them run their course. People will eventually find something else to focus on.”
“Nothing in life is predictable, Willow. There are risks at every turn.“ … “What’s important is facing the risks and continuing.To give up now, when you’ve come this far, would defeat everything you’re trying to accomplish.”
“…if he remained trapped in the past for much longer, he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to truly live in the present.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! You will travel the gamut of your emotions with this novel. Highly recommended!
Editor Nathanael Carver has made a career out of exposing corruption and publishing people’s dirty secrets. From his hate mail, it seems one of his high-profile enemies wants revenge. But the person with murder in mind may be someone closer to home.
Carver enlists the help of Kate Baxter, a police detective with problems of her own: disapproving parents, sexist coworkers, and a smoking habit she can’t seem to kick. The support of her tribe and ample time at the gun range help to keep her sane. As her personal life and the case bleed together, Kate gains insight into Carver’s world, keeping her eye on those closest to him. Kate is on the cusp of progress when Carver, against her advice, drops the case—only to be viciously attacked. Now it’s Kate’s turn to drag everyone’s dirty secrets into the light, but not before at least one body hits the floor.
Originally from the Midwest, Paul Michael Garrisonhas spent roughly half his life in Upstate South Carolina. His published novels include Letters to the Editor and its sequel, The Lies People Publish. He holds degrees in publishing, theater, and creative writing (MFA). He has written for the stage, and his short fiction has appeared in The Windhover, Quantum Fairy Tales, and Heart of Flesh. Paul Michael frequently performs with the Greenville Shakespeare Company. Whether on stage or in writing, he enjoys the art of becoming someone else.
More from Paul Michael
The Creation of Kate Baxter: Meeting the Detective of Letters to the Editor
How do you come up with your characters?
It’s one of the most frequent questions I (and probably a lot of authors) get at book events. Some authors talk about their characters as creations, while others insist their characters come to them fully formed, gradually revealing themselves to the writer. As with most writing philosophies, I personally tend to fall in the middle.
But I can tell you that Detective Kate Baxter in her trademark trench coat did not spring from my imagination fully formed like Athena from the mind of Zeus. Several thoughtful factors came into play during her creation.
The Mystery Came First
For many novelists, the character comes first, but Letters to the Editor began with the mystery. I imagine that’s common for mystery writers. It was an idea I’d had for some time, just simmering in the back of my brain.
It wasn’t until I signed up for a novel-writing class that I decided to actually flesh the mystery out and put it down on paper. So, if I was going to write a classic mystery, I was going to need a detective.
The Professional Detective
Cozy mysteries can be great fun, but in a series (and they usually end up as series) I find the trope of the amateur detective who constantly stumbles into one mystery after another a bit strained. Requiring a high suspension of disbelief, it works best in comic, here-we-go-again scenarios.
I wanted to create a world that felt more grounded and to leave the window open for my detective to come back (which she did in The Lies People Publish). And that’s one reason Kate serves on the Fulton Springs Police Department.
The Girl Next Door
I recall feeling bombarded at the time by burned-out detectives, whether in literature, film, or television. The investigator whose life is an unholy shambles, who’s nursing a substance abuse problem (usually alcohol), whose family or private life is completely shattered. I kept seeing these broken-down characters, and they just depressed me. I struggled to relate to them in any way. With their addictions and psychological damage, I questioned how legitimately they could function in everyday life, let alone track down murderers and other criminals.
I wanted a more relatable detective, not a beleaguered trainwreck nor a genius human computer of the Sherlockian variety. I wanted someone who, even if you couldn’t relate to her directly, you could imagine her living next door.
When an interviewer referred to Kate as a bit of a hot mess, I must admit I got defensive for a moment. And then I realized that she probably is—the way all of us are in the right light. She struggles with her relationships and goals and with living out her values and beliefs as most thoughtful people do.
When I began the novel, I had a female friend who was a police officer. Kate is not based on her, but I won’t deny that my friend (and her stories) inspired some of Kate’s characteristics, her tribe of friends, and even a few anecdotes that worked their way into the story.
Midwestern Woman of Faith
While I live in the South, I grew up in the Midwest. At the time of writing, I felt I could more accurately capture the Midwestern sensibility than a Southern one, both for Kate’s character and the setting in general. Plus, my publishing background (I was a book editor at the time) was going to inform the novel’s setting, and the Chicago metro area seemed a more likely representative of that world.
