Thursday, August 21, 2025

Meant for Me

Description:

He was her best friend. Still is. But when her beloved beignet shop burns down, he’ll have to be more if she hopes to start over. But will friendship survive the dangers of a marriage of convenience?

Lincoln “Linc” Fontenot enjoys working out, running his crawfish business, and the company of approximately three people. Zoey Lakewood has been at the top of that short list for years, the only bit of sunshine he ever allows to part his comfortably cloudy sky. But when Linc’s steady, quiet world is rocked by the unexpected guardianship of a teen girl, his friendship with Zoey becomes even more crucial. He needs help, bad...but maybe not as bad as Zoey.

Zoey’s never had a problem manifesting joy. But having just lost her home and her beignet business to an uninsured fire, for once she struggles to find the silver lining. She and Linc arrange to help each other out—as just friends, of course. She’ll provide teen-parenting assistance while he provides a place for her to get back on her feet. But one thing her friendship with Linc has never had to navigate is close proximity.

Tension—and chemistry—mount as they attempt to manage this sudden insta-family. But Zoey just lost everything, and she can’t risk losing her best friend, too. Will her friendship with Linc go up in flames like her beignet shop? Or will Linc and Zoey finally realize they were meant for each other?

Book Review:

Linc is a serious, no nonsense guy who is trying to make a living with his boat business. He and Zoey have been friends for a very long time. They are oil and water, sunshine and storm clouds. But, somehow their friendship works, and they are the best of friends.

Zoey is an upbeat young lady who is having a difficult time after her beignet shop and apartment are destroyed by fire. She is homeless and feels as though she is a burden. After having exhausted all her possibilities of places to stay, she must take Linc up on his offer to stay in one of his extra bedrooms at his house. Things get a bit crazy and take an unexpected turn when someone from Linc’s past shows up at his house. I love how he and Zoey come together to find a terrific solution to the situation.

Things to love:

friends to more

humor

pirate costume & jokes

sawdust cookies

wonderful community

hilarious meet cute

the truth post

faith thread

I highly recommend this story. It is uplifting and lighthearted while at the same time giving a message of healing from past hurts and realizing God has chosen you and loves you. It is the third book in the Magnolia Bay series, but it can be read as a standalone. There are friends from the past books in the series, but you don’t have to read the others to enjoy this book.

I received a copy of this book from Just Read Tours. All opinions in this review are my own.

Sunday, August 17, 2025

The Bitter End Birding Society

Description:

A forbidden romance, a fractured family, and one woman's journey to piece it all together

Hometown hero Ana Leigh Watkins ventures to Bitter End, Tennessee, to help her great-aunt prepare for retirement. A town called Bitter End seems an ironic place for Ana to refresh her weary spirit, but she's desperate for respite from the attention and unwarranted admiration of her community. While on a hike in Roan Mountain, a ragtag group of amateur bird-watchers takes her under their wing--a little against her will. However, she quickly warms to these genuine souls seeking solace in the great outdoors.

But when Ana's adventures in Bitter End lead her to a severed branch of her family tree--one that involves the forbidden love between a moonshiner's daughter and a preacher's son--what began as a getaway to help her great-aunt becomes a transformative journey that binds together two women who, though they live on the same street, have been estranged for sixty years.

My Review:

I absolutely loved this book! It has complex characters, an interesting plot, endearing characters, and romance. I loved how Ms. Cox had things that were wounded appear throughout the story. I was able to see the correlation between them and the brokenness in people and relationships. There was also humor of the mobile wedding chapel that had me chuckling and shaking my head as it was used for more than its original intent. I loved that Marilyn created a birding society, which ended up being more than looking for winged creatures (although I was interested to see what each member picked for their bird of the BIG Month). Marilyn asked people to join her who needed to have time to just relax in nature and observe the small things, which in turn helped Ana and Sam recover from their hurts and look forward to the future. Things to love: small town Appalachian Mountains teacher bird watching Pip mystery humor book mobile stories of the town’s name faith message forgiveness Some favorite quotes: “I want to plant seeds in the lives of my students that blossom into flowers, not thorns.” “Real sacrifice don’t happen cause you wanna be appreciated. It’s done cause it’s what’s best for somebody else.” I highly recommend this book. I cried at several points because of the things the characters experienced and the message that God really does care for us just like he does the birds. This is the first book of Ms. Cox’s that I have read, but I plan on reading her other books and look forward to reading more what she writes in the future. I received a copy of this book from the Baker House/ Revell and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

The Governess and the Rogue

Book Description:

Stranded in India after being dismissed without a reference, governess Beatrice Layton exchanges her freedom for passage home to England, taking a position with the only family that will hire her. But Bea hasn’t reckoned for just how dreadful her new employers will be. Stuck with them at sea in increasingly desperate circumstances, she finds an unlikely champion in the injured ex-soldier traveling aboard their ship.

