Wednesday, November 12, 2025
The Lumber Baron's Wife by Lynn Austin
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
Friday, May 9, 2025
A Steadfast Heart (Wind River Mail-Order Brides Book 2) Kindle Edition by Martha Hutchens
Friday, November 29, 2024
Echoes of the Past
Black Friday special on Liz Tolsma’s latest WWII series,
Echoes of the Past!!
Her award-winning novel, “What I Would Tell You” is 72% off for the print edition. “What I Promise You” has a 25% off coupon, and “What I Left for You” has a guaranteed pre-release price that’s 25% off list. Don’t miss out on these deals! https://loom.ly/HbJvOLg
#BlackFriday #LizTolsma #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout @LizTolsma #EchoesOfThePast
Monday, November 11, 2024
A Noble Scheme (The Imposters Book #2) by Roseanna M. White
From the Back Cover
Gemma Parks is known to the London elite as G. M. Parker, a columnist renowned for her commentary on the cream of society. Behind the scenes, she uses her talents to aid the Imposters in their investigations by gathering intel at events and providing alibis for the firm's members through her columns. Yet her clandestine work would be more exhilarating if it weren't for the constant presence of the gentleman who broke her heart.
Graham Wharton has never had eyes for anyone but Gemma, and she left his heart in tatters when she walked away from him. When the Imposters take on a new job to recover a kidnapped boy mistaken for his aristocratic cousin, Graham is determined to use the time with Gemma to not only restore the missing boy, but to also win back the only woman he's ever loved. As they trace the clues laid out before them, Graham and Gemma must devise a noble scheme to save the boy's life and heal their hearts.
"A Noble Scheme is as clever as it is glamorous."--LAURA FRANTZ, Christy Award-winning author of The Seamstress of Acadie
About the Author
Monday, November 4, 2024
The Seaside Homecoming by Julie Klassen
A surprise homecoming tests the bonds of sisterhood as a hidden past comes to light . . .
Monday, October 21, 2024
What I Left For You - preorder bonus
I’ve read Liz Tolsma’s upcoming release, What I Left for You, and I loved it! You’ll want to preorder it. There’s a price guarantee if you do. As a bonus, Liz is offering a cookbook of her family’s favorite recipes for preordering. Some of these recipes are mentioned in the book!
Just fill out this form, and you’ll be all set to get the recipes once the novel releases. I can’t wait! https://forms.gle/KDdces4KZBN8JNLG9
#WhatILeftForYou #LizTolsma @authorliztolsma #booksyoucanfeelgoodabout
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
A Token of Love: (A Victorian London Split-Time Christian Historical Romance Novel) by Carrie Turansky
About the Book
Book: A Token of Love
Author: Carrie Turansky
Genre: Fiction, Historical Romance
Release date: September 3, 2024
Separated by centuries, the lives of two women intertwine through their shared pursuit of love, truth, and justice.
In 1885 London, Lillian Freemont embarks on a treacherous journey to reunite with her long-lost niece, Alice, who was abandoned at the Foundling Hospital eight years ago. Fueled by her sister’s plea and armed with the gold token that identifies her niece, Lillian teams up with investigative reporter Matthew McGivern to expose the grim reality of the shadowed streets of London. As Lillian and Matthew unravel the mystery of Alice’s disappearance, their partnership blossoms into one of shared purpose and undeniable attraction.
In present-day London, Janelle Spencer finds herself unexpectedly running the Foundling Museum. When filmmaker Jonas Conrad arrives to document the museum’s history, their collaboration takes a surprising turn as they uncover articles from the past that shed light on a haunting connection to the present. As Janelle becomes caught between exposing the truth and protecting the museum’s reputation, she must decide if she can risk everything for what she believes.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Carrie Turansky is the award-winning author of twenty-one inspirational novels and novellas and a winner of the Carol Award, the International Digital Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She loves traveling to England to research her Edwardian novels, including No Journey Too Far, No Ocean Too Wide, Across the Blue, and the Edwardian Brides series. Her novels have been translated into several languages and have received starred reviews from Christianbook.com and Library Journal.
More from Carrie
Come with me to London!
My latest novel, A Token of Love, is a dual-time story set in London during the late Victorian Era and present day. That prompted my husband and I to take a trip to London earlier this year. We were especially delighted to visit the Foundling Museum which tells the story of the Foundling Hospital, the first children’s charity home in England. The Foundling Hospital and Foundling Museum tie the historical and contemporary plots together in A Token of Love.
Thousands of children were taken in by the Foundling Hospital when their mothers could no longer care for them. Some of the mothers left small items such as coins, thimbles, and pieces of jewelry with their infants as identifiers in the hope that if their situation changed, they might be able to return and reclaim their child. Those items were called tokens, and we saw several of them on display at the Foundling Museum.