My writing instructor called Kate “a church-going detective,” which made me laugh a little. If, in forming Kate, I was reacting against the broken-down detective, I was also reacting against the portrayal of Christians in the arts. There seemed to be two extremes: in Christian fiction, the Pollyannaish Christian who lived a sanitized version of life, and in mainstream literature, religious hypocrites and wackadoos. I realize that may be a tad reductive, but that’s how it felt. Why couldn’t we have something a little more authentic, more fair, more nuanced?
While not necessarily tackling a spiritual journey, I wanted to show Christians in real-world, everyday contexts. I know some readers may find Kate’s faith alienating, but no reader is going to agree or sympathize with every character they read. That’s only natural. But as I researched the genre, I found mainstream novels with detectives with all kinds of worldviews, so why not a mainstream novel with a Christian detective?
Introducing Kate Baxter
These influences formed the initial skeleton of Detective Kate Baxter, but they don’t begin to paint the entire picture of the character she developed into—the insecurities and challenges she faces as a single woman; her love for her friends, her pets, and classic literature; or her belief that the best therapy is found at a gun range. If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll pick up a copy of Letters to the Editor and meet her yourself.
My Impressions
“…there are secrets that don’t do anybody good to know…But then there are secrets that if you keep them, they will swallow you up whole.”
Letters to the Editor by Paul Michael Garrison is a mainstream fiction book with a detective who struggles with her faith as she and her partner investigate threats against a local editor. A crime mystery, thriller, and detective novel with a bit of psychological suspense thrown in, this book is not my usual reading fare. It did snag my interest. As the Detective Kate’s and Detective Potter’s (of Fulton Springs-Olivet police department) list of suspects shrinks, the suspense becomes more palpable. The action and storyline are quite believable. Expecting a more sanitized story, after reading the author’s notes about his purposes, I could better see why he used the descriptions, language, and situations he did.
The question is: who is after book editor Nate Carver? Is the apparent threat serious? What is Amelie Carver hiding? Nate Carver has made a career out of exposing others’ secrets. Now we see not only him, but the players in his life around him being stripped bare and exposed of their secrets. Whose secret will be fatal to someone? Whose secrets will ruin a career or careers? And do real people struggle with their faith and emerge with an intact faith, or does life demand a shedding of that faith? Can the reader figure out the answers before all is slowly, torturously, revealed?
I received a copy of the book from the publisher and CelebrateLit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“‘It sounds like a coping mechanism.’ Danny held up the pack. ‘You turn to these for comfort, instead of turning to God.’”
“The answers are easy; accepting them is not,”
“‘We just have to trust that God’s timing is perfect.’ ‘Even when it doesn’t feel that way.’ ‘Yeah, even when it doesn’t feel that way.’ ‘That’s most of the time, you know?’”
“Maybe it’s not always best for the truth to come out. Some secrets bear no profit when revealed, right?”
A burdened earl. A determined ballerina. Saving the theatre was part of their bargain. Losing their hearts wasn’t.
London, 1815
Emmeline Laurent has survived by grace and grit. After her parents’ execution in France, she has learned to live unseen as a humble ballerina instructing young pupils in a small London theatre. When whispers spread that the Danforth Theatre may be sold to an unscrupulous buyer, Emmeline fears not only for her livelihood but for the safety of her impressionable students. With no time and no options, she does the only thing she knows to do: leap into a moving carriage and bargain with the new lord who holds their fate.
Grant Atherton, the Earl of Quincy, has inherited the crushing weight of duty along with a failing theatre, an arranged engagement, two younger sisters to usher into society, and a mountain of his father’s secrets. Selling the Danforth is the only way to save his family from ruin. The last thing he needs is a beautiful, infuriatingly determined ballerina turning his careful plans upside down.
But when Emmeline’s hidden past begins surfacing and the danger circling the theatre proves far deadlier than either of them realized, Grant must choose between the life he planned and the one God may have been preparing all along.
For fans of Roseanna M. White and Jen Turano — a sweeping Regency romance about the grace found in surrender, the courage it takes to trust, and the God who makes a way when every door seems closed.
Lorri Dudley is the bestselling author of The Leeward Island Series and The Agents of Espionage Series. She has a master’s degree in psychology and lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household.
Connect with Lorri by visiting lorridudley.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.
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My Impressions
“The happiest people in life aren’t those without problems. It’s those with something bigger than their problems.”