Colonel Jack Beresford has spent the last fourteen years serving in Her Majesty’s Army. Though time has lent him maturity, it hasn’t dulled the roguish impulses of his youth. When he’s confronted with the tantalizing prospect of a damsel in distress, he naturally steps in to rescue her. His solution? An engagement of convenience, of course. One that will last only as long as their voyage.

But once back on land, Jack and Bea’s simple arrangement is beset by complication after complication. There are former passengers to contend with, and meddling society matrons. Most complicated of all, there’s Jack’s family—his parents, siblings, and precocious nieces and nephews—all of whom seem to think that Bea might be perfect for him. Jack is beginning to think so too. All that remains is to convince bold, beguiling Bea that he’s perfect for her.

My Review:

This is the sixth book in the Somerset Stories, and I have been waiting to read about Jack. He has been the younger brother who enjoys having fun and never contemplated getting married. But, when he has a very serious injury that ends his military career, he has plenty of time for contemplation. Handsome and wealthy, he has had to dodge enthusiastic mothers and their daughters for years. I think he became hesitant to pursue a relationship for fear of women just wanting his money and not necessarily him. While incognito, he meets the pragmatic Beatrice Layton who seems a mystery and most definitely not chasing after him. He couldn’t help but be intrigued by her and her circumstances. I loved the late night talks and star gazing. Seeing Jack meet his match was a wonderful story.

Things to love:

governess

wounded warrior

fake engagement

the voyage

nasty Dimsdale children

Beresford family

wishing on stars

I am a fan of Mimi Matthews because of her plots and characters. I am sad that this series is ending, but I am looking forward to seeing what Ms. Matthews will be writing next. I highly recommend this book and all of the other stories of the Beresford family. I would love to see a television series, or better still, movies of each book.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher and author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Thursday, August 7, 2025

The Bartered Bride

About the Book

Book: The Bartered Bride

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

A rebellious suffragette and a steadfast sailor—tied by duty, divided by secrets, and tempted by a love that changes everything.

A born sailor, Jonathan Kennebrae thrives in his role running his grandfather’s shipping enterprise. That is until his grandfather delivers a crippling ultimatum—Jonathan will marry Melissa Brooke or lose his inheritance and everything he’s worked for. Though Jonathan finds himself drawn to Melissa, he can’t help feeling his intended may not be who she appears to be.

Melissa Brooke is tired of being voiceless. She’s been the perfect daughter all her life, doing what she’s told for the good of the family. Except she has a secret. Melissa lives a double life, teaching literacy to struggling immigrant women and fighting for the suffragette movement. If she goes through with the wedding, she’ll be forced to abandon her life’s work. Yet refusing the union could cost her any chance at an inheritance to fund her cause. To make matters worse, she can’t deny the tender feelings blooming between her and her fiancé.

My Review:

Wow! A lot gets packed into this novella. Ms. Vetsch did a great job in developing the plot and having characters with struggles that added depth to the story. Jonathan Kennebrae and Melissa Brooke are forced into an arranged marriage/ marriage of convenience. Seeing two very strong people be able to work out their differences and find love was very rewarding.

Things to love about the book:

the Great Lakes

shipping industry

Jonathan's brother

women's suffrage

danger

second chances

faith of the characters

I highly recommend this for readers of all ages who like Christian historical romances. This is the first book in the Brides of the West series, and I am looking forward to reading the other books! I received a copy of the book from the publisher and Celebrate Lit.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Best-selling, award-winning author of The Debutante’s Code, first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series, Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum. You can connect with her at her website where you can learn about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online where she spends way too much time!

More from Erica

Do you ever wish you could turn back time? That’s what I recently got to do, as I read through my very first published novel, The Bartered Bride, that is now being re-released by Wild Heart Books.

