A Noble Gentleman

Lord Donald Bradley has always done what is right, noble and honorable. So when his parents pressure him to marry, he forces himself to look beyond his own desires, and do what he can to measure up to the dream they have for him. But what they don't realize is that his heart was stolen long ago, and he has no idea how to give it to another.

Madelene Curtis has lived not one life, but two. Now going under an assumed name and hiding from those who might wish to throw her into the gaol, she works in the quiet and obscure life of a lady's companion. But when she is confronted with her past in the most intimate of ways—in that of a handsome future marquess she once loved—she is now forced to battle between her old wants and desires, and what will keep her safe.

Can two loves, suddenly separated, find a way back together?

Review: 

Donald Bradley had only one true love, so he is extremely reluctant to look for a bride. I loved seeing Madelene come back into his life, and Donald was so fortunate to have a friend help him with his courtship.

Tropes and Tidbits:
second chance romance
close proximity
dual timeline
library meetings
archery lesson

This is the second book in the Bradley Brothers series. There are more brothers with more stories to come. :)

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

To Educate an Earl

For those swept away by The Gilded Age and The Sound of Music.

In 1886, when a scheming suitor threatens her family’s fragile reputation, Adeline Ranier is sent to England under a false name to pose as a governess for the Earl of Torrington’s five motherless children. Stripped of her title and fortune, she steps into a world of quiet sorrow and stubborn resistance—and discovers a household aching for joy.

George Stafford, the Earl of Torrington, has buried his heart along with his late wife. His children have driven away every governess, and he has no hope that Miss Ranier will be any different. But Addie’s unconventional charm, fierce loyalty, and refusal to give up begin to awaken something long forgotten in all of them—including George.

As laughter returns to Raven Hall, Addie finds herself falling for the children—and for their father. But secrets from her past threaten to unravel everything, especially when George chooses a wealthy heiress to be his bride. Torn between duty and desire, Addie must decide whether to protect her heart or fight for the family she’s come to love.

Review:

This is a delightful retelling of the Sound of Music. Adeline Ranier seems to always unwittingly find herself in societal predicaments. She becomes entrapped with a fortune hunter who will stop at nothing to marry her. So, off to England she is sent to be a governess to the Stafford children while her mother works on how to solve the problem of Adeline. :)

I absolutely loved seeing George Stafford thaw and learn to love again with the help of Adeline and his wonderful children. There are references to parts of the Sound of Music that were used, and it was so fun to read and see in a new light. 

Tropes and Tidbits: 

secret identity 

forced proximity

opposites attract

literary references to classics

the children!

Gilded Age

I highly recommend reading this third book in the Dollar Princess series to young and mature audiences. It can be read as a standalone, but it was fun to see previous characters from the other books be in this story. You also don’t need to be familiar with The sound of Music to read the book. 

This complimentary copy was provided by the author. I was not required to give a positive review, the opinions stated are my own.

After We Fall

Self-sufficient Penelope Reid has her life completely mapped out—a necessity after surviving foster care. Now she’s on a mission to prove that she’s capable of managing a halfway house at Twelve Bluebells Ranch. The last thing she needs is hindrance from the charming Luke Granger, who asked her to dance three years ago, then disappeared before the music began.

Luke lives a nomadic lifestyle as a security specialist. He’s never found a reason to put down roots until he’s reunited with the bossy brunette and her generous heart. When vandalism strikes the ranch neighboring Twelve Bluebells, securing the area is just another gig for him before he hits the road. But as Luke and Penelope work alongside each other and care for the ranch’s halfway house residents, his restless heart finds reasons to stay, and her careful walls begin to crack.

When crisis threatens everything Penelope has built and tragedy pulls at Luke’s wandering heart, they must decide if it’s worth the risk to lower their guards for a love that could give them the home they’ve always longed for.

Review: 

Meredith has deep woundings from the foster care system that she was raised in. She is fiercely loyal and one of her coping mechanisms is being serious and extremely organized. Nothing is going to happen at Twelve Bluebells Ranch without her approval. But, when a potential threat occurs, and Luke Granger is called in to provide security, Meredith’s carefully planned world begins to unravel.

This was much more than just a love story. I learned about brain injuries and the therapies used to help heal them. I found it fascinating and have more sympathy for those who experience trauma like this. Through this difficult circumstance we see what a thoughtful and caring man Luke is.

Watching Meredith and Luke share their difficult childhood experiences and make steps towards healing was one part of the story I enjoyed. I felt Meredith really grew in knowing her worth. Even when she was shaken, she was able to continue and be stronger than she thought was possible.

Tidbits and Tropes:

women’s fiction

brain injury

foster care system

emotional healing

opposites attract

This complimentary copy was provided by the author, Haven, and Great Reads Book Promotions. I was not required to give a positive review, the opinions stated are my own.