I give The Ballerina’s Bargain (The Danforth Theatre, bk#1) by Lorri Dudley a rousing standing ovation. Taking place in 1815 England, forbidden love, familial duty, revenge, fear, protection of innocents, and society double-standards are all topics explored.
Having narrowly escaped the guillotine in France as a child, Emmeline and her ballet mentor, Charlene, hide under assumed names working at the Danforth Theatre. Finding out that the present owner, Lord Quincy, Grant Atherton, plans to sell the theatre to a man who intends to promote “back room rendezvous,” Emmeline challenges Grant not to sell. She loves the little ballerines, ages 6-14, that she teaches and realizes their pending fate under the new owner. Then she promises Grant that she will make sure the Danforth turns a profit. Grant doesn’t want to acquiesce… but prayer is an important part of his life, and he hears God speaking, “Protect my lambs.” But what about his younger siblings’ futures? Must he risk them?
Ooh, la, la!! As Grant reneges on his spoken agreement to sell the theatre, he begins to find he is making enemies left and right. Mr. Harrowby threatens to ruin him, an old Eton bully reappears in his life, the dancers are ready to mutiny, and he has a fiancée he doesn’t want to marry. While Charlene insists troubles come because of the father’s sins visiting the children, Emmeline draws on her faith to reach a different conclusion. “‘We learn from pain.’ Emmeline issued Flora a gentle smile. ‘It keeps us humble and reminds us who’s ultimately in control.’”
I loved how gentle and kind with her young charges Emmeline is. She works very hard to repay her mentor for the years of caretaking Charlene has provided and is loyal to a fault. She is strong as she leans into God for help to get overcome her fears. But is God big enough to help her overcome her biggest fear? As she begins to trust Grant, what will happen when he appears to not be who he presents himself to be?
Grant, bless his heart, is a tortured soul. “Firstborn sons inherited lands, wealth, and titles, but they sacrificed their freedom.” Grant’s every life move has been dictated by his father. How he resents those choices. Grant is constantly praying for wisdom. Can he begin to trust his heavenly Father to guide him aright, where his earthly father did not?
I loved seeing the inner workings of a theatre. The competition with other theatres, all the frantic practices, the theatre preparations, the discord between actors or dancers, and the individual parts of putting together a ballet-opera performance. And it made me sad, of course, to see such a double standard society set up. It is fine and wonderful to attend the opera and be a patron, but it is wrong to befriend or love an actor or ballerina.
This book gets the superior rating from me as it ventures into the final acts before whipping out some really great twists! Memorable!!
I received a copy of the book from CelebrateLit and the publisher through BookFunnel. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“The bang of the door reverberated through her heart like the slam of the guillotine.”
“Fear is like being shackled,”
“We’re all broken people. The Bible says all of us have sinned and fall short, but Jesus’s life and death prove that broken people are worth saving.”
“Perfection is working overly hard for man, but excellence is doing your best for God. Go and give God glory, showing everyone how magnifique He made you.”
“Lord, I want to trust. No. I choose to trust.”
“Our limitations are an invitation to trust God.”
“I’ve found that bravery and fear feel the same. It’s up to us to choose how to respond.”
“Lord, I’m trusting You to make a way where there seems to be no way.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superior! For the storyline, the Truth nuggets, the twists!
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Your Chance to Win!
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card and a prize bundle with reading blanket, socks, and candle!
Fine print😊:
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 8, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 15, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
A woman chasing the truth. A man running from his past. And a secret that threatens the fragile trust between them.
Searching for answers about her mother’s suspicious death, artist Angelica Woods takes a job painting backdrops at the Majestic Theater—the very place her famous actress mother warned her to avoid. When she discovers cryptic notes and bloody evidence of an old murder, Angie realizes her mother’s warning may have been meant to protect her from a deadly secret.
Architect Trace Ackerman has worked hard to build a quiet, respectable life far removed from his former mistakes. Renovating the Majestic is meant to be a fresh start—until Angie awakens feelings he never planned to risk again. Drawn to her courage and vulnerability, Trace offers his protection as rumors swirl and danger edges closer. But the past he’s worked so hard to outrun threatens to surface, and Trace fears the truth could cost him Angie’s trust—and the future he longs to build.
With a killer determined to silence them both, Angie and Trace must decide if uncovering the truth about her mother’s death is worth risking their own lives—and hearts. Set against the backdrop of a historic theater in 1912 Ohio, this romantic suspense weaves together murder, betrayal, and the redeeming power of faith and forgiveness.
