Monday, September 1, 2025
A Promise Given in Knob Creek: Frontier Legacy Brides Book 5 by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer
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 Sisters, Within 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.
Blog Stops
Pens Pages & Pulses, May 21
Texas Book-aholic, May 22
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 23
Locks, Hooks and Books, May 24
Simple Harvest Reads, May 24 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Devoted To Hope, May 25
For Him and My Family, May 25
Stories By Gina, May 26 (Author Interview)
Jeanette’s Thoughts, May 26
She Lives to Read, May 27
lakesidelivingsite, May 27
Labor Not in Vain, May 28
Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 28
Cover Lover Book Review, May 29
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 29
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 30
Holly’s Book Corner, May 30
Books You Can Feel Good About, May 31
Blossoms and Blessings, June 1
Jodie Wolfe, June 1
Pause for Tales, June 2
Book Butterfly in Dreamland, June 2
Leslie’s Library Escape, June 3
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
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Guarding the Mountain Man’s Secret by Misty M. Beller
This book is Miles turn for romance of the 5 brothers. Clara comes into the area of the sapphire ranch with her uncle and the surveyors he's working with. An accident brings her together with Miles, and the old danger returns. Mystery, secrets and threats twist together to make for an interesting story and bring you in even closer with this loving family. Excellent read. Plan on extra time because you won't want to put it down!
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.
#GuardingTheMountainMansSecret #MistyBeller #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistoricalRomance #MistyMBellerBooksInc
About the Book
Book: Guarding the Mountain Man’s Secret
Author: Misty M. Beller
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release date: January 28, 2025
In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, second chances…and a hidden fortune.
Miles is the youngest of six brothers, and he’s spent most of his life helping guard the family’s secret: a sapphire mine hidden deep within the Montana mountains. With threats from a past enemy looming, a survey team’s arrival stirs suspicion—until he meets Clara Pendleton, whose presence captivates him.
Clara Pendleton joins her uncle on a survey team tasked with mapping the coming railroad’s path, only to find herself entangled with the enigmatic Coulter family. When her uncle’s accident leads them to find refuge in the Coulter home, Clara is irresistibly drawn to Miles Coulter and his quiet strength. This feels like the haven she craves…until a series of mysterious attacks endanger everyone on the ranch.
As Christmas approaches, a sleigh ride through a snowy wonderland fans the growing spark between Clara and Miles into a flame, but a broken runner leads Clara to discover the family’s secret. Now she’s faced with an impossible choice: betray the man she’s coming to love or risk the lives of his entire family—and her own uncle.
From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain saga filled with high-stakes adventure, forced proximity, a Christmas surprise, and love that heals wounded hearts.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author with over 1 million books old. She writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.
Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.
Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.
Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.
More from Misty
Surveying the Wild West: How Surveyors Mapped the Frontier in the 1870s
One of the things I love about writing historical romance is the detail I get to research for each book. So much of my research doesn’t make it into the story, but I still love to learn it!
In Guarding the Mountain Man’s Secret, our heroine and her uncle are working with a group of surveyors to map out potential routes for the coming railroad.
Surveying back then was no walk in the park. These brave folks had to trek through some seriously rough terrain, lugging around heavy equipment like compasses, levels, and surveyor’s chains. The chains were a whopping 66 feet long, with 100 links! Surveyors would stretch them out to measure distances, and let me tell you, it was no easy feat.
One of the surveyor’s secret weapons was triangulation. By measuring angles between distant points and doing some fancy math, they could figure out exactly where landmarks were and create a grid of reference points across the land. This technique was a game-changer, allowing for more accurate maps that covered bigger areas.
In my story, the surveying was done for the railroad. But history tells us that later in 1879, the U.S. Geological Survey stepped onto the scene with a larger mission: to create detailed maps of the entire country, including the wild, wild West. Surveyors working for this agency had their work cut out for them. They battled through dense forests, climbed steep mountains, and crossed dangerous rivers, all to gather the data needed for these maps.
So the next time you look at a map of the American West, give a nod to those early surveyors. These hardworking folks played a huge role in shaping the frontier, giving settlers the information they needed to build new lives and communities. Without their dedication and skill, the West might have remained a mystery forever!
I pray you enjoy Miles and Clara’s story in Guarding the Mountain Man’s Secret!
Blessings!
Misty
Blog Stops
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 23
Books You Can Feel Good About, February 23
Melissa’s Bookshelf, February 24
Madi’s Musings, February 25
Lighthouse Academy Blog, February 25 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 26
For Him and My Family, February 26
Life on Chickadee Lane, February 27
Betti Mace, February 27
Texas Book-aholic, February 28
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 1
Jeanette’s Thoughts , March 1
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 2
Cover Lover Book Review, March 3
Mary Hake, March 3
Devoted To Hope, March 4
An Author’s Take, March 5
Holly’s Book Corner, March 5
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 6
Blossoms and Blessings, March 6
lakesidelivingsite, March 7
Pause for Tales, March 7
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Misty 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/00adcf54159
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Pretending to be the Mountain Man's Wife (Brothers of Sapphire Ranch Book 6) by Misty M. Beller
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.