Each token is unique and represents a mother’s love and desire to be reunited with her child. It was very moving to view them on display and think of all the heartache and hope behind each token.
More than two years ago, I saw an image of the tokens on Pinterest. That sparked my curiosity, and I followed the research trail to learn more about them. That led to the Foundling Museum’s website, which offers a treasure trove of information and personal stories about the mothers and children connected by those tokens. What I discovered helped me develop the characters and plot for A Token of Love. The story highlights one mother who gave her daughter into their care, then eight years later tries to reclaim her. But her daughter is missing, and that sets off a series of events that stirs all of London. Family drama, romance, inspiration, and a touch of mystery will make the story meaningful for readers.
If you like stories based on true events in history that will touch your heart and lift your spirit, then I think you will enjoy reading A Token of Love!
If you’d like to see more photos from my research trip to London and the Foundling Museum, I hope you’ll visit my website photo page!
Blog Stops
Maureen’s Musings, October 7
Books You Can Feel Good About, October 8
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 8
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 9
Connie’s History Classroom, October 9
Texas Book-aholic, October 10
Devoted To Hope, October 10
Simple Harvest Reads, October 11 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Live.Love.Read., October 11
Stories By Gina, October 12 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, October 12
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, October 13
lakesidelivingsite, October 13
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 14
Cover Lover Book Review, October 14
Lighthouse Academy Blog, October 15 (Guest Review from Marilyn)
Locks, Hooks and Books, October 16
Blossoms and Blessings, October 17
Holly’s Book Corner, October 17
Inspired by Fiction, October 18
Pause for Tales, October 18
Labor Not in Vain, October 19
To Everything There is A Season, October 20
Romances of the Cross, October 20
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away the grand prize of a $15 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of A Token of Love!!
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/00adcf5461/
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Once Upon a Courtship
I just love collections like this. Each a good long story and when it ends another immediately ready to continue. Each is quite different from the others, so not a continuance of the previous story. These are some of the very best authors, so you know you're getting engrossing original stories, and there's always something to learn or understand about the time or setting they're in. Wonderfully long read!
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.
#OnceUponACourtship #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistoricalFiction #ForgetMeNotRomances
About the Book
Book: Once upon a Courtship
Authors: Kit Morgan, Chautona Havig, Tricia Goyer, Marylu Tyndall, Regina Scott, Marlene Bierworth, Linore Rose Burkard, Camille Elliot, Louise M. Goudge, Lisa M. Prysock, Teresa Slack, Marilyn Turk
Genre: Historical Christian Fiction
Release date: October 22, 2024
Once Upon a Courtship: A Sweet Historical Romance Collection
A Limited-Time Collection of 12 books from 12 beloved Christian authors spanning rustic landscapes, elegant ballrooms, rugged cowboys, enigmatic spies, and daring pirates! Delight your romantic heart with Colonial, Regency, Victorian, Western, and Gilded Age Romance and preorder your copy today!
Mail-Order Millie by USA Today Bestselling Author Kit Morgan
Imagine mail-order bride Millie’s surprise when she finds out her so-called husband is really a spy working for the president.
Courting Miss Darling by USA Today Bestselling Author Chautona Havig
Muriel Darling thought her heart rode off with a cowboy, but when his boss writes letters, maybe romance is in Miss Darling’s future after all.
The Privateer’s Prize by Christy Award Finalist Author MaryLu Tyndall
Left at the altar, a woman must rely on the man who broke her heart to deliver a message to change the course of the Revolutionary War.
Grace in the Storm by USA Today Bestselling Author Tricia Goyer
As hurricane winds howl, a feisty pirate and a captivating tavern owner find their destinies changed by the storm’s fury.
Leftover Mail-Order Bride by Publisher’s Weekly Bestselling Author Regina Scott
When mail-order bride Victoria’s groom left her at the altar, she vows to find love, but meets Jack, seeking help on the ranch, love optional.
Clara’s Compassion by Critically Acclaimed Author Marlene Bierworth
Clara’s compassion for workers on the frontier of the Canadian Rockies proves conflicting for railroad boss, Graham, in matters of the heart.
Miss Spencer Meets Her Match by Multi-Award-winning Author Linore Rose Burkard
Miss Spencer attends a Cinderella Ball unwillingly, not knowing the “prince” is in disguise.
Lissa and the Spy by USA Today Bestselling Author Camille Elliot
Seeking a marriage of convenience, plain Lissa becomes entangled with enigmatic Lord Stoude and a secret mission for the Crown.
Abiding Faith, Freedom’s Call by Multi-Award-Winning Author Louise M. Gouge
A pacifist Quaker widow and a prisoner of war officer risk their lives. Will the gap between peace and the American Revolution be a chasm too wide?
