Saturday, May 31, 2025

Seven Brides for Seven Texans by Gabrielle Meyer, Erica Vetsch, Amanda Barratt, Lorna Steilstad, Keli Gwyn, and Vickie McDonough

 

What a great collection. You have to become attached to each of them. Their unique love stories by different authors are yet seamless. I think of the seven brothers Bowie was my favorite- I have a soft heart for him- but each one is special as are their love journeys, struggles and successes. Good faith reinforcement throughout. A book to savor!

I received this book free from the author, publisher and CelebrateLit book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#SevenBridesForSevenTexans #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #WildHeartBooks #ChristianHistoricalRomance #GabrielleMeyer #EricaVetsch #AmandaBarratt #LornaSeilstad #KeliGwyn #VickieMcDonough #SusanPageDavis


About the Book

Book: Seven Brides for Seven Texans

Authors: Gabrielle Meyer, Erica Vetsch, Amanda Barratt, Lorna Steilstad, Keli Gwyn, and Vickie McDonough

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 29, 2025

Seven brothers, seven heiresses, and one meddling grandfather—can mismatched matchmaking pave the way for true love?

Abraham Kennebrae, a powerful Minnesota tycoon, hatches a bold matchmaking scheme to secure his grandsons’ futures by pairing them with the wealthiest heiresses in town. But the brothers have no intention of complying, and their prospective brides harbor plans of their own. Jonathan battles to protect his fortune from slipping through his fingers, while Melissa guards the secret that could shatter her world—and her heart. Noah seeks refuge on Sutton Island, where fate throws him into the path of his destined bride, Anastasia. Meanwhile, Eli resigns himself to an engagement with Clarice Zahn, though his heart stirs at the sight of her younger sister, Josie.

With emotions running high and loyalties tested, Abraham’s carefully crafted plan spirals into chaos. Can love triumph when hearts rebel against expectations, or will the grandfather’s meddling prove too great a challenge for even the most determined romantics?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Authors

Gabrielle Meyer, a Minnesota native, draws inspiration for her historical fiction from the rich stories and landscapes of her home state, where she lives on the banks of the upper Mississippi River with her husband and four children. A former employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, Gabrielle loves weaving real people, places, and events into her captivating tales.

Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch weaves her love for Jesus, history, romance, and sports into her stories, including The Debutante’s Code, the first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series. When she’s not crafting fiction or planning her next trip to a history museum.

Bestselling author Amanda Barratt brings to life overlooked moments in history through her award-winning novels, including The Warsaw SistersWithin These Walls of Sorrow, and The White Rose Resists. Based in Michigan, she’s often immersed in research, tackling her ever-growing TBR stack, or savoring a slice of lemon cake.

Carol Award finalist Lorna Seilstad explores life’s complexities with humor in her nine novels, including the Lake Manawa Summers and Gregory Sisters series, as well as several novella collections. When she’s not writing, she teaches women’s Bible classes, runs a toy store, plans weddings, or spends time with her Pyredoodle, Honey Bea.

Keli Gwyn crafts inspirational historical romances that she loves to read. A California native, she now lives in the greater Sacramento area with her husband and their sweet orange tabby, enjoying life close to family.

Vickie McDonough, a CBA, EPCA, and Amazon best-selling author of 54 books and novellas, brings the Old West to life in her award-winning romances featuring ranchers, cowboys, and lawmen. Though married to a computer geek who fears horses, she lives out her ranching dreams through her stories—and when she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, gardening, making cards, and traveling.

More from Erica

Hi, I’m Erica Vetsch, and I loved collaborating on the stories for the 7 Brides for 7 Texans collection. It was fun writing stories that were so intertwined, and working closely with the other authors in the collection to bring the whole concept together.

Initially, I was approached by a publisher, asking if I would be interested in heading up a novella collection loosely based on the idea of 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, the classic musical. The parameters were that the stories must be no longer than 25K words, be historical in setting, and that I could choose the overall concept, as well as my team of authors.

