Showing posts with label escape. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

The Marriage Masquerade by Erica Vetsch

Quick read that's written so well that you don't want to put it down. Anastasia and Noah both come from very wealthy and very controlling families. They each escape their families and find work on the same island, never suspecting the other's secrets. They get to know each other through trials, strengthening faith and wonderful people around them. Excellent story to get lost in.

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.

#TheMarriageMasquerade #EricaVetsch #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #WildHeartBooks #ChristianHistoricalRomance

About the Book

Book: The Marriage Masquerade

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

A disgraced captain and a runaway heiress—hiding from the past and bound by fate—will their marriage masquerade lead to true love?

Noah Kennebrae, disgraced ship captain, has escaped to a remote lighthouse to avoid his grandfather’s schemes and the ghosts that haunt him. Taking a job under an assumed name, he’s determined to start over—until he meets Annie Fairfax. The feisty housekeeper’s warmth and spirit captivate him, and he falls for her despite his best efforts. But he’s keeping secrets that could destroy her trust…and his chance at redemption.

Desperate to escape the calculating grasp of her father, Anastasia “Annie” Michaels flees home to become the unlikely housekeeper on an isolated island. Working incognito at the lighthouse, she finds solace in her newfound independence and unexpected friendship with Nick. However, as their relationship deepens, Annie’s fear of abandonment resurfaces when she learns the truth Nick has been hiding.

Caught in a marriage masquerade of their own making, Noah and Annie must navigate secrets, lies, and painful pasts in hopes of a future together.

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.

More from Erica

I love a hidden identity story! And in the case of The Marriage Masquerade, both the hero AND the heroine are hiding their true identities.

The Marriage Masquerade features Noah, who is running from the guilt of a mistake he feels he made that lost both a Great Lakes ship and several lives. Anastasia Michaels is running away from an arranged marriage.

They both flee to a remote lighthouse on the North Shore of Lake Superior, he as an assistant lighthouse keeper and she as a housekeeper and cook.

The lighthouse in The Marriage Masquerade is based directly upon the Split Rock Lighthouse, one of my favorite places to visit along the North Shore. Situated on a cliff high above the lake, Split Rock is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world.

When I first visited this exquisite place, I fell in love. And when I fall in love with an historical site, I need to know as much of the history of the place as I can. Several of the incidents that occur at the fictional lighthouse in the story come directly from the history of Split Rock.

Filtering liquid mercury, polishing the Fresnel lens, hiding dishes in the oven when the inspector comes, and other happenings in The Marriage Masquerade actually happened in the real lives of the lightkeepers at Split Rock.

Noah and Anastasia’s story is a forced proximity romance, with a dash of hidden identity, redemption, and learning to stand on your own two feet. I hope you’ll enjoy their journey from fearful, guilt-ridden characters to healed through love, confident, and ready to embark on a lifelong journey together.

If you would like to learn more about Split Rock and see glorious photos of this picturesque site, check out: https://www.mnhs.org/splitrock

Blog Stops

Pens Pages & Pulses, August 12
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 12
She Lives To Read, August 13
Fiction Book Lover, August 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn)
Devoted Steps, August 14
Melissa’s Bookshelf, August 14
Life on Chickadee Lane, August 15
Texas Book-aholic, August 15
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 16
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 17
Devoted To Hope, August 17
For Him and My Family, August 18
Simple Harvest Reads, August 18 (Guest Review from Mindy)
Books You Can Feel Good About, August 19
Inklingsandnotions, August 19
Locks, Hooks and Books, August 20
Inkwell Inspirations, August 20
Artistic Nobody, August 21 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Blossoms and Blessings, August 21
Little Homeschool on the prairie, August 22
Vicky Sluiter, August 22
An Author’s Take, August 23
Books Less Travelled, August 23
Holly’s Book Corner, August 24
Pause for Tales, August 24
Jeanette’s Thoughts , August 25
Jodie Wolfe, August 25

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/00adcf54276

My reviews

Barnes and Noble

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Pretending to be the Mountain Man's Wife (Brothers of Sapphire Ranch Book 6) by Misty M. Beller

Always a pleasure to read about the Sapphire Ranch family and fall in love with the characters. This is Gil's story as he searches for his brother and the sapphires that were stolen from their family. He and Jess are both praying and happen to run into each other - and each of them can help the other exactly as they need. Danger awaits around every corner where her father is involved which keeps you on edge. Another faithful and satisfying 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.

