Showing posts with label informative. Show all posts
Showing posts with label informative. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

The Midwife: Salem Village - Book 2 by Pegg Thomas

 

Taking place during the early Salem Witch trials, this is a very tense story.  The characters realistically bring to life what it would have been like to have lived in that area at that time. To live under the pressure of constant accusations going on around you - people whom you know are completely innocent. And knowing the power it gives to those in the village who crave it. There is also the fact that both Quaker and Puritan families lived in this village, and they were wary of each other, yet many tried to get along and share their trades. A blossoming love story carries on the difficulties between them all when a Quaker girl and Puritan boy fall in love and when a midwife to all residents is caught up in her own dilemmas. Plenty to keep you engaged to the very end, and wanting a next one to see how it all pans out for everyone. 

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.

#TheMidwife #SpinnerOfYarnsPublishingLLC @PeggThomas #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout

My reviews

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas

 

I really enjoyed getting to know and spend time with Hetta, Garland and Fritz as well as their family and friends. Richly told, loosely based on real history, Hetta and Fritz come to America from Germany in 1930s. Fritz as a prisoner of war, Hetta 14 years later looking for her fiancĂ© who had disappeared, after she saw an article with her fiancĂ©'s name on a gravestone. Garland is a police officer who got tangled up in it all. Intricate story of love and hope that takes paths that you may not expect. Very intriguing, keeps you turning the pages to see what happened, with history of the wars in Germany mixed in. Excellent choice to spend your time with and add to your library. 

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

#TheseBlueMountains #NetGalley @SarahLoudinThomas 

My reviews
Amazon

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

The Belle of Chatham by Laura Frantz

 

The call for liberty creates a divide between family and country, desire and duty, love and loyalty.

1777 New Jersey, caught in the American Revolution.
Laura captures both sides, the Loyalist and the Patriot within one family, as well as one who was fighting the war and one who was left at home. Raw emotion, secrets, love and faith. Beautifully told and so very hard to put down. Make extra time for this one.  George Washington and his troops went from near defeat to victory against the world’s foremost fighting force at the time. Patriots were considered traitors, until they won the war - then certain loyalists who fought or spied were considered traitors. So many lives were lost in this fight. Our country wouldn't be what it is, and we wouldn't be free without their commitment. Informative, realistic, honest, heartbreaking and romantic.

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

#TheBelleofChatham #NetGalley #LauraFrantz #ChristianHistoricalFiction #Revell #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout

On the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Laura Frantz offers a stirring friends-to-lovers historical romance of divided loyalties, patriotism, sacrifice, sisterhood, and love set during the American Revolution.

My reviews
Amazon

Saturday, November 15, 2025

Unending Hope by Cindy Kay Stewart, Circle of Hope book 2

 

Captivating. Oh my heart what an intense journey for Natalie and David, as well as the rest of the Circle of Hope. They'd both been through so much and had learned much. They both continued to grow in faith and strength, learning to trust and love one another. Their story will keep you holding your breath to the end as they travel history's road. You have to love it - makes you eager for another until awful WW2 is over.

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.

#UnendingHope #CindyKayStewart #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistorcalFiction #HopeSpringsPress


 

About the Book

Book: Unending Hope

Author: Cindy Kay Stewart

Genre: Historical Christian Romance

Release Date: July 29, 2025

As WWII expands across Europe, members of the Circle of Hope are drawn deeper into the struggle to survive in the face of overwhelming adversity.

April 1940. Nazi Germany carries out a devastating invasion, trapping Americans David Jensen and Natalie Thompson in Norway. Determined to use their medical skills to aid the Norwegians, David and Natalie embark on a harrowing journey to treat the injured and evade the Nazis.

Natalie, a dedicated Red Cross worker, values deep relationships. Fearful of settling for a shallow marriage, she broke off her engagement to David several years before. But she never stopped loving him and spending time working together in Norway plays havoc with her heart.