The Marquess's Masked Archer

 

About the Book

Book: The Marquess’s Masked Archer

Author: Abbey Downey

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 15, 2026

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.

 Review: 

I love a book with secret identities and Ms. Downey has several. There are also twists and turns in this friends to HEA that kept me anticipating what would happen next. I loved Sylvie’s way of finding independence and showing it at an amusement park was so unique and very unexpected. 

One of my favorite parts of the book were the letters that Miles writes anonymously to Sylvie with the quotes he included from famous literary works. It actually ends up being a funny and interesting twist to the story, and I’m glad it was there.

If you enjoy a clean romance set in the Gilded Age with rivals, a strong female protagonist, and a faith message, this is a book for you. 

This complimentary copy was provided by Celebrate Lit. I was not required to give a positive review, the opinions stated are my own.

Click here to get your copy!

 About the Author

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?

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 26

Texas Book-aholic, September 27

Pause for Tales, September 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 28

Madi’s Musings, September 29

For Him and My Family, September 30

Book looks by lisa, October 1

The Vine and The Branch, October 1

Devoted Steps, October 2

Leslie’s Library Escape, October 2

Lyssa Loves Books, October 3

Devoted To Hope, October 4

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 5

Blossoms and Blessings, October 6

Holly’s Book Corner, October 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 8

Lily’s Corner, October 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Abbey 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.

https://gleam.io/GCnUr/the-marquesss-masked-archer-celebration-tour-giveaway

Christy Award Finalists 2026 Gala

Welcome to the Takeover Blitz for The Christy Award Finalists 2026 organized by ECPA and hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! We extend our sincere and enthusiastic congratulations to The Christy Award 2026 Finalists & Winners (announced on November 6th)!

You are Invited

The Christy Award Gala

Friday, November 6, 2026 | 7:00 PM

Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel

Nashville, Tennessee

Featuring Michelle Shocklee, Amanda Cox, Nicole Deese, Amanda Dykes, Susie Finkbeiner, J.J. Fischer, Rhonda McKnight, Jamie Ogle, Amanda Wright, Jaime Jo Wright, and other distinguished 2025 winners—bringing a meaningful connection between past and present excellence.

This is our year to gather together in person to celebrate and honor the best Christian fiction of the year. The Christy Award Gala will be held the evening of Friday, November 6th and will feature a premiere cast of the industry’s authors to announce The Christy Award winners in nine categories, The Christy Book of the Year, and The Amplify Award for Christian Fiction.

This year’s gala features a keynote address from Michelle Shocklee, recipient of The Christy Book of the Year for her acclaimed novel All We Thought We Knew. Her story and perspective will set the tone for an evening rooted in faith, creativity, and impact. Continuing Christy tradition, recent honorees will present category awards, including Amanda Cox, Nicole Deese, Amanda Dykes, Susie Finkbeiner, J.J. Fischer, Rhonda McKnight, Jamie Ogle, Amanda Wright, Jaime Jo Wright, and other distinguished 2025 winners—bringing a meaningful connection between past and present excellence.

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The Christy Award Finalists 2026

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE – tie

Echoes of a Silent Song by Amanda Wen (Kregel Publications)

Hearts on the Fly by Toni Shiloh (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group)

Kate Landry Has a Plan by Rebekah Millet (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group)

The Voice We Find by Nicole Deese (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)

FIRST NOVEL

In the Light of the Sun by Angela Shupe (WaterBrook, an imprint of PRH Christian)                     The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz Tyndale House Publishers)                   Where Stillness Speaks by Chelsey Welwood (Chelsey Welwood))

GENERAL FICTION

South of Somewhere by T.I. Lowe (Tyndale House Publishers)
The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)
When the Road Comes Around by Katie Powner (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)

HISTORICAL – tie

From the Valley We Rise by Elizabeth Musser (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group)
Splendor of the Land by Connilyn Cossette (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group)
The Daughter of Rome by Angela Hunt (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group)
The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron (Thomas Nelson Fiction)

HISTORICAL ROMANCE – tie

Mists Over the Channel Islands by Sarah Sundin (Revell/Baker Publishing Group)
The Belle of Chatham by Laura Frantz (Revell/Baker Publishing Group)
The Collector of Burned Books by Roseanna M. White (Tyndale House Publishers)
Through Water and Stone by Karen Barnett (Kregel Publications)

MYSTERY/SUSPENSE/THRILLER – tie

Final Approach by Lynette Eason (Revell/Baker Publishing Group)
Girl Lost by Kate Angelo (Revell/Baker Publishing Group)
Tempest at Annabel’s Lighthouse by Jaime Jo Wright (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group)
The Accused by Cara Putman (Kregel Publications)

SHORT FORM – tie

A Very Merry Matchup by Becca Kinzer (Tyndale House Publishers)
One Nine by Sara Davison (Sara Davison)
Planning for Nickie by Tasha Hackett (Tasha Hackett)
To Reveal a Reckless Love by Robin Lee Hatcher (RobinSong, Inc.)

