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Monday, March 2, 2026

The Bird of Bedford Manor by Michelle Griep

Romance and mystery, smooth as fine chocolate. I'd truly love to see this acted out! Juliet is a lady who has fallen on times bad enough to make her poach game from the manor bordering her aunt's cottage. Luckily, she has the skills. When she's caught, those skills make Henry decide to employ her to help find who is stalking the manor, and his sister. Since Juliet has had a step-down in society, it's eventually a welcome break for her and a chance to provide for her aunt, but there is real danger here. Thoroughly engaging mystery with characters you have to love and feel involved with. This is romance of the best, truest kind and it's so pleasant to get caught up in, with a great ending.

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.

#TheBirdOfBedfordManor #MichelleGriep #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistoricalRomance #BarbourFiction

About the Book

Book: The Bird of Bedford Manor

Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction / Regency

Release Date: February, 2026

Bedfordshire, England, 1820: Ruined by the sins of her father, Juliet Finch is cast into a life of self-reliance. Survival is a harsh taskmaster, but she is a quick learner and excels at tracking and snaring wild game to feed herself. Juliet embraces her new identity until the day Henry Russell catches her poaching on his land—a crime punishable by death. Henry, however, has other offenses on his mind: namely, the troublesome stalker who’s making a misery of his sister’s life. To try to put a stop to her torment, Henry charges Juliet with tracking the elusive villain so he can be brought to justice. Using her skills, Juliet hunts down the rogue. . .but may just become the prey herself.

Reader favorite Michelle Griep has penned yet another masterpiece with this page-turning adventure that has it all:

swoon-worthy romance
clever turn-of-phrase
colorfully memorable characters
charming British setting

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the Christy Award-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

More from Michelle

The Waltz: The Dance That Shocked Regency England

Post by Michelle Griep

I’ll be the first to admit it…I can’t dance a lick. Not a jig, not a reel, and certainly not anything that requires turning in rhythm without stepping on someone’s toes. If you ever spot me on a dancefloor, it’s because someone shoved me there or I lost a bet. Which is probably why the waltz both fascinates and terrifies me. A dance that actually expects you to glide gracefully while holding someone close? Absolutely not. And yet in Regency England, it became the talk of the town.

When the waltz swirled onto the dancefloors of England in the 1790s, it caused more shock than delight. Imported from Austria and southern Germany, it was a turning, closely-held dance—far too close for the comfort of polite society. Many called it indecent, warning that no respectable couple should stand chest-to-chest before a room full of onlookers. Some critics even claimed the dance “ignited dangerous feelings” and threatened to erode proper English restraint.

Shocking, right?

But fashions shift, and all it took was the Prince Regent giving the dance his approval in 1814. Overnight, the waltz transformed from scandal to sensation. By the 1820s, it was everywhere.

Here are a few fun bits of waltz trivia from the era:
• Some etiquette books warned that too much turning could cause “disorientation” or “undue excitement.”
• Early chaperones sometimes counted the number of turns, convinced it reflected a couple’s level of impropriety.
• A lady’s hemline was said to act like a “barometer” of a gentleman’s behavior—if it swayed too wildly, he was holding her too tightly.

In The Bird of Bedford Manor, set in 1820, this same world of rigid rules and whispered scandals forms the backdrop for Juliet Finch—resourceful, determined, and driven into the woods by her father’s downfall. When Henry Russell catches her poaching on his land, everything changes. What begins as a crime punishable by death becomes something far more dangerous as he charges her with tracking the stalker tormenting his sister.

Juliet can track anything. But this time, she may become the hunted.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 24
Devoted Steps, February 24
Bizwings Blog, February 25
Book Looks by Lisa, February 25
Where Faith and Books Meet, February 25
Sylvan Musings, February 26
Sydney Schmied Books, February 26
Lily’s Corner, February 27
Melissa’s Bookshelf, February 27
Inspired by Fiction, February 28
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 28
Texas Book-aholic, March 1
Simple Harvest Reads, March 1 (Guest Review from Mindy)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 2
Books You Can Feel Good About, March 2
For Him and My Family, March 3
The Bookish Pilgrim, March 3
Betti Mace, March 4
Cover Lover Book Review, March 4
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 5
Blogging With Carol, March 5
Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 6
Blossoms and Blessings, March 6
Stories By Gina, March 7 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, March 7
Holly’s Book Corner, March 8
Pause for Tales, March 8
Vicky Sluiter, March 8
Devoted To Hope, March 9
To Everything There Is A Season, March 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

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Saturday, February 28, 2026

Light To My Path (Brides of the West Book 5) by Erica Vetsch

I felt so full of love for these people. Rejected orphans sent away on a train, because they had disabilities. Eldora was one of them, older now and tasked with getting them to the next orphanage. Sam's Aunt tasked him with watching over them. Quite the trip, with serious struggles along the way for these who felt so unwanted. Beautiful story. You have to have your own opinions as to how it should go, becoming fully involved to the precious end.

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.