I, of course, jumped at the chance. Before I contacted anyone, I worked up a rough idea of the premise of the stories. A wealthy Texas rancher with seven strapping sons is tired of waiting for them to get married and provide him with grandchildren, so he issues an ultimatum. Get married by the end of the calendar year, or you’re disinherited.

I named all the sons after famous Texans, and gave them a birth order, then I began contacting writing friends to see if they were interested in joining the project. Everyone I asked said yes! 😊

Then the real fun began. We formed a private Facebook group, and as the characters were chosen by the various authors, the order of the stories in the collection formed, and as ideas for storylines poured in, I began creating what we came to call The Master Document.

In the MD we tracked main characters’ names and appearances, secondary characters, a map of the fictional town of Hartsville, TX, and more. It eventually ran to more than 20 pages of information. We named the town newspaper, the general store, and kept track of the layout of the Harts’ massive ranch house. Keeping these details all in one place made it easy for the authors to flesh out their story world in a way that was consistent with everyone else’s stories.

Because the stories are so closely tied and on such a tight timeline, each of the authors’ characters would appear in another author’s novella. We needed to respect each other’s visions for the characters and treat them with respect, while also having the freedom to write our own stories.

Early on, as the project coordinator, it was established that if a dispute arose between two authors on how something should go, it would be myself who would cast the final vote. However, that contingency never came into play, as all the authors worked so well together.

One of the most challenging aspects of the project was, that as the project lead, and the one writing the final story in the collection, I needed to know the most about all the stories. Just before the deadline to turn our stories into the publisher, each author sent their story along to me to read for continuity. I spent a long weekend at author Gabrielle Meyer’s house, and we read every novella aloud, making notes for consistency and continuity throughout. These notes were turned in to the project editor, and she used them in her editing process to make sure seven separate stories felt cohesive.

It truly was a fun—and to me—unique, project, and when the publisher asked if I would like to head up a follow up collection, I was eager to say yes, and thus 7 Brides for 7 Texas Rangers was born.

Both of these intertwined collections went out of print, but they are now being released once more, this time through Wild Heart Books. I’m thrilled that we can tell our stories to new readers and prolong the lives of these characters.

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Giveaway


To celebrate their tour, the Wild Heart Books Authors are 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/00adcf54225


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Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Texas Divided (Lone Star Redemption Book 2) by Sherry Shindelar

 

Set during the Civil War. What an exciting story, an action packed ending! Devon rescued Morning Star from the Comanche who kidnapped her and returned her to an evil Uncle. He didn't realize it, and she hadn't wanted to leave the Indian village. Devon is on an undercover mission for the Yankees to destroy the confederate cotton stored in the town her Uncle lives in. Intertwined with powerful underhanded men, the story is frustrating and nail-biting. Each of them has to learn to know that the Lord uses all things for good, to trust and to stay firm in faith. Very excellent read. Not a quick read. Betting the next in series will be fantastic too.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and CelebrateLit book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#TexasDivided #SherryShindelar #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #WildHeartBooks #ChristianHistoricalRomance

About the Book

Book: Texas Divided

Author: Sherry Shindelar

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: March 25, 2025

He thought he was rescuing her from the Comanche. Now the Civil War soldier must prove he isn’t the villain she thinks he is.

Driven by the looming expectation of becoming a suffocatingly proper lady, Morning Fawn is determined to escape the confines of her uncle’s plantation and return to her adoptive Comanche tribe. But with each failed attempt, her hopes dwindle, and she wonders if she’ll ever find her way back home or if that world is forever lost to her.

Devon Reynolds, disillusioned by the price of affluence and the horrors of war, leaves his privileged life to join the Texas Rangers and later the cavalry. In the military service, he finds purpose . . . until he loses his wife during childbirth while he is away. In an attempt to redeem himself, he takes one last fateful mission to rescue Morning Fawn from the Comanche. But the results force him to question the righteousness of his actions and the cause he serves.