What a blast from the past. I was amazed at all the feelings that rushed back in as I revisited Duluth, MN in the last century. Melissa and Jonathan hadn’t changed a bit in sixteen years.

The story idea first came to me as I sat in church awaiting the start of the service. There I was, a not-yet-published-author, minding my own business when the plot sort of burst into my head. An arranged marriage set in Duluth, and using the “Gales of November” and the wreck of the Mataafa…

I jotted down a few notes, because face it, the best idea for a novel could pop into my head, and if I don’t write down the gist, I will forget it in two minutes.

I wrote The Bartered Bride in about six weeks, and I sent it through my critique group of the time. Then my agent submitted it to the publisher in the spring of 2008.

And we waited.

And waited.

We heard nothing for months. My agent sent word that the publisher was still considering it, and I was to be patient. It wasn’t a no, but it also wasn’t a resounding yes!

I had already started the sequel to The Bartered Bride, a story called Marriage Masquerade, so I finished that one, and then with summer upon me, I wrote a new story, Clara and the Cowboy, about an heiress to a ranch and one of the cowboys who rode for her father. Maybe the publisher would like that series better. I heard nothing all summer on either of the two series I had proposed and submitted.

Then in September of that year, I went to the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. The conference was being held in Minnesota, just a hop up the road from where I live. I ferried agents and editors from the airport to the hotel, I met people, I sat in workshops, all the time wondering if I would ever be a published author. Would my writing ever be ‘good enough’? Was I wasting my time?

Imagine my surprise when the publisher to whom I had submitted The Bartered Bride took the stage at a general session and announced that they were offering a contract to me for that book! Not only that, but when I had an appointment with the editor later, she offered not only a three-book contract on the The North Star Brides, but an additional three-book contract for the Brides of Money Creek of which Clara and the Cowboy was book one!

I had sold six books! The rest of the conference, you could have bought me for a dollar.

Melissa and Jonathan will always have a special place in my heart. They were the couple that started it all. I’m so glad they are getting a new start, and hopefully they will touch readers’ hearts as much as they have mine.

Blog Stops

Life on Chickadee Lane, July 28

Melissa’s Bookshelf, July 28

Pens Pages & Pulses, July 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 29

lakesidelivingsite, July 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 30

Betti Mace, July 31

Fiction Book Lover, July 31 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Texas Book-aholic, August 1

Devoted To Hope, August 1

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 2

Devoted Steps, August 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 3

Simple Harvest Reads, August 3 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Stories By Gina, August 4 (Author Interview)

Inklings and Notions, August 4

For HIm and My Family, August 5

Artistic Nobody, August 5 (Guest Review from Donna)

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 6

Book Looks by Lisa, August 7

Holly’s Book Corner, August 7

Bizwings Book Blog, August 8

Vicky Sluiter, August 8

Blossoms and Blessings, August 9

Pause for Tales, August 9

Cover Lover Book Review, August 10

To Everything There Is A Season, August 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Erica 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/00adcf54260

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Final Approach

Book Description:

Air Marshal Kristine Duncan is not on duty when a hijacker attempts to seize control of the plane she and her friends are on as they head out on a much-needed vacation. Jumping into action and aided by FBI Special Agent Andrew Ross, Kristine thwarts the attack and the plane lands safely. But as the investigation into the incident gets underway, Kristine and Andrew are confused at every step. Nothing about the investigation goes as it should, and each layer they peel back just reveals another layer of perplexity.

As the two work together to navigate a web of deception, blame, and personal reckoning, they find there's more to this story than meets the eye--and more to love and admire about each other. They'll have to put their skills to the test--and their hearts on the line--to unravel the truth and ensure that justice prevails.

My Review:

You would think that no one would attempt to hijack a plane with so many law enforcement agents on it. But, think again! Kristine and her friends are getting away for a much needed vacation, but things go awry and plans are cancelled after this happens. As Kristine and Andrew delve further into the circumstances that surround the hijacking I was feeling very much a part of the story.

Relational dynamics for Kristine’s family were strained with her siblings wanting nothing to do with their father and Kristine trying to maintain the peace. She didn’t realize that families like hers were not the norm until she meets Andrew’s family. They were a great encouragement to her and Andrew. I loved the twist of discovering more about Kristine’s mom and how the past played a part in the story.