Jory’s Story by USA Today Bestselling Author Lisa M. Prysock
When a spy and local adversaries descend, can a governess protect the duke’s children and her heart?
Priscilla’s Promise by Award-Winning Author Teresa Slack
Priscilla Channing wants to honor her father by marrying the man he chose. But he’s not the same man, nor she, the same woman.
The Gilding of Minnie Tucker by Multi-Award-Winning Author Marilyn Turk
A Biltmore maid opens the wrong door and stumbles into a guest whose mutual attraction could be their doom.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Authors
Twelve authors bring you stories that span from the Colonial era, through Regency, Victorian, Western, and into Edwardian and the Gilded Age.More from Chautona
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to write historical fiction? Here’s a “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” version that sorta shows how it can go.
If you give an author a historical assignment, she’ll want to choose an era for it. If she chooses Colonial, she’ll need to research what that period included.
She’ll research it and discover that there were lots of places colonized by lots of countries.
She’ll pick one. If she picks American, she may discover how big of a role ships played in that period. A pirate might appear.
If a pirate appears, she’ll jump the Colonial ship for a swashbuckling one and buy an eyepatch—just to get into character.
While learning of how lawless the open sea could be, pictures of a lawless Old West with cowboys and sheriffs might tempt her to leave rolling sea waves for waving prairie seas.
She’ll buy a covered wagon. If she buys that wagon, her HOA will demand she get it out of her front yard. She’ll settle for spurs. The cat will not be amused.
If her cat protests too much, she’ll decide to get him a girlfriend. She’ll go online and order one. That will remind her of mail-order brides. She’ll begin researching. The idea of dip pens and beautiful paper and wax seals will make a serious hit to her budget. She’ll justify it as “research.” If she goes overboard, she might start a story-by-mail service with a new letter sent each week. Reams of paper fill her front yard. The HOA will send a sternly-written letter.
But the deadlines loom on the horizon. She’ll pray for help. Thinking about prayer will remind her that her (not-as-yet-to-be-put-on-paper) fictional town needs a church. And some civilizing. If she prays and all that happens… she’ll research more.
While researching, she’ll remember she meant to do a story from earlier in the century. She’ll buy a ball gown—Regency style. What’s a ball gown with nowhere to wear it? She needs a ball!
If she wants to go to a ball, she’ll need to know how to dance. She’ll sign up for English country dance lessons and learn that the waltz of that time is very different from ours.
She’ll research how it evolved. If she studies well, she’ll learn how scandalized folks were and decides to move her story forward. She likes the waltz. To prove it, she’ll buy vinyl albums of Strauss’ waltzes and play them nonstop.
If she plays the music too late, her neighbors will call in a noise complaint. The HOA will call an emergency meeting. She’ll miss it. She’s too busy deciding between that mail-order bride and an antebellum miss (and stuffing a thousand envelopes to mail tomorrow).
Pictures of waltzes at balls with hoopskirts and satin prompts her to order her own. If she puts it on, it threatens to get stuck when she tries to walk out the front door.
If she gets stuck, she’ll shimmy out of the dress (good thing it was a little big) and lets it sit there as décor.
The HOA comes armed with pitchforks and scissors. Fascinated, she wonders where they got the pitchforks. The gown does not survive.
Her indignation prompts her to reconsider and write something more Gilded Age—the long, close-fitting gowns (except for bustles as big as those hoopskirts!). If she puts one of those on and walks out the front door, she’ll find a man there. Gaping. She may think she looks stunning. If she thinks that, he might pull out a stungun—along with a court order to appear and pay a fine.
When she sees that fine, she may swoon (or it could be she didn’t know how to lace the corset correctly). He’ll catch her and help her to her couch (it’s not a fainting couch).
When he brings her a drink, she may tell him the whole story.
And if she tells him the whole story, he might suggest writing Sci-Fi would be safer.
After a long nap and a weird dream, she decides he’s right. She’ll write about people in space. And chances are, if she researches writing about people in space, she’ll discover that it’s just another Colonial story.
(Oh, and she’ll need a new home. She had to sell hers to pay the HOA fines. Anyone want to subscribe to her story letters?)
Blog Stops
Book Looks by Lisa, September 13
Melissa’s Bookshelf, September 14
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 15
Texas Book-aholic, September 16
Locks, Hooks and Books, September 17
Stories By Gina, September 18 (Author Interview)
Lots of Helpers, September 18
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 19
Devoted To Hope, September 20
For Him and My Family, September 21
Holly’s Book Corner, September 22
Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 23
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 24
Books You Can Feel Good About, September 25
Madi’s Musings, September 26
Giveaway
To celebrate their tour, the Authors are giving away the grand prize of a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5441





