When Devon returns to Texas as a Yankee spy, his path crosses with Morning Fawn once more. Determined to save her from the prison of her uncle’s house and to recover Texas from the Confederacy, Devon is drawn to her fierce spirit and unwavering resolve. But can two wounded souls, each fighting their own battles, find solace and love amidst the chaos of war?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Originally from Tennessee, Sherry loves to take her readers into the past. She is an avid student of the Civil War and the Old West. When she is not busy writing, she is an English professor working to pass on her love of writing to her students. Sherry is an award-winning writer: 2023 Genesis finalist, Maggie finalist, and Crown finalist. She currently resides in Minnesota with her husband of thirty-eight years. She has three grown children and three grandchildren.

 

 

 

More from Sherry

The Cotton Road

I loved the opportunity to tie the Texas frontier and the Civil War together in Texas Divided, the second book in my Lone Star Redemption series.

I have been an avid student of the Civil War for a couple decades. However, until I started researching for Texas Divided, I had no clue that the Yankees ever invaded Texas. But they did in November 1863. Why? It was because of cotton. By 1863, the Federal blockade of the Confederate coastline was fairly secure, and Texas became the golden gateway for funding the Confederacy.

Cotton from Arkansas, western Louisiana, and east Texas traveled the Cotton Road. This dusty trail ran from the railroad terminus in Alleyton, TX (about seventy miles west of Houston) by way of King’s Ranch near Corpus Christi to Brownsville and across the Rio Grande to Matamoros, Mexico, the largest cotton market in the world during the war. In regards to commercial activity, it rivaled pre-war New Orleans or Baltimore.

A young teamster wrote that from the watchtower at King’s Ranch, the main stop on the way to Matamoros, he could see hundreds of wagons on the road at one time, a long train of dust rising up as they traveled toward Brownsville and the Rio Grande.

At some points the trail was almost a mile wide due to traffic, and more than one hundred miles of it was desert with no water. Puffs of cotton clung to the sagebrush and cacti along the way and lingered for years after the war.

When the cotton reached Matamoros, it was loaded onto steamboats and/or wagons owned by Mexicans and transported to the mouth of the Rio Grande at the Gulf of Mexico. International ships from Britain, France, and other countries hovered there, sometimes hundreds at a time, waiting to fill their hulls with cotton. And the Yankees couldn’t stop them. If a Federal ship fired on a British, French, Mexican, or ship of another nationality, it could have been considered an act of war.

By 1863, cotton, which had sold for .10 cents a pound in 1860, now sold for as much as $1.89 a pound, and one bale averaged 450 – 500 pounds. The money made on the sale of cotton was the financial bloodline of the Confederacy. For example, in just one week in August, twenty thousand pounds of gunpowder arrived in Brownsville, purchased with proceeds from the sale of cotton.

That’s why the Federal Army invaded Brownsville in early November 1863. Their mission was to stop or at least seriously hinder the cotton trade. Doing so could save lives on the battlefield and perhaps bring an earlier end to the war.

The Yankees reached the city without any resistance. However, they found a meager one hundred and fifty bales on the Texas side of the river and could only gaze at the more than ten thousand bales stacked along the Mexican wharves. The Rebs had moved or destroyed everything of value.

The invasion lasted for several months and forced the Confederates to improvise and find new trails for the cotton shipments, hauling the loads via San Antonio to Eagle Pass and Laredo. Unfortunately, the Yankees only netted a hundred or so bales here and there.

Cotton continued to reign until the war efforts in the East bled the Confederacy dry. But for those few months at the end of 1863, hopes were high, especially amongst the two regiments of Texas cavalry fighting for the Union, Texans who abhorred the Confederacy and who had left Texas to avoid being forced into the Reb army. These men returned with the Federal troops in November 1863 to restore Texas to the Union and wreak havoc on the Cotton Road.