The title was perfect for this story in many ways. I loved how Kristine had to face her fear of piloting and overcoming her inner thoughts of inadequacy. I really enjoyed reading it and hope that Hank, Andrew’s friend, will be featured in an upcoming book. If you are a lover of suspense and danger with a bit of romance, this is a book you will enjoy. It is part of the Lake City Heroes, but it can be read as a standalone.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher and author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Monday, August 4, 2025

An Unwavering heart

After he deceived her, she never thought she would see him again. Now one summer could change everything.

Being an heiress is not all it’s cut out to be, as Ruth found out during her first London Season. Now, she has retired to the relative quiet of Bath for the summer to repair the reputation she garnered for herself as a ruthless rejector of every offer of marriage she received. All hopes of marital bliss were dashed long ago by a young man in Devonshire who was as deceitful as he was handsome. But a good match is essential not only to Ruth’s success as the daughter of a well-to-do merchant with his sights on the highest places in society, but the success of her young cousin, Isabelle, whose past could hinder any chance of future security and comfort. Ruth is determined to put aside her old heartache and preferences to pave the way for her. But the growing resentment of how she got her fortune is proving most difficult to keep under control.

She broke his heart. Now she’s right next door.

Julian Lyte has but one objective in save his family from ruin and keep his father out of debtor’s prison. With every other avenue to economize over the years exhausted, he now has no choice but to turn to the one thing he swore never to marry for money. And his mother, just removed to Bath with his sisters, seems to have found the perfect candidate. But Ruth Hanaway has for many years been the sole reminder of every failure in Julian’s life after that one, idyllic summer in Devonshire. Now he is caught between saving his family and confronting the past.

But as lies unfold and past treachery is revealed, will Ruth’s and Julian’s hearts mend along the same path during their summer stay in Bath?

My Review:

Ruth and Julian have an unresolved past with both of them thinking that they had ended their relationship. In this era when letters were the main means of communication, they depended upon a friend to deliver their correspondence. But, what if that backfired?

Ruth and Julian’s love story was one of learning to let go of the past and trust no matter what the circumstances looked like. They both still loved each other, and I enjoyed watching their journey of discovering their commitment and that joy once again.

The secondary characters, both human and animal, were a great addition to the story. Isabelle, Ruth’s cousin, hasn’t quite figured out the way to act in polite society and Ruth finds herself coming to her aid on several occasions. Ruth’s compassion for her cousin shows the kind of caring young woman she is, especially in helping her to get through memories of her past. I love that pesky Lord Duckworth. He goes around Bath unchecked, causing all kinds of trouble. This time, he has Julian in his sights and Isabelle to witness the encounter too!

Things to enjoy:
music box
Bath, England
dancing
humor
beach and shells
castle ruins
reconciliation
Mr. Bomford

“Now tell me of your sorrows, and when you are done, I shall kiss them away, if you like.”

This is the sixth book in the Hearts of Somerset series. While there is some overlap of scenes from other books, it can still be read as a standalone. I loved each book, and if you enjoy Regency period romances I recommend reading.

I received a copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Sunday, August 3, 2025

The Highland Heist

About the Book

Book: The Highland Heist (A Freddie and Grace Mystery Book 4)

Author: Pepper Basham

Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction

Release Date: July, 2025

Grace Storms a Scottish Castle to Save her Sister

Lord Astley surprises his wife with a trip to America to see her family before they end their honeymoon adventures. But just as they arrive, they find Grace’s sister, Lillias, is the prime suspect in her husband’s murder. To add to the confusion a solicitor arrives to tell the sister’s they are needed in Scotland immediately to claim their mother’s inheritance.

The clock is ticking to clear Lillias of suspicion, but someone is determined to keep the sisters from reaching the Scottish Highlands. When Lillias disappears, Freddie and Grace race to Scotland, sure the answers will be found in a long-forgotten castle.

With a ghost from Frederick’s past leaving threatening clues along the way, the mysterious Mr. Kane waiting in the wings to grab the inheritance for himself, and an apparition haunting the infamous castle, Lord and Lady Astley must capture the castle, save Lillias, and not die in the process.