David, a charismatic and confidant doctor with the Red Cross, desires to advance his career and rekindle his relationship with Natalie. Even though she once rejected him, he believes she is the only woman for him. But years of keeping others at arms’ length guarantees that winning Natalie back will be the biggest challenge he’s ever faced.

The saga introduced in Abounding Hope continues in this inspiring second installment of courage and devotion.

Readers of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and Lee Jackson’s After Dunkirk series will love this book.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Cindy Kay Stewart, a retired high school social studies and special education teacher, writes stories of hope, steeped in love, and anchored in faith. Passionate about revealing God’s handiwork in history, Cindy loves to research until she uncovers hidden gems to share with her readers. She resides in North Georgia with her college sweetheart. Her daughter, son-in-law, and four adorable grandchildren live nearby. 

 

More from Cindy

Those who love learning about bygone eras through fiction, will enjoy escaping to WWII Norway and France in Unending Hope, Book 2 in the Circle of Hope series. This novel follows the adventures of former boarding school classmates who vowed to come to each other’s aid in times of crisis, and WWII provides plenty of trouble for these diehard twenty-somethings to work through. Abounding Hope, Book 1 in the series, is a friends-to-lovers romance, and Unending Hope is a second-chance romance. The novels are sequential to the timeline of WWII.

As well as struggling to safely navigate their responsibilities, the major characters in both novels seek answers to their needs and problems, which can only be found by embarking on a spiritual journey that’s just as climactic as their physical adventures.

I love to research and dig up true stories I’ve never heard about or seen before and then share the most interesting ones through the lives of my characters. Bringing history to life is an adventure for me, and keeping my stories historically accurate is a goal I always strive to meet.

Blog Stops

Giveaway



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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/3d00b/unending-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway


My reviews

Saturday, August 30, 2025

The Undercover Heiress of Brockton by Kelly J. Goshorn

 


Riveting. Etta is a wealthy heiress and disguises herself as a man to be an outstanding newspaper reporter. Centered around a true explosion and disaster, it's a great story of how people come together to survive a tragedy in their town, an investigation to determine what happened, and two people coming together in a non-traditional society role. Wonderful characters.

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.

#TheUndercoverHeiress #KellyJGoshorn #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistorcalRomance #BarbourFiction

realistic, informative, page-turner, easy-to-read, romantic


About the Book

Book: The Undercover Heiress of Brockton

Author: Kelly J. Goshorn

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release Date: August 1, 2025

 

A Socialite in Disguise Seeks Truth and Justice

Henrietta “Etta” Maxwell is a hard-hitting investigative reporter for The Enterprise Daily. The catch? Etta must pen her columns under the nom de plume, Henry Mason—a fact that routinely puts a knot in her knickerbockers.

Leo Eriksson is a second-generation firefighter with a passion for rendering aid to those in need. When Leo discovers that Henry Mason is really Henrietta Maxwell, the fire department’s wealthy benefactress, he agrees to keep her identity secret. After a sudden blast rocks the Grover Shoe Factory, Leo and Etta team up to determine if the explosion is related to a series of suspicious fires in the area.

When an unnamed source reveals Etta’s secret identity to a rival reporter, she falsely accuses Leo of being the informant. As the truth comes to light, Etta must persuade Leo to give her a second chance or lose the only man she’s ever loved.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Kelly J. Goshorn weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into uplifting stories of love, faith, and family set in nineteenth century America. Her debut novel, A Love Restored, won the Director’s Choice Award for Adult/YA fiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference in 2019, and earned recognition as both a Selah Award finalist in the Historical Romance category and as a Maggie Award Finalist for Inspirational Fiction. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys spending time with her young adult children, binge-watching BBC period dramas, board gaming with her husband, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Levi.

 

More from Kelly

A Little Swedish Flavor

Beginning in 1844, Swedish immigrants began arriving in Brockton, Massachusetts. By 1920, Swedes accounted for approximately 30% of the city’s population. Their long-lasting impact on Brockton’s character remains evident today with annual cultural celebrations and religious festivals.