#LightToMyPath #EricaVetsch #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistoricalRomance #WildHeartBooks

About the Book

Book: Light To My Path

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: February 10, 2026

A determined orphan caretaker and a wealthy mine owner—brought together by circumstance, tested by tragedy, and transformed by love.

Sam Mackenzie learned the hard way not to trust a beautiful face. After breaking his engagement to a fortune-hunting socialite, he’s focused solely on his family’s mining business. But when his aunt asks him to help escort three orphans and their caretaker across the country, he finds himself drawn to the selfless young woman tasked with the children’s care.

Eldora Carter has spent her life depending on no one but herself. As a former orphan now caring for three unwanted children, she knows better than to dream of a different future. When a journey by rail turns perilous, she must rely on Sam’s help to keep the children safe. Yet accepting his assistance means risking her heart to a man who could never want someone like her. As danger forces them to work together, Eldora discovers that sometimes the greatest risk is refusing to love at all.

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

Trains. I love trains. I got this love from my father, who is fascinated by all types of trains. When writing Light to My Path, I asked my dad lots of questions, and I relied heavily upon the things I learned at the train museums he took me to see.

One of our favorite train museums is in Duluth, MN. The Lake Superior Railroad Museum, in what was the former depot of the Gilded Age boomtown, is home to one of the most beautiful trains I have ever seen.

It’s name is the William B. Crooks, and it is a steam locomotive.

The William Crooks, the first train engine of any kind in Minnesota belonging to the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad by railroad tycoon James J. Hill of St. Paul. The William Crooks pulled its first train cars full of passengers on June 28, 1862. The William Crooks retired from passenger service in 1897.

Isn’t it beautiful? When the train retired from passenger service, it became the personal train of James J. Hill, The Empire Builder and owner of The Great Northern Railroad.

James J. Hill dreamed of pushing a railroad from Minnesota to the West Coast, through the Rocky and Cascade Mountains. It was along the Great Northern Railroad in March of 1910 that one of the worst train disasters in US history occurred. An avalanche took out two trains, killing 96 people.

This historic event inspired part of the story in Light to My Path. A train, trapped by snow, unable to go forward or back, and with an avalanche imminent. It’s the kind of book that calls for a warm blanket and a hot cup of tea!

You can read more about both the William Crooks and the Cascade Avalanche Disaster at these websites:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/march-1/trains-buried-by-avalanche

Blog Stops

Books Less Travelled, February 19
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 20
Sydney Schmied Books, February 20
Texas Book-aholic, February 21
For Him and My Family, February 22
Devoted To Hope, February 23
Lyssa Loves Books, February 23
She.lives.to.read, February 24
lakesidelivingsite, February 24
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 25
Melissa’s Bookshelf, February 26
Blossoms and Blessings, February 26
Simple Harvest Reads, February 27 (Guest Review from Mindy)
Books You Can Feel Good About, February 28
Devoted Steps, March 1
Bizwings Blog, March 1
Book Looks by Lisa, March 2
Little Homeschool on the Prairie , March 2
Cover Lover Book Review, March 3
Holly’s Book Corner, March 3
Lock, Hooks and Books, March 4
Pause for Tales, March 4

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.

https://gleam.io/IemaN/light-to-my-path-celebration-tour-giveaway

My review

https://gleam.io/mEe2g/texas-reclaimed-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Sunday, February 15, 2026

Texas Reclaimed by Author: Sherry Shindelar

Well I wasn't ready for this to end yet. Cora and Ben keep you glued to the story right to the end. Always hard to put it down, you want to know what will happen next. Real life struggles on her family's ranch, where Ben goes after the war and his recovery as a promise to her brother. Many problems develop between them, and lots to get in their way. Lovely ending with a promise for more hiding there - I'm hoping.

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.

#TexasReclaimed #SherryShindelar #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #HistoricalChristianRomance #WildHeartBooks

page-turner, Christian historical romance, ranch, newspaper, editor, addiction, war, mental recovery, physical recovery, loveable characters, family, social pressure, native american

About the Book

Book: Texas Reclaimed

Author: Sherry Shindelar

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: February 3, 2026

Can love blossom between a woman haunted by her family’s past and a man haunted by the trauma of war?

Cora Scott is determined to hold onto her family’s Texas ranch and provide a stable home for her young half brother, Charlie, despite the mounting challenges of post-Civil War frontier life. But when a scheming creditor threatens to seize their land, she must accept help from Ben McKenzie, a former Yankee soldier sent by her late brother. Though Ben’s generosity and strength draw her, the man’s private struggle she stumbles upon—too reminiscent of her father’s alcoholism—makes her question whether she can trust her heart to him.

Ben McKenzie arrives in Texas intent on fulfilling his promise to his dying friend to protect Cora and Charlie. While using his inheritance to save their ranch, he battles not only the loss of their cattle but also his dependency on laudanum—a medicine that turned into a curse after his imprisonment at Andersonville. As his feelings for Cora deepen, he must choose between his promise to his father to take over their Philadelphia newspaper and his growing dream of a life with Cora in Texas.

