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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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Monday, September 1, 2025

A Promise Given in Knob Creek: Frontier Legacy Brides Book 5 by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

She expected a crippled stranger. She found a whole man... and an unexpected chance at love.

A pleasantly slow read. Intricately detailed in an interesting way - makes it easy to visualize and know the characters well. A father sends for mail order brides for his sons, threatening their inheritance. Sadie didn't know their plan and had married Samuel by proxy. She was lied to about him; he didn't even know about her. They both have reasons for wanting their marriage, but it's hard for them to figure out their relationship. Long way about it, and two more brides to go, with secrets hanging between them all. A good read, excellently written.

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.

#APromiseGivenInKnobCreek #DianaLesireBrandmeyer #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #DKDBooks #ChristianHistoricalFicton

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Thursday, June 12, 2025

Saving the Mountain Man’s Legacy (Brothers of Sapphire Ranch Book 8) by Misty M. Beller

1870 Montana. Wow what a conclusion to the Sapphire Ranch series. Full of excitement, danger and romance that all make you hold your breath and keep those pages turning. Loved the wrap up. Each and every brother and new wife are special, and they've made a wonderful ranch to live on and work together as a tight knit family.

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.

#SavingTheMountainMansLegacy #MistyMBeller #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #MistyMBellerBooksInc #ChristianHistoricalRomance

About the Book

Book: In Tempest Winds (West Virginia: Born of Rebellion’s Storm #3)

Author: Kendy Pearson

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release date: May 7, 2025

Not all heroes are born of battle.

Some heroes are born of loss.

War has a way of changing a man, taking more than he has to give. When Zander Dabney joins in the fight, army life is not what he expected, and it seems impossible to escape his hero-brother’s shadow. When Zander finally gets the chance to test his mettle, the horrors of battle shatter his faith and leave him questioning everything—even what he thought he knew about his brother.

Lola Wade has her hands full with the mercantile, rising prices, family, and a cunning thief. Despite her chaotic life, Zander has captured her heart. But the war has taken much from him. And he needs more than her love to confront his inner demons and fractured faith.

In a whirlwind of deception, the enemy attacks the town and garrison, leaving death and destruction in its wake. But this was no ordinary attack, and the evidence Zander has just falls on deaf ears.

He is determined to unearth the truth. She has lost everything and must make a heart-wrenching decision.

Betrayal plunges Zander into a nightmare of injustice and a perilous ordeal of sacrifice and endurance few can survive. He needs a miracle. A lot of them.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kendy Pearson is a worship leader, Bluegrass fiddler, and Civil War reenactment enthusiast. As a veteran high school teacher, she loves to discover a pocket of American history missing from the schoolbooks and turn that pocket inside out. Her novels lead fictitious characters through historical events and settings, engaging with period personalities. And she always includes a romantic thread to warm the heart. Every story is a journey through tragedy, secrets, regrets, and God’s undeniable grace.

She has received multiple lit awards and enjoys public speaking and teaching writing workshops. When she’s not clicking away on the computer or scaling mountains of research, she relishes ice cream, snowy days, fireplaces, and maple trees. Kendy is the mother of four grown children and lives with her sweet hubby and two amusing miniature dachshunds.

More from Kendy

As always, writing from the Heart of History requires I choose little-known events in history and weave a fictionalized story through them. In Tempest Winds is Zander’s story, the middle son of the five Dabney siblings of the “West Virginia: Born of Rebellion’s Storm” series. I promise, you will still laugh, cry, and maybe even swoon—and you will definitely learn a few things you didn’t know before.

I’d like to share a secret with you. When I wrote In Tempest Winds, I was thinking of two of my sons. Only a year and a half apart in age, they both joined the military around the same time. They each served one-year deployments. The first son deployed to Iraq and the second to Afghanistan a year later. They each left an infant child and wife behind. I held my breath for two years (barely hyperbole!).

As I researched the last desperate year of the Civil War, I somehow knew what events Zander must experience in this book. Like my sons, Zander is witty, athletic, handsome, and sensitive. And as a mother of veterans and the daughter of a two-war veteran, I know this to be a truth: “…War has a way of changing a man, taking more than he has to give.”

Zander’s journey in this story is a little like Peter’s experience on the Sea of Galilee. Peter learned a valuable, frightening lesson when he took his eyes off Jesus and started sinking. (But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid… Matt. 14:30). Peter lost his faith for a time, forgetting who made that sea in the first place.

So, you are wondering about the leading lady by now. Lola is adorable, with her fly-away blond hair and spectacles that won’t stay where she puts them. And boy, is she smart, feisty, and falling hard for Zander! When the fireworks spark, she gives our boy much to think about. Lola’s got faith and pluck. She’s determined to trust God, no matter what the tempest threatens to destroy.

If you’ve read the other books in this series, please shoot me an email (kendy@kendypearson.com) and tell me your ideas for a grown-up Will and Bertie! What will they be like? I am excited to write their stories next.

Blessings from the Heart of History, my friends!

Kendy

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 31
lakesidelivingsite, May 31
Book Looks by Lisa, June 1
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 2
Simple Harvest Reads, June 3 (Guest Review from Marilyn)
Melissa’s Bookshelf, June 3
Texas Book-aholic, June 4
Betti Mace, June 5
The Important Things in Life: God, books, & chocolate , June 5
Locks, Hooks and Books, June 6
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 7
Holly’s Book Corner , June 7
Cover Lover Book Review, June 8
Devoted To Hope, June 9
Blossoms and Blessings, June 9
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, June 10
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 11
Pause for Tales, June 11
Books You Can Feel Good About, June 12
Jeanette’s Thoughts, June 13
Mary Hake, June 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kendy is giving away