The Undercover Heiress of Brockton is set in the Swedish neighborhood of Campello. My hero Leo Eriksson’s favorite meal is Kalops, a savory beef stew that is traditionally served with boiled potatoes and pickled beets. For Leo, a bachelor who takes most of his meals at The Drake Tavern, the dish recalls happy childhood memories of his mother’s cooking.

Kalops contains typical stew ingredients like carrots, celery, onions, and garlic, but what makes this dish unique is the addition of allspice. Allspice adds a warm spicey flavor to the recipe that makes it perfect for a chilly winter day.

I had the opportunity to taste test this recipe, and while I would never brag about my own cooking skills, I have to say that it turned out quite well. I’d love to hear from you if you decide to give this traditional Swedish dish a try.

Kalops (Swedish Beef Stew)

Recipe courtesy of Skandibaking.

SERVINGS: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

2.4 lbs chuck roast (or other beef cut suited for stews)

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

3 large carrots

1 stalk celery

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp ground allspice (or more to taste!)

2-3 bay leaves

3 cups beef stock (can also use water and bouillon)

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

SERVED WITH: large potatoes

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Prep the beef by cutting into 1 inch cubes. Season well with salt.
  2. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil when preheated and add beef in one layer, searing on all sides. If you need to sear the meat in batches, you can remove one batch before adding the next to ensure that it browns well.
  3. Dice your onion and celery while the beef is cooking (or prep ahead of time). Finely mince the garlic cloves.
  4. Once the meat is browned on all sides, add in the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until just softened.
  5. Chop your carrots into bite sized pieces. You can either add the carrots now if you like them super soft or add them with about 45 minutes left of cooking if you prefer them to have more of a bite.
  6. Add one tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Once melted, add in three tablespoons of flour and stir until everything is coated. Add in ground allspice.
  7. Pour in beef stock, stirring while adding to dissolve the flour coating. Once all of it has mixed in, add in 2-3 bay leaves. Now is a good time to taste for initial seasoning – add in salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Let the stew simmer for about an hour and 15 minutes; add more water or stock if needed! Now is also the time to add the carrots if you want them to be less soft.
  9. Simmer for an additional 45 minutes or until the beef is very tender – in the meantime, prepare the potatoes for serving.
  10. Prep potatoes by peeling and cutting in half. Place in a pot with cold water and add salt. Heat over medium-high heat with the lid on until it boils. Remove the lid and boil for about 15 minutes or until a knife poked into the center of a potato releases easily (you can also just taste for doneness!). Drain and set aside until ready to serve.
  11. Remove bay leaves. Check for final seasoning (add more salt if needed). Add stew to bowls and serve with boiled potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley if you would like. Enjoy!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 27
Pens Pages & Pulses, August 27
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 28
Mornings at Character Cafe, August 28
Texas Book-aholic, August 29
Devoted To Hope, August 29
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 30
Books You Can Feel Good About, August 30
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 31
Blogging With Carol, August 31
Hannahbandanarama, September 1
For Him and My Family, September 1
Stories By Gina, September 2 (Author Interview)
Simple Harvest Reads, September 2 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
She Lives To Read, September 3
Mary Hake, September 3
Book Looks by Lisa, September 4
Books Less Travelled, September 4
Blossoms and Blessings, September 5
Bizwings Book Blog, September 6
Holly’s Book Corner, September 6
Lily’s Corner, September 7
Jodie Wolfe, September 7
Pause for Tales, September 8
Life on Chickadee Lane, September 9
Cover Lover Book Review, September 9

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Kelly is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-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.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54286


My reviews
Barnes and Noble

Sunday, July 7, 2024

A Conflicted Betrothal by Denise Weimer (Scouts of the Georgia Frontier Book 4)

 


Absolutely wonderful characters that tie you in pieces all the way through. This takes place in the earliest time of our country's patriotism, with conflict and in-depth reasoning against the loyalist stance. Tense build up right to the very end. Parlor intrigue and the history behind the Stamp Act riots in Georgia make it quite interesting. The lessons of being true to oneself and one’s own convictions, and determining the point at which it is not only appropriate but imperative that we speak out are carried throughout. You have to love them, even the nasty twin sister.