#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

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 22
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

My reviews

ChristianBook

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

The Girl From The Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder

A Regency murder mystery. Tense, heartbreaking, keeps you on your toes to the end. At 5 years old, Eliza is taken away as she sees her mother murdered, to a place hidden deep in the Balfour Forest. Fifteen years later, Fenton wants to clear his family's name, finds her and brings her back. She remembers in very small increments as suspicions surround her and more attempts are made on her life. Their relationship is very strained as she tries to fit in with society's demands and please the people around her. False stories overlap truth, muddying the answers as to she can trust. A slower read, not wanting to miss a word, thoroughly but comfortably drawn out to the solution.

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

#TheGirlfromtheHiddenForest #NetGalley #HannahLinder #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #BarbourPublishing #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarBooks

The nightmares may free her…but destroy the man she loves.

Eliza Ellis has stayed hidden in Balfour Forest for as long as she can remember. Perhaps her only friends are the trees, or her little dog, or her story-telling father called Captain. But at least she is safe from the cruel world outside, a world Captain has warned her against and protected her from.

That is, until a handsome stranger named Felton Northwood invades her quiet forest and steals her away. Why does he tell such lies? Why does he insist that her name is Miss Eliza Gillingham, daughter of a viscount, who disappeared fourteen years ago after the murder of her own mother? A murder Eliza is said to have witnessed.

When Felton returns Eliza to Monbury Manor and reunites her with a man who is told to be her father, all she remembers are the strange nightmares that have plagued her since childhood. Why have they suddenly grown worse? Are the answers hidden inside her own mind?

As danger mounts and lethal attempts are made on her life, Eliza and Felton must work together to uncover the identity of a killer who has stayed silent for fourteen years. When she finally uncovers the horrendous memories trapped in her mind, will divulging the truth cost her the man she loves—and both of their lives?

My reviews

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Inventions of the Heart by Mary Connealy

1872 California. A continuation and second in a series about three sisters, daughters of the owners of a huge logging company. When their father died, their mother married again, to a man who turned out to be a monster. Since he was about to marry them off to other monsters, the sisters escaped but were always in danger of being found. All three are brilliant in their own way. It's interesting to see each one's strengths put to use. Their journey progressed in many ways at their home and at Zane's ranch where the girls had taken refuge. This book is concentrated more on Michelle and her new husband, who were hastily wed. They have to get to know each other, trust one another, learn each other's strengths. It's an entertaining story to read, would make a fabulous mini series. Nominate!

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

#InventionsOfTheHeart #NetGalley #BethanyHouse #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarBooks #MaryConnealy #BethanyHousePublishers

My reviews

Thursday, January 11, 2024

Abounding Hope: A WWII Christian Romance by Cindy Kay Stewart

Based on true events and backed by extensive research, Abounding Hope is sure to delight fans of WWII adventure cloaked in sweet romance. Come to the place where the war began and discover hope in the darkest places.

What an amazing story. Intense, tense, frustrating, so very real. As they hear of German invasions, Irena, a school teacher, refused to leave her city in Poland and those she loved. She also has close friends who had all attended the same high school with her in Europe. They decide to send one of them to get her to leave Poland. He, like Irena is an American and a successful businessman. Their story of escape and rescuing of children from Poland into the neighboring countries and then back again for her family is very detailed, intricate and twisting. I actually had to make myself put it down for a while and regroup. You can't help but hold your breath during some of this story. I'm hoping there will be another book to follow.

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

#AboundingHope #CindyKayStewart #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #HopeSpringsPress #ChristianHistoricalRomance

Purchase on Amazon (I don't receive anything for this)

About the book

WINNER OF THE TOUCHED BY LOVE AWARD (Faith, Hope, & Love Christian Writers)

Poland’s looming defeat forces an American teacher to escape with children wanted by the Nazis.

It’s late August, 1939, and the world is on the brink of war. The Nazis are threatening Poland, but American teacher Irena Simmons refuses to flee to safety. She’s dedicated her life to serving in her church and school, and she’s watching over the little German boys she whisked to safety the year before. When her former classmate, Jonathan, surprises her in Lvov and insists she leave with him before the war starts, Irena balks. Nothing will interfere with her work—especially a man making demands.