When a Comanche warrior begins courting Cora and Ben’s responsibilities in Philadelphia threaten to tear them apart, they must decide if their love is strong enough to overcome their fears and forge a future together on the Texas frontier.

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

Texas Reclaimed is a story of victory, redemption, and the rebirth of trust. It is a story of courage and of freedom from the chains of the past and the chains of addiction. It is a story that honors the Civil War soldiers who survived their wounds, only to return home to fight another battle: dependency on the opioid-based medicines that had helped save their lives.

I first heard of laudanum when I watched the movie Amazing Grace about William Wilberforce’s eighteen-year battle to end the slave trade in Great Britain. Wilberforce played a pivotal role in ending the slave trade and eventually slavery itself in Britain by speaking, campaigning, and introducing bills into the British parliament. However, Wilberforce was also addicted to laudanum, a tincture of opium.

It wasn’t his intention to become dependent upon a drug. A doctor prescribed it to him when he was twenty-nine years old for ulcerative colitis and other health ailments. Laudanum was used to treat a number of health issues and ailments in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, and no one, including doctors, had much understanding about addiction and dependency. The word addiction didn’t even exist as we use it today. But the soul-deep struggle was very real for too many people, even a man of faith like Wilberforce.

Addiction is pernicious, and laudanum took its toll on Wilberforce. He suffered physically, mentally, and spiritually from its poisonous effects.

Years later, I learned that even some of the nineteenth-century authors that I admire, such as Louisa May Alcott and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, struggled with laudanum dependency, as well.

In the nineteenth century, doctors and the public viewed opium, in its various forms, as an essential medical tool. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers were wounded in the American Civil War, and many more suffered from debilitating and potentially life-threatening illnesses. A Civil War medical manual, quoted in Dr. Jonathan Jones’s Opium Slavery, states that opiates were as “important to the surgeon as gunpowder to the ordinance [military weapons].”

My heart went out to Wilberforce, the tens of thousands of soldiers, and others enslaved to laudanum or other substances through no fault of their own. For many, once infected, it could be a lifelong battle, one that many did not win on their own. But there were victories.

And I love to write about soul-deep struggles and victories.

My hero, Ben McKenzie, is a Federal Cavalry captain captured and imprisoned in the notorious Andersonville Prison Camp. He barely survives the harsh conditions of the camp. His best friend, Jeb Scott, does not. Ben makes a death bed promise to his friend that he will look after Jeb’s mother and sister who live in Texas.

Ben aims to keep that promise, but the medical treatment that he receives after his release from prison camp leaves him dependent upon laudanum. My story starts a year later. Ben determines to break the chains that are eating away at his self-respect. He throws away his bottle of medicine and heads to Texas to keep his promise.

I asked a friend of mine about his own deliverance from addiction. He had this to say, “It was a lifetime ago, my addiction was strong, but my pain was stronger. I’ve lost so much in my life, but then I found that God’s love was deep, and He was even bigger to forgive. Out of His mercy He set me free, and through His grace He healed me from my past.”-Rev. Mark Little Elk

That is my prayer for all of those who struggle. And I look forward to sharing Ben McKenzie’s story with you in Texas Reclaimed.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 14
Books Less Travelled, February 15
Books You Can Feel Good About, February 15
Betti Mace, February 16
lakesidelivingsite, February 17
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 18
Texas Book-aholic, February 19
Bizwings Blog, February 20
Holly’s Book Corner, February 20
For Him and My Family, February 21
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 22
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 23
Lyssa Loves Books, February 24
The Bookish Pilgrim, February 24
Connie’s History Classroom, February 25
Cover Lover Book Review, February 26
Pause for Tales, February 27

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.

My reviews

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Friday, January 2, 2026

At Morning's Light (Home to Green Creek, Book #2) by Lauraine Snelling , Kiersti Giron

I treasure every word of these stories. The love, the grief, the struggles, daily life and Christian lessons. Blending families in the community, neighboring farms and at the boarding house. Loveable characters that feel like family and friends.

#BethanyHousePublishers #AtMorningsLight #LauraineSnelling #KierstiGiron @LauraineSnelling @KierstiGiron #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout

From the back cover:

In her new homeland of Iowa, she must risk heartbreak and uncertainty for her dreams to flourish.

Maya Bredesen and her husband plan to journey from Norway to a new life at her cousin's boardinghouse in America, but on one last fateful fishing trip, a fierce winter storm steals away her husband. With her dreams for the future crushed, Maya is left grieving on the voyage to Iowa, accompanied instead by her brother, who plans to finish his seminary degree.

Arriving at a boardinghouse spilling over with orphans and a newly married couple, Maya struggles to find her place amid the chaos. A new friendship develops between her and Eben Miller, the reserved, kind farmer next door, but just as Maya begins to recover from her wounded heart, more tragedy engulfs her. As she and Eben weather trials together, can they overcome the difficulties this new land holds when it seems so far from becoming home?

My reviews