Lieutenant Devon Reynolds is one of these Texans, loyal to the Union, and determined to do his part to rescue Texas from the grip of the Confederacy. Except in his case, he trades his Yankee uniform for that of a Confederate and dons an eye patch, operating as a spy and saboteur. But his life becomes complicated and his mission uncertain when he runs into Morning Fawn, the woman he kidnapped from the Comanche eighteen months before. As far as she’s concerned, he ruined her life by sentencing her to her uncle’s plantation. Can he complete the mission and right the wrong? Texas Divided is a story of redemption, faithfulness, and perseverance. The characters come to an end of themselves and discover that God can make a way where there was no way.

Blog Stops

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Sherry 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/00adcf54224


My reviews
ChristianBook

Thursday, May 22, 2025

A Time For Scandal by Philippa Jane Keyworth releasing soon

 

A Time for Scandal by Philippa Jane Keyworth is coming out on 31st May 2025. Prequel to the Ladies of Worth historical romance series, escape into an 18th century world of romance, wit and scandal with formidable heroines and honourable heroes.

philippajanekeyworth.com/ATFS 

#PhilippaJaneKeyworth #CleanAndWholesomeRomance #PassalandeBooks #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout

Saturday, May 17, 2025

Sporting For Love: Romance in the Wilds of Maine by Candice Sue Patterson

 



Oh, I love this book! I love Maine and LL Bean which you'll find this story is loosely built on. Juniper is a wealthy Boston socialite who loses everything and runs away, landing in Freeport. She happens upon Ford in his outdoor gear store and gets a job working for him. As she tries her best to fit in and learn, she begins to see life and others more clearly, learning a lot of life lessons and is completely won over to an outdoors style of life. Until she's kidnapped. Such an excellent read. Romantic and exciting, right to the satisfying conclusion. Looking forward to the next in the series!

I received this book free from the author and publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#SportingForLove #CandiceSuePatterson #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #HomefirePublishingLLC #GildedAgeHistoricalRomance #ChristianHistoricalFiction

Synopsis:

Juniper Blume has lost her father, her fortune, and her home. When a loan shark promises a solution for her to keep her lavish lifestyle, she accepts. When one of his men dupes them both, Juniper’s life becomes payment. To save herself, she flees Boston and travels as far as the meager coins in her purse will take her—Freeport, Maine.

Ford Connelly has made a name for himself, making the first waterproof hunting boot. His store, Connelly’s Hunting and Apparel, is booming and his catalog orders are growing monthly. On the cusp of a new century, more women are taking part in outdoor recreation than ever before, and he wants to lead the market by creating functional outdoor wear for women, too. When a beautiful woman stumbles into his store, claiming she’s an outdoor enthusiast and the perfect designer to create his vision, he hires her.

Though her talent for design exceeds his expectations, the more time Ford spends with Juniper, the more he suspects she knows nothing of the outdoors. She’s clearly running from trouble, and her vulnerability and captivating personality make him want to protect her. When their weekend outing in the woods with the Appalachian Mountain Club goes terribly wrong, Ford and Juniper must decide if the lives they’ve been seeking are what they truly want or if they’re willing to risk a little adventure.


About the author


Candice lives in Indiana with her husband, three sons, and her first grandchild. She studied at the Institute of Children’s Literature at age sixteen. Her novels have been recognized by Midwest Book Review and Publishers Weekly. When she’s not tending to her chickens, snuggling with her Great Pyrenees, drinking coffee, or dreaming of Maine, she’s working on a new story. Candice writes Modern-Vintage Romance--where the past and present collide with faith. Visit www.candicesuepatterson.com for more. 


My reviews

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Catherine’s Pursuit by Lena Nelson Dooley

 

Conclusion of a lovely series. Triplets were born on a wagon train. Their mother died and their father was so overwhelmed that he adopted out two of the girls to other families. Eighteen years later Catherine learns the truth and sets out to find her sisters. This is her coming-of-age story - going from spoiled rich girl to learning what's important. Beautiful characters that you have to love, lots of personal growth to see them through, endearing them to you all the more. Loving story to be immersed in, right to the beautiful end. Great series!