American shipping magnate Jonathan Huntwell had a crush on Irena in school. When their former classmates select him to travel to Poland and escort her out before it’s too late, he doesn’t expect the inner turmoil she ignites in him. Although honor-bound to aid any friend in trouble, Jonathan acknowledges that Irena is more than an obligation to him. However, he must keep his feelings hidden, or he’ll jeopardize their friendship.

Irena soon discovers that the Gestapo agent she successfully evaded in Germany has found her in Poland, and he’s after her young charges. When the Germans invade, Jonathan is in Denmark on business, too far away to help. As the rising danger threatens everything Irena holds dear, she must find a way to protect those she loves.

Cindy Kay Stewart

Cindy Kay Stewart, a retired high school social studies teacher and current church pianist, writes stories of hope, steeped in love, and anchored in faith. Her manuscripts have won the Touched by Love Award, the First Impressions contest, and the Sandra Robbins Inspirational Writing Award. They've also finaled in the Maggie Award of Excellence and the Cascade Awards and semi-finaled in the Genesis contest. Cindy is passionate about revealing God’s handiwork in history.

A native of Southern California, Cindy has lived on both coasts, including a sojourn in between. She’s currently happy to make her home in North Georgia and enjoy the peaches. Cindy graduated from Bob Jones University, where she went for her "Mrs." degree. She was successful, and after forty-two years, her husband still puts up with her. While at BJU, she also earned a bachelors in elementary education. She later earned a masters degree in secondary education/history from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and School Leadership Certification through Kennesaw State University.

Cindy has always enjoyed telling stories—first to her dolls and teddy bears and then to her neighborhood playmates. She wrote her first book of stories and poems in second grade.

Cindy’s desire to write Christian novels was kindled after college, but it wasn’t until her daughter married that she had time to invest in the art of writing and publishing fiction. She had to promptly forget everything she’d learned about writing in school and develop a new skill set. That skill has grown through the years.

Cindy loves to research and “dig up” fascinating nuggets from history to share with her readers. She enjoys surprising people by weaving true historical events into her fiction—especially those happenings that seem too unbelievable to be true. But they are and she can prove it!

Cindy loves playing the piano and singing in the choir at her church. She’s an extrovert, which sometimes gets her in trouble. She tends to talk too much and has been known to drive her friends crazy at times. After thirty-two years in education, she retired to pursue her dream of publishing Christian historical fiction.

It’s a good thing that Cindy’s husband is a gourmet cook or the family would starve. She can follow a recipe, but who has time to read one?

Most of all, Cindy loves to point people to Jesus Christ, her Redeemer, and she wants others to experience the same joy He’s poured out on her so abundantly.

My reviews

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

The Element of Love by Mary Connealy

1872 California. Part of a really good series, this book is mostly about Laura. There are three sisters, with the story opening as they escape from their evil stepfather before he sells them off in marriages to creeps that are advantageous only to him. As they're leaving, their Mother feigns a fall and goes back to buy them time. Their real father had amassed a large logging operation, training his daughters to take over the company one day and build it even further. They were each highly schooled and each has very special skills. When he died, their mother married the wrong man who had fooled all of them and wanted control of the company. So, they all have deep trust issues. As they're running away, they join a missionary group for safety and anonymity. The parson is a young man with a past, now saved and trying to spread the Good News. Very interesting as it develops. I really liked reading it and was fully engrossed. Each character is very real and 3D. Good lessons of Christian faith. Need to have the next one to binge read it!

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

#TheElementOfLove #NetGalley #MaryConnealy #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #BethanyHousePublishers #BethanyHouse #ChristianHistoricalFiction

My reviews

NetGalley

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Forever Lovely by Linore Rose Burkard

What a joy, a pure pleasure to read. Margaret, an English bluestocking, believes that she's hopeless. To try to improve her fortune, she begs her relative to escort her to the future where her sister is. Only things don't happen as they normally do for him when he time travels. She's soon left alone in New York City in the future with little to go on, and her adventure begins. A Jane Austen event is happening nearby, so she has a cover as she figures out what to do. A lovely predicament that leaves you turning the pages and loath to put it down. As the story builds, situations snowball for her and for those trying to help her. Enriching and fun. I highly recommend this! What an escape!