SPECULATIVE – tie

Every Hour until Then by Gabrielle Meyer (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group)
Heir of Light by Niki Florica and Jill Williamson (Sunrise Publishing)
Maxine Justice: Public Offender by Daniel Schwabauer (Enclave, a division of Oasis Family Media)
Of Dawn and Embers by Gillian Bronte Adams (Enclave Escape, a division of Oasis Family Media)

YOUNG ADULT – tie

Illuminary by Chawna Schroeder (Enclave Escape, a division of Oasis Family Media)
Sons of Day and Night by Mariposa Aristeo (Enclave Escape, a division of Oasis Family Media)
The Outsider by Katy Morgan (The Good Book Company)
The Star-Blessed by Angie Dickinson (Enclave Escape, a division of Oasis Family Media)

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Register for The Christy Award 2026 Events

Join us in Music City for a vibrant, can’t-miss gathering of the Christian fiction community.

Beyond the Books Add-On: Meet the finalist authors at this special morning gathering of authors and readers.

The Art of Writing conference will bring together writers, storytellers, and publishing professionals for an afternoon of relevant topics and networking.

The Christy Award Winners Gala celebrates this year’s finalists and winners with authors, editors, publishers, and readers!

REGISTER

The Christy Award® is a program of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) and is the foremost award honoring and promoting excellence in Christian fiction since 1999. For more information about ECPA, visit ECPA.org. For more information about the Christy Awards and Art of Writing conferences, visit ChristyAwards.com or email TheChristyAward@ecpa.org

Have you ever attended an event like this? I haven't but, wouldn't it be amazing to do so?  

Please let me know if you have or would like to in the comments.

 

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Tour Giveaway

One (1) winner will receive their choice of The Art of Writing registration                                              OR Print copies of The Christy Award finalist titles for one category!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight September 25, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on October 2, 2025. 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.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway
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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

High Exposure

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 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.

My Review: 

When travel blogger Julia Stevens is assigned to highlight a small town in the Rocky Mountains she doesn’t know she’ll be walking into a dangerous situation that quickly escalates. Cade Haskins finds himself having to protect Julia from unknown forces that are willing to do whatever it takes to keep her from finding the truth.

Tropes and Tidbits: grumpy MMC former DEA agent slow developing romance danger faith of characters This is the first book in the Jagged Edges with more high adventure and action-packed books to follow. Readers of clean romantic suspense will enjoy seeing if they can determine who is behind the threats to Julia. I received a copy of the book from Kregel and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Darkwater Descent

The wrong discovery. The right woman. Deadly consequences.

While exploring a shipwreck in the Cayman Islands, Scottish dive master Roddy Henderson discovers a hidden underwater listening device and unwittingly places himself in the crosshairs of a ruthless Albanian crime boss–an elusive master of disguise who has evaded capture for decades. Now Roddy may be the only person who can identify him.

MI6 auditor Everly Pattinson’s mother is dying of ALS, and though Everly longs to spend every possible moment with her, the medical expenses require Everly to accept an overseas project assessing suspicious bank activity in the Caymans. Following a hunch, she takes an unauthorized risk and is caught and expelled from the island without a chance to say goodbye to Roddy, the handsome dive instructor she has fallen for. Eager to reestablish her tarnished reputation with MI6, Everly poses as a plus-one for a high-ranking British Intelligence official.

After narrowly surviving an attempt on his life, Roddy retreats to his native Scotland. There, at a glittering social event, he unexpectedly runs into Everly, on the arm of someone else–someone Roddy knows. Before she can explain, the Albanian crime boss walks through the door.

Convinced Everly deceived him from the beginning, Roddy wants nothing more to do with her. When the killer threatens the people he loves, Roddy must team up with Everly and MI6. Hunting a master of deception forces him to confront not only a deadly enemy, but also the painful past that drove him from Scotland–and the possibility that trusting Everly could either heal his deepest wounds or destroy him for good.

Review:

Roddy Henderson seems to be a Cayman Islands kind of guy with his own diving business and a laid-back attitude. Everly Pattison has arrived on the island to do a bank audit and some undercover investigative work. Neither Roddy or Everly are what they seem, which only adds to the intrigue. I loved the scuba diving excursions that Roddy and Everly went on and wished I was there too!

This was an exciting story of danger, romance, and seeing Roddy’s family and the people of the estate defeat a powerful enemy and bring him to justice.

Tropes and Tidbits:

secret identity

OCD rep

forced proximity

Scotland

nephew Sammy

humor

MI6

plot twists

This is part of the Roxburg Scions series and can be read as a standalone. It was fun to see Roddy’s sisters and their families as part of the story. I highly recommend reading this if you enjoy clean romantic suspense.

I received this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.