I received this book free from the author, publisher and CelebrateLit book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#CatherinesPursuit #LenaNelsonDooley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #WildHeartBooks #ChristianHistoricalRomance


About the Book


Book: Catherine’s Pursuit

Author: Lena Nelson Dooley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 22, 2025

A secret family, a dangerous journey, and a reluctant protector who might save her heart.

Catherine Lenora McKenna has never lacked for anything. She has a loving father and is surrounded by people who care for her every need. Even so, she senses an odd hole. When she learns on her eighteenth birthday that she is not an only child, but one of three identical triplets, she finally understands what’s been missing. Setting out with a single clue, Catherine embarks on a desperate quest to find her missing family.

Colin Elliott is recovering from the violent storm that cost him his ship and left him with crippling injuries. The last thing he needs is to deal with the pampered daughter of his business associate, Angus McKenna. But McKenna is desperate and Colin indebted. As Colin follows and protects Catherine, he finds himself drawn to her kindness and strength, and drawn into her desire for family.

As love blossoms between Catherine and Collin, the journey takes a dangerous turn and each is forced to hold on to their newfound love and trust God to guide them.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Multi-published, award-winning author Lena Nelson Dooley has had more than 1,000,000 copies of her 50+ books sold. Her books have appeared on the CBA, Publisher’s Weekly, and ECPA bestseller lists, as well as Amazon bestseller lists. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the local chapter, ACFW – DFW. She’s a member of Christian Authors’ Network. She likes to create characters and stories that grip her readers hearts.

 

 

 

More from Lena

I’ve spent a lot of time with these triplets. They almost feel like part of my extended family. I hope my readers feel that way, too.

I have walked with the Lord for most of my 82 years. He has been with me through hard times and wonderfully blessed times. We learn and grow in Him more in the valleys than on the mountaintops. That’s why I write books that show how much He loves. We can’t understand the depths of His love for us unless we need Him desperately. I write these stories to share that love and hope to my readers.

While I am writing a book, I often pray for God to give me the words that will touch readers who need to know Him more. I also want to write a story that will entertain them as well.

If you want to bless me, please leave a review somewhere about the stories you love. I do try to read reviews and learn from them.

I’m only 15 months from losing the love of my life after spending 59 years with him. If the Lord puts me on your heart, please whisper a prayer for me. Prayer changes things.

Blog Stops

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Lena 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/00adcf54213


My reviews

Monday, May 12, 2025

Show Me Your Glory movie

 



To know. To understand. 
Well done, with wonderful, beautiful stories, beautiful miracles. 
Testimony. I can testify personally that miracles are real and do happen and I am grateful.
Watching this movie can reinforce what you know, and it can illustrate it to someone who hasn't received the message of Jesus Christ.

Many thanks to Abba Heart Ministries for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Buy tickets today to see Show Me Your Glory in theaters starting May 13th!

Synopsis: How do you explain … the unexplainable? When does the impossible … become possible? Why are some prayers for healing answered and others … never are? 

Through true stories of the supernatural crashing into human suffering, a compelling new documentary arrives in theaters this spring—unlocking the possibility that the impossible still happens in our world. Meet experts who have studied miracles and suffering, discover true stories of the seemingly unbelievable, and be reminded that prayers can be answered in ways that we could never expect or imagine. If you or someone you love has ever pondered life’s deepest question—“If there is a loving God, why is there so much suffering and evil in the world?”—experience hope, encouragement, and awe with SHOW ME YOUR GLORY.

#ShowMeYourGlory #SMYG #ShowMeYourGloryMovie #NewMovie #Miracles #FaithAndHope #Supernatural #Reality #Testimony #Healing #FaithBasedMedia #ComingSoon #LivesChanged @ShowMeYourGloryMovie @Show Me Your Glory @showmeyourglorymovie



Giveaway: $10 Amazon giftcard
(Note: This is limited to US winners only. Please submit your full name and email address by 5/18 in the comments below. Winner will be chosen randomly. We will not be able to accept winners submitted after this date.)