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

#ForeverLovely #LinoreRoseBurkard #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #LilliputPress #ChristianHistoricalRomance #FiveStarHistorical

Note: This sequel can be read as a stand-alone.

When Miss Margaret Andrews travels to the future to find her missing sister, she never expected to find true love. In 1819 England, Margaret is a bluestocking with dreams of becoming an inventress, but when the Tallit, a magical time-travel shawl, goes awry she finds herself stranded in 21st Century Manhattan. At a Jane Austen conference, she meets Stewart Russell, a grad student studying early British female writers. Stewart is immediately taken with Margaret and her effortless use of the speech and manners of Jane's day—until she claims to be FROM Jane's day! Worse, due to a mix-up, he is a wanted man and the clock is ticking. Margaret must find a way to get them both back to 1819—before the unthinkable happens.

If you enjoyed the time-travel romance of Outlander, then you'll love Margret and Stewart's story in Forever Lovely. Buy now before the price changes!

Linore Rose Burkard

Goodreads Author

Born

The United States

Website

http://www.linoreburkard.com

Twitter

LinoreRBurkard

Genre

Romance, Suspense, Christian

Influences

author: Georgette Heyer/311150, Pearl S. Buck, Jane Austen, Eleanor Es ...more

Member Since

December 2008

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/linrose

Linore Rose Burkard ( L.R.Burkard) is a serious watcher of period films, a Janeite, and hopeless romantic. An award winning author best known for Inspirational Regency Romance, her first novel (Before the Season Ends) opened the genre for the CBA. Besides historical romance, Linore writes contemporary suspense (The Pulse Effex Series, as L.R. Burkard), contemporary romance, and romantic short stories. Linore has a magna cum laude English Lit. degree from CUNY which she earned while taking herself far too seriously. She now resides in Ohio with her husband and family, where she turns her youthful angst into character or humor-driven plots.

Sign up for Linore's newsletter to get updates on new books, works in progress, giveaways, special sales, and more. You'll receive a free Regency "flash fiction" story, Sign up at HERE

Linore is Vice President of the Dayton Christian Scribes, and a Regional Director of CAN, Christian Authors Network. Her biggest guilty pleasure aside from ice cream is cheering the NY Mets. Her husband knows how they're doing from the other side of the house! (It's true what they say, "You can take the girl out of New York, but....." )

My reviews

Friday, December 2, 2022

Wagon Train Wife by Catherine Kennedy

She will do anything to ensure her sister's safety… even marry a man she barely knows.

Good read. I love wagon train stories, the trip, the starting over. The reason Eliza, Hannah and Thomas left is enough to get hooked. The path they take and people they meet on the way are quite interesting and endearing. Has some interesting twists.
I received this book free from the publisher and Book Sirens review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#BookSirens #WagonTrainWife #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #HistoricalRomance

Quotes:

“I believe God put us in each other’s paths. He knew before we did we needed each other.”

"As Thomas had stated earlier, this was supposed to be a happy day. There would be time later to mourn what she had given up securing her sister’s safety."

My reviews

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

The Watchmaker's Daughter by Dianne Haley

Switzerland 1942

I've always thought of Switzerland as being neutral. Just that. Anyone who went there was safe. Not very true at this time. Germany was threatening to invade, people were trying to escape from bordering countries and Switzerland didn't want to anger the Germans or be responsible for taking care of the refugees. There were Swiss police, the Swiss Army and Allies. Everyone was walking their own tightrope. Valerie's father was a watchmaker, needing to continue his business to support him and his daughter and make as many sales as possible. They had to be nice to everyone.
Valerie felt the need to help Jews and the Resistance. Philippe is in the Swiss Army, excels in leadership but is not in charge, assigned to special work with maps of their defense system. It's a dangerous time for all of them, especially when things aren't right and suspicions run high, people are being killed. And things are going on all around them both that they don't know about, friends and foes become mixed up. Tense, intense reading, constantly pulling at your heart strings. Hard to put down.

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

#TheWatchmakersDaughter #NetGalley #fivestarbooks #historicalfiction #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout

My reviews