#PretendingToBeTheMountainMansWife #MistyMBeller #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistoricalRomance #MistyMBellerBooksInc
About the Book
Book: Pretending to be the Mountain Man’s Wife (Brothers of Sapphire Ranch Book 6)
Author: Misty M. Beller
Genre:Christian Historical Romance
Release date: November 19, 2024
In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, second chances…and a hidden fortune.
Determined to find his missing brother and catch the elusive mastermind behind the theft of his family’s precious sapphires, Gil Coulter embarks on a solo mission to the remote town where the criminal is rumored to reside. As Gil scours the surrounding wilderness for the thief’s hidden lair, he crosses paths with a captivating young woman who harbors secrets of her own.
Jess McPharland has spent her life hidden in the mountains, doing her best to stay separate from her family’s business. Yet the secret she’s just discovered will change her life forever. She offers a silent prayer, pleading for a man to help her conceal the truth she’s only just discovered. As if in answer, Gil Coulter rides through the trees, seeking the very criminal Jess calls Father. Now she must find a way to ask this stranger for the ultimate favor—to pose as her husband and shield her from the consequences of a change she won’t be able to hide much longer.
As Gil and Jess navigate the treacherous landscape and the greater danger from her father and his cronies, they find themselves caught in a web of danger, deception, and unexpected attraction. With each passing moment, the stakes grow higher, and the line between pretense and truth blurs. Will the love growing between them be enough to protect Jess’s secret and lead them to the justice Gil seeks, or will the truth shatter everything they’ve risked their lives to build?
From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain saga filled with high-stakes adventure, a pretend marriage, a secret baby, and love that heals wounded hearts.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author with over 1 million books old. She writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.
Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.
Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.
Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.
More from Misty
In Pretending to be the Mountain Man’s Wife, the heroine and her father live in a cave which is part of an intricate catacomb hidden inside Montana mountain.
I LOVED researching cave systems, especially those in Montana, and I was amazed at how many extensive tunnels and caverns have been discovered!
One of the most well-known is Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, located between Butte and Bozeman. This spectacular limestone cave system features a series of caverns adorned with incredible rock formations. These days, visitors can take guided tours to marvel at the intricate stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and helictites that have formed over thousands of years. The cave is also home to several species of bats.
Another notable cave system is the Bighorn Caverns, situated in the Pryor Mountains south of Billings. This complex network of caves extends for over 14 miles, making it one of the most significant cave systems in the state. Experienced cavers can explore winding passages, underground streams, and vast chambers with unique mineral formations.
The Bighorn Caverns are very similar to how I imagine the cave system was that Jess lived in. As amazing as the tunnels are to explore, I’m not sure I’d want to live in such darkness. What about you?
I pray you enjoy Gil and Jess’s story in Pretending to be the Mountain Man’s Wife! J
Blessings!
Misty
Blog Stops
Melissa’s Bookshelf, November 22
Pause for Tales, November 23
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 23
Texas Book-aholic, November 24
Blossoms and Blessings, November 24
Lighthouse Academy Blog, November 25 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)
lakesdielivingsite, November 26
Locks, Hooks and Books, November 27
For Him and My Family, November 27
Devoted To Hope, November 28
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 29
Jeanette’s Thoughts, November 29
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 30
Book Looks by Lisa, December 1
Holly’s Book Corner, December 1
Betti Mace, December 2
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 3
Cover Lover Book Review, December 3
Books You Can Feel Good About, December 4
Life on Chickadee Lane, December 5
Mary Hake, December 5
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Misty 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/00adcf54105
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
The Prince of Egypt - The Musical
Monday, October 9, 2023
The Resourceful Stockman by Karen Baney
About the Book
Book: The Resourceful Stockman
Author: Karen Baney
Genre: Christian Historical Romance, Christian Western
Release Date: January 24, 2023
Gripping western romance and murder mystery set in Prescott, Arizona Territory in 1893.
Deacon Colter was happy in his job as the stockyard vet. But when his best friend asks him to work as a livestock inspector, he must confront his own obsessive-compulsive nature to support his friend. Even though he hopes for a family of his own one day, he believes that no woman will see past his quirks. Will he find a woman who can overlook his behavior to see his true heart?
Grady Thatcher waited six long years for justice for his parents’ murder. When a strange twist of fate puts him in a position to find the killers, he must decide if he will sacrifice his budding romance with one of the Harper sisters to pursue justice. Will he choose love over justice?