Butterflies

 

About the Book

Book Title: Butterflies

Author Name: Samantha Roman

Genre: Christian YA

Release Date: June 4, 2025

Fifteen-year-old Candy Chancellor must choose between holding onto yesterday’s pain or the hope of tomorrow. When her father is tragically killed weeks before her baby brother is expected, Candy is tossed from being a happy home schooled girl to the new girl at Christian school- with a seat in front of her new best enemy. Now that her grieving mother is unable to provide any true support, Candy relies on the help of two of her new friends from school, an old friend of the family, and tries to find God in the midst of it all.

Real estate tycoon Leslie Chancellor must make a choice between life or death and this time she doesn’t have her husband to help her. When Robert Chancellor is tragically killed, Leslie spirals into a deep darkness she can’t escape. Now that Candy is chasing her dreams of being a super star, Leslie must rely on an old family friend, a kind colleague, and new friend she didn’t plan on meeting.

Book Excerpt

But at least Daddy knew I wanted to be a singer, even if Mom didn’t.

“What do you think is for dinner, Candy?” Daddy changed the subject, “The maid has the night off and your mom said she’d make something tonight.”

“Mom’s cooking is way different than the maid’s,” I admitted. “I’m not sure.”

“I’m going to guess we eat pasta salad.”

“Again?” I groaned. Anytime Mom said “she’d make something,” it always turned out to be pasta salad.

“What ‘Again?’” Mom must have heard us as she came through the side door. She adjusted her french twist and joined us at the table. “Never mind. I’m sorry I was late, Rob.” She ran her fingers through Daddy’s curly blonde hair. “I had to take Candy to co-op, then swing back because Michelle and I had to be on the new development site. You really acquired a slice of gold. That land is gorgeous, but as always, the team had questions again. Thankfully, Michelle remembered my folders.” Mom tapped my co-op folder and gave me a “do-your-homework” look. I grabbed it and sighed.

Mom looked at her phone. “On another note, I thought we could do a sunset theme for Friend’s Night Out with Chris. What do you think?”

Missed Any Excerpts, Go Here

Excerpt One: https://www.artistwriterandstudentohmy.com/posts/butterflies-book-spotlight/
Excerpt Two: https://musingsbymaureen.blogspot.com/2025/05/celebrate-lit-presents-epic-book-launch.html
Excerpt Three: https://booksyoucanfeelgoodabout.blogspot.com/2025/05/butterflies.html
Excerpt Four: https://www.simpleharvestreads.com/posts/butterflies-book-spotlight/
Excerpt Five: https://lightsinadarkworld.wordpress.com/2025/05/09/butterflies-by-samantha-roman-epic-book-launch/
Excerpt Six: https://www.devotedtohope.com/butterflies
Excerpt Seven: https://www.fictionbooklover.com/posts/butterflies-book-spotlight/

About the Author

Samantha Roman is a Christian author who loves sharing heartwarming fiction with readers all over the world. She writes by day and is a mystery movie watcher at night. When she isn’t writing or watching movies, you can catch her with her family and puppy!

Friday, May 9, 2025

A Steadfast Heart (Wind River Mail-Order Brides Book 2) Kindle Edition by Martha Hutchens

 


Kaitlyn, a mail order bride substitute who comes from a wealthy family, runs to Wyoming to escape her cruel brother. Drew had been burned by wealthy girls and didn't want to trust another. I was quickly pulled into the story and hung on every word. Intricate and very well written, with good faith lessons. Excellent read, satisfying ending.

I received this book free from the author and publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#ASteadfastHeart #MarthaHutchens #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #SunrisePublishing #SpinnerOfYarnsLLC #ChristianHistoricalFiction

My reviews