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.

#AConflictedBetrothal #DeniseWeimer #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistoricalFiction #WildHeartBooks


About the Book

Book: A Conflicted Betrothal

Author: Denise Weimer

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: June 11, 2024

A King’s Ranger, a secret patriot, and a love that calls everything into question.

As a King’s Ranger on Georgia’s frontier, Ansel Anderson loves his independent life. But he’s also a second son, which means he’ll need the favor of someone influential to secure a land grant to settle his future. What better way to win support than by marrying the daughter of a member of the Governor’s Council? Yet Ansel’s straightforward plan is complicated by Miss Scott’s aloofness and his own growing sympathy for the passionate cause of the Liberty Boys.

As drawn to the enigmatic Ansel Anderson as Temperance Scott might be, he’d be more of a match for her feisty twin sister—who is all too happy to oblige. Not only would timid, nearsighted Temperance make a poor wife for a man trained for life on the frontier, but anyone she allows close to her must share her secret patriot ideals.

When Savannah erupts into riots and intrigue following the passage of the Stamp Act, Ansel is tasked with identifying a spy passing sensitive information to the Liberty Boys and the author of anonymous letters threatening those loyal to the governor. And as suspicions focus on the Scott family, which is he prepared to sacrifice—love or loyalty?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

North Georgia native Denise Weimer has authored over a dozen traditionally published novels and a number of novellas—historical and contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and time slip. As a freelance editor and Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books, she’s helped other authors reach their publishing dreams. A mother of two daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

 

 

 

More from Denise

The American Revolution That Almost Happened a Decade Earlier:

The Setting for A Conflicted Betrothal

Savannah, Georgia, 1765. Sedition, secret letters, spies, and Sons of Liberty. An absolutely irresistible combination for an author of historical romance! All this intrigue centered around the passage and implementation of the Stamp Act.

The crowning grievance after a series of increasingly repressive acts levying taxes for Britain, the act required an imprint on official papers or a small blue paper affixed with tin foil to a document, including bills, calendars, warrants, deeds, court documents, commercial papers, degrees, newspapers, pamphlets, ads, almanacs, indentures, appointments, and even cards and dice. Anyone breaking the Stamp Act would be tried in admiralty court in Novia Scotia. Colonists objected to not having a local trial by their peers and because English parliament, not the local upper and lower colonial houses, set the tax.

Savannah seethed with discontent while awaiting the appointment of a stamp master and the arrival of the stamps.

Then a sensational article in the Georgia Gazette revealed that four local citizens had received letters signed by “the Townsman” accusing them of being the stamp master or having stamped papers in their possession. The men were instructed to publicly advertise their innocence or risk grievous results.

When protest and riots speared by the fledgling Liberty Boys repeatedly erupted, the governor called out his Royal Rangers to quell the potential rebellion. But the rangers and the militia were riddled with secret patriots, many of whom were the sons of prominent loyalists. Imagine being in the position where you are sworn to serve and protect—only, you suspect you may be on the wrong side.

That’s what happens to my hero in A Conflicted Betrothal. Georgia Royal Ranger Ansel Anderson is summoned from his frontier post to provide intelligence to his father’s friend, a loyalist judge. To obtain the land grant he needs, he’s also to court the man’s daughter, an ardent patriot. Patience Scott has no intention of letting herself fall for a sworn King’s Man…until anonymous letters threatening those loyal to the governor corner her into agreeing to a betrothal. But will their attraction to each other survive their conflicting loyalties?

Blog Stops

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Denise is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2c80b/a-conflicted-betrothal-celebration-tour-giveaway


My reviews