Sydney Schmiedwrites sweet and intriguing historical romantic suspense stories with a whole lot of faith. She is a 2023 ACFW First Impressions Contest finalist and a 2024 Genesis Contest Semi-finalist, as well as a two-time Scrivenings Press Get Pubbed Finalist. When she is not writing, she enjoys reading, painting, and sipping on a classic London Fog.
More from Sydney
Theaters tell so many stories, and in The Darling’s Daughter, The Majestic Theater itself has been shaped by the people who have passed through its doors. While it was known as The Masonic Opera House from 1853 to 1915, The Majestic has stood through nearly 173 years of history. I can’t help but wonder about all the individuals who walked its halls, performers, musicians, and attendees alike, and what stories they might tell about how their lives once intertwined with the Majestic.
In my research, I came across so many real accounts of people who visited theaters like this one, and I was able to glimpse bits and pieces of that connection. For Angie, the heroine in The Darling’s Daughter, The Majestic becomes a place of reckoning and reconciliation. Her mother was her only family, and even that relationship was strained. Angie carries a deep loneliness as she peels back the complicated layers of her late mother’s life, wrestling with questions of worth, belonging, and whether she is truly loved.
For Trace, The Majestic offers both a meaningful project and a chance to rebuild. Unfortunately, his identity has been constructed atop the fragile foundation of guilt, and that foundation begins to crack as his past resurfaces.
Just as The Majestic has stood strong through seasons of change and still stands today, Angie and Trace are refined through their struggles as everything around them begins to shift. Neither of them are defined by the broken parts of their story, but by their hope in Christ, even when that hope feels uncertain and their faith is shaky. If this resonates with you, I hope you’ll join Angie and Trace in The Darling’s Daughter and find encouragement in their journey.
My Impressions
“Dear Daughter, now that I am gone, I cannot protect you from the ghosts of my past. Trust no one, and stay away from the Majestic.”
Have you been introduced to debut author Sydney Schmied? If not, I’d love to tell you why I picked up her inspirational historical romance novel, The Darling’s Daughter. This novel was like a big, warm hug to my reading soul! Two individuals who feel like they are either unworthy or longing for a love that they never received . They will either help each other towards healing, faith, and redemption, or their hopes and dreams will be forever buried with the secrets of the old Majestic Theater.
My interest was first piqued when I saw the setting is Chillicothe, OH. That got my attention as I have traveled through Chillicothe in years past and noted the heavy paper smell clogging the air. Little surprise to discover that newspapers are an important, albeit negative, part of this story.
I enjoyed learning about the Majestic Theater. I love books that impart history of little-known sites that were once well-known. The theater life and atmosphere spring to life between Angie’s backdrop paintings for performances, her search for her mother’s forbidden secrets, and Trace’s refurbishing of the old theater.
I loved the eeriness that stayed with me as I searched with (or at least, I felt like I was there with !)Angie, looking about in the old mansion, trying to remember why feelings were connected with some places. Then, there is the suspense of not knowing who is after Angie. Is it her mother’s enemy? An enemy of Trace’s? The tension is nearly unbearable, and I was so grateful that kind, thoughtful Trace is there for Angie. “Yes, he needed to protect her from outside threats, but the threat to his heart was growing by the minute.”
Unfortunately, Trace has his own skeletons hidden in the closet. Will they emerge just in time to spell death for Trace’s and Angie’s budding relationship?
I loved Mrs. Ackerman and her loving ways. She is so physically worn-down by the cares of life, but still exudes the kind of love that reaches out and envelops those around her- just like her bakery smells- whether they are worthy or not.
What made me stand up and outright applaud this book, though, was the twists! Wow, did they ever catch me off guard! I loved it!! Please, Miss Schmied, can I have your next book NOW?!!
I received a copy of the book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I also took a chance and bought a paperback for the keeper shelf! I am so glad!! No positive opinion was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“What you have to say will not shock me. Or God. Jesus’s death paid for our sins. To hold onto a burden of sin is denying that Jesus’s blood is enough. Don’t hold onto what he has freed you from long ago.” -Mutti
“Love forgives.” – Mutti
“People do terrible things for those they love, especially when fear is involved,” -Trace
“‘What if the answers you seek are not the answers you want?’ ‘I want the truth.’ No matter what it turns out to be.”- Trace, Angie
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow! This is a debut?! Where is book 2? And I just saw there is a book 3 coming. Anticipation, Sweet agony!