Lilian and Justine Harper were two sisters who moved to Prescott to escape the abusive men their father tried to pair them with. When Lilian meets Deacon Colter, she wonders if he could ever love someone with her past. Justine falls hard for Grady Thatcher. Yet she doubts if he truly loves her or if he befriended her only to get information about the men who killed his parents. Will Lilian and Justine find true happiness with the men they love?
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Karen Baney is passionate about writing stories full of flawed characters. She enjoys weaving together stories of second chances, redemption, and overcoming personal trials. As a transplant to Arizona in the late 1990s, she loves researching the state’s history and finding ways to seamlessly incorporate real history and real settings into her novels. In addition to writing and speaking, Karen works as a Software Development Manager for a Christian ministry.
Her faith plays an important role both in her life and in her writing. Karen and her husband, Jim, make their home in Gilbert, Arizona, with their two dogs, Bella and Daisy. Both Jim and Karen are active at Rock Point Church in Queen Creek, Arizona.
Visit Karen on the web at: www.karenbaney.com
More from Karen
What was the inspiration behind the Colter Sons Series?
The Colters (Will and Hannah) are the central characters from my first series, the Prescott Pioneers. For years, I have wanted to write stories about their children. I love the idea of writing many series about several generations of the same family.
Nothing came of the idea until I brought back a character, Joshua, from the Prescott Pioneers who fancied Hannah before she married Will. Joshua’s unrequited love led me to write a scene where he meets Hannah and Will again after eight years. To hit home the point that Hannah had everything he always wanted, I spontaneously wrote that she had five sons. Only a few sentences sparked the idea for the entire Colter Sons Series. (Joshua’s story is in Joy for Mourning, Book 2 in the Desert Manna Series).
Before I mapped out a series outline or developed the characters, I wrote the introductory chapters in the first person from each of the son’s point of view. Their personalities came to life, and I eventually fine-tuned that writing exercise in Chapter 1 for each of the books in the series.
Where does Deacon Colter fit into the series?
Deacon Colter is the fourth Colter Son, and his book is the fourth in the series. Since he was a very minor character earlier in the series, I refined some of his character traits. (Don’t worry, I write each book in a series to stand on its own, so you won’t miss anything.)
Out of all the Colter Sons, Deacon is the most socially awkward. What made Deacon special for me was that behind his looming, large exterior lies a soft heart and fierce loyalty for those who he cares about. When under stress, his obsessive-compulsive tendencies become harder to control.
Do you normally write a story with over two points of view? Why write the four points of view in The Resourceful Stockman?
Other than my very first series, The Prescott Pioneers, I usually stick with two points of view in my novels: the hero and the heroine.
However, earlier in the Colter Sons Series, I wrote that Deacon Colter became fast friends with Grady Thatcher, the younger brother of the woman who married Deacon’s older brother Sam (The Reluctant Cattleman, Book 1). When it came time to outline the story, I knew Grady’s story had to be told along with Deacon’s. Doing anything else would disappoint fans and leave the story feeling incomplete.
Grady’s quest to solve his parents’ murder provided the perfect catalyst to force the routine-loving, obsessive-compulsive Deacon outside of his comfort zone. Because he is fiercely loyalty, he risked much to help his friend.
Where did the idea for livestock agents come from?
I initially wanted to make Deacon and Grady Arizona Rangers. However, during my research, the timing and even some duties didn’t fit either of these men. I like to stay true to history. Rarely do I take creative liberty because I want readers to learn about Arizona history. Deacon and Grady’s ages put them about a decade before the Arizona Rangers formed.
So, I continued with my research about brand-burning and rustling. When I stumbled on an Arizona Territorial statute to create a Livestock Commission, complete with details on what the duties entailed, I had my answer. The timing and duties fit. Many livestock agents started as veterinarians or ranchers. They had the authority to hunt down the rustlers and deal with disease outbreaks. All this fit with my characters.
And, yes, everything in the novel about their jobs and the livestock commission’s start is true to history, except for the names of real people.
Blog Stops
Lakesidelivingsite, September 28
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 29
Texas Book-aholic, September 30
Locks, Hooks and Books, October 1
The Lit Lady, October 1
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 2
The Book Club Network, October 3
Connie’s History Classroom, October 4
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 5
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 6
Bizwings Book Blog, October 7
Cover Lover Book Review, October 8
Books You Can Feel Good About, October 9
Pause for Tales, October 9
For Him and My Family, October 10
Lily’s Book Reviews, October 11
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize package a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Resourceful Stockman!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://www.celebratelit.com/the-resourceful-stockman-celebration-tour/Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Driving Miss Darling
Now that's a romance! Alfie is quite swoon worthy, and his 7 brothers are too. All living in a small town with many more bachelors than ladies. And that's what brought Miss Darling there ... sort of. Get this book and read the why, where and how of it. And be ready to sigh.





















