Belle’s Christmas Carol by Michelle Griep

 

Belle's been a teacher at an orphanage. It's now been bequeathed to her, so she's learning how to cope with running it. Rafe is a lawyer. Circumstances have them spending a lot of time together and their story unfolds as they get to know each other. Interesting twists to the story, wonderful, puzzling and complex characters throughout. Keeps you hooked until the very satisfying end. Great for Christmas or any time of year. Curl up before the holiday or give as a great gift. A Dickens of a story.

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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.

About the Book

Book: Belle’s Christmas Carol

Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance

Release Date: September 1, 2026

While all of London waits for snow, an orphanage in need holds holiday cheer, sparks of love, and secrets waiting to be discovered.

When Ebeneezer Scrooge’s former fiancée, Belle Beaumont, unexpectedly inherits a struggling London orphanage, she dreams of giving the children of Haven House the most splendid Christmas they’ve ever known. But her vision of snowflakes and merriment quickly collides with reality: Fire damage has rendered part of the building unsafe, and the paperwork is years behind.

Barrister Rafe Munro is fighting to clear an innocent man and searching for a child, who may be his relative. His pursuit leads him to Haven House, where Rafe offers to help Belle sort through the chaotic records that might lead to the missing child. Amid the mayhem of running an orphanage full of mischievous children and eccentric staff, will Belle and Rafe find love and the answers they seek this holiday season?

With characters from Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, this festive historical romance Christmas novella of family and second chances from Michelle Griep is set in Victorian England and perfect for fans of Julie Klassen and Mimi Matthews.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Michelle Griep is an award-winning author known for her captivating historical romances. With a keen eye for detail, she pens tales that transport readers to the past where they’ll experience romance, adventure, and unforgettable characters. When she’s not writing, you can find her in her garden scaring away armadillos.

 

 

 

 

More from Michelle

Why I Gave Scrooge’s Belle Her Own Christmas Carol

Guest post by Michelle Griep

I’ve always been suspicious of characters who appear just long enough to break your heart and then vanish without so much as a forwarding address. Belle from A Christmas Carol is one of those.

Scrooge, of course, gets the full treatment. Ghosts. Doom. Moral terror. A dramatic overnight transformation. Turkey delivery. The works. And yes, yes, it’s all very moving. But Belle? Come on. All she gets is one aching goodbye and then is shoved neatly into Scrooge’s past. So, excuse me, Mr. Dickens, but I have questions.

What became of the woman who loved Ebenezer before greed got to him? Did she regret walking away? Did Christmas ever sting? Did she build a fine, sensible life or did some little corner of her heart still ache for him or not? That wondering became Belle’s Christmas Carol.

In my story, Belle Beaumont unexpectedly inherits Haven House, a struggling London orphanage with fire damage, muddled ledgers, eccentric staff, and children who are more than rambunctious. Naturally, Belle decides she will set everything to rights and give the children the most splendid Christmas imaginable because—like me—apparently the woman has never heard of pacing herself.

Then along comes Rafe Munro, a handsome barrister searching for a missing child, and Belle’s tidy plans start to change. Oh, did I mention he’s single? That’s because I wanted Belle to be more than Scrooge’s lost love. I wanted her to have grit, flaws, hope, purpose, and a future all her own.

Because sometimes the story doesn’t end with goodbye. Sometimes that’s where the real story begins.

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Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 15
Simple Harvest Reads, October 15 (Guest Review from Donna)
Cover Lover Book Review, October 16
Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, October 16
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Mary Hake, October 18
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Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed 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://gleam.io/KNJXt/belles-christmas-carol-celebration-tour-giveaway

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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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Crooks_(locomotive)

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
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Simple Harvest Reads, February 27 (Guest Review from Mindy)
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Cover Lover Book Review, March 3
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Lock, Hooks and Books, March 4
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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

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Out of the Embers by Amanda Cabot

 

Christian Historical.  When Eveyln was younger her parents were killed, she was hiding under the bed while the killer was looking for her. She'd been sent to an orphanage and was always afraid to leave, feeling she was being watched whenever she went into town. When she and one of the girls were in town, the orphanage was burned down with everyone in it, so she fled with the girl. Circumstances brought her to a town where she felt at home, and people who were good to her. Changing her name, she started a new life, and came to care for the owner of a horse ranch and his family. Be sure to set aside time as you near the end as you won't want to put it down. The mystery takes a twist and it's fast paced. Excellent read. Looking forward to the next in the series! 
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.
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The Orphan's Song by Lauren Kate

"she wanted love - real love, or no love at all. This longing infected her like a disease. She knew no cure."

Venice 1725 Historical Adult Romance. Two five year old orphans, Violetta and Milo, are growing up at an orphanage, wishing they had families. But not just any orphanage. The Hospital of the Incurables was a revered music school. The girls sang at the most famous house of worship in Venice. Violetta could sing well and she was taught, raised to sing at Mass, behind a grate. She became a famous "coro", and was made to sign an oath never to sing beyond its church doors. In the city at this time, the people were required to wear masks.

The orphanage was very strict, but these two snuck out to the roof to watch other people and escape the feeling of being imprisoned. She had seen Milo's mother when she brought him to the orphanage and left him there - he was asleep. Milo growing up there found a broken violin and repaired it, then taught himself to play. Something that he was not supposed to do, but it became his passion. The background unknown to Milo, the two children shared the song that his mother had sung when she dropped him off. It was a bond between them. The journey of their lives is complicated and not easy, with many struggles for freedom and security. The story unfolds and intertwines, not always in the expected way. It's also interesting to learn about Venice and the way of life there at that time. Keeps you engaged to the end. Passion, heartbreak, betrayal and the need that we all have to be loved. Mild sexual content.

Disclosure of Material Connection: 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. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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