My Review:

It’s always a treat to read a Freddie and Grace mystery. This time the sleuthing pair find themselves in quite the predicament (what’s new?) in trying to prove her sister’s innocence. There is also a transcontinental trip to Scotland where the girls must find a missing will located somewhere inside an ancestral castle to claim their inheritance. With villains, stories of ghosts, and danger lurking, I wanted to read as quickly as I could to see what would happen next. I loved the humor throughout the story and the love Freddie and Grace showed to each other. I was so happy when Freddie defended Grace to her sister and found myself saying, “That’s right, Freddie, you tell her!”

I highly recommend reading this historical mystery as well as the others in the series. While it can be read as a standalone, I’d begin with the first book because once you start you won’t want to stop reading all of them.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

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

Excerpt

June 23, 1914

Perfect husbands were rare, except perhaps in fiction, but Grace Percy, Countess of Astley, had married the real-life equivalent, she was certain.

“I still cannot believe this surprise, Frederick!” Grace’s shock had continued all the way from the harbor, where her dear husband had announced that they’d arrived in America instead of England. “I thought the terrain looked different than England, but I never suspected we’d go anywhere else except your beloved Havensbrooke.”

“Our beloved Havensbrooke, I hope?” he corrected, turning from his place in the front seat of the hired touring, next to a rather somber driver.

Her smile immediately responded. At nearly seven months married, Grace still found her thoughts paused on occasion at the idea of his English estate being her home. But how could she help it? They’d only lived in the estate a few months before they’d taken off on their honeymoon tour. But oh, what a delightful introduction to her new home, complete with a murder mystery and a ghost hunt.

She sighed. Married life certainly kept proving to be wonderfully exciting.

She sent him another grin before tipping her head out the window just enough to take in the familiar lane leading to her father’s house. “How did you even know where to go? Harrington is such a small place outside of Richmond, and I know I’ve never given you exact directions.”

His low chuckle warmed the already heated June air, skittering a familiar welcome of tickles up her bare neck. “I’ve written my own letters to your father, darling.” His voice, so smooth and English, carried such delicious tenderness that Grace turned to find him shooting a wink to their adopted daughter, Zahra.

Zahra’s lips tipped. She rarely showed great affection, but who could blame her? After losing her family and living on the streets of Cairo, the little girl still had plenty of healing to do. So every smile came extra special.

Poor Miss Cox, the young English maid Frederick had hired in Italy to accompany them through the remainder of their trip, blushed at Frederick’s wink and smile. After all the overt affection Grace lathered on her darling husband, it was a wonder Miss Cox hadn’t gotten used to it yet, but perhaps the trouble lay more in how very handsome her husband was.

Grace thought about that idea for a moment. She supposed if she wasn’t married to this wonderful man, she’d find herself a little awestruck too.

Truth be told, he was so handsome, he might fit the description of a dime-novel villain, but she was very glad fiction didn’t get it right on that score either.

“Besides, it may be a while before we can travel again.” He continued, turning back to face the front of the car. “I know it’s a few months earlier than we’d originally planned, but it seemed a waste not to take advantage of being at sea. And I know you’d love to see your family.”

Grace would have kissed his cheek if she hadn’t been sitting in the back seat of the touring with Zahra between her and Miss Cox. “You are the most wonderful man.” She turned to Zahra and Miss Cox. “Don’t you think so?”

Miss Cox’s eyes widened, and she quickly looked away, but Zahra’s grin stretched enough to show off her teeth. The simple white dress she wore brought out the depths of those endless gray-green eyes. Grace still couldn’t stop smiling at the very idea that the little girl belonged to her and Frederick now.

“He has all his hair and teeth.” Zahra nodded, the tiniest twinkle in her eyes alerted Grace that the little girl might be finding her humor. “That is a help.”

Frederick’s laugh burst out. “Indeed it is, Zahra. And I’m glad to still possess both of them.”

Grace studied his thick dark hair for a second longer, her fingers twitching to push through his locks, but the very idea could send poor Miss Cox through the car window. Grace drew in a deep breath to keep her show of admiration to a more appropriate public display and leaned toward Zahra. “The gardens at Rutledge House are lovely, Zahra. They were my mother’s gardens, and I’d often spend time with her there. Hopefully, when we return to our dear Havensbrooke”—she emphasized, sending her dear husband a look to ensure her noted her correction—“you and I and, perhaps even Lily, can work to restore those gardens together. Then we can make our own special place too. Gardens are very creative places in stories as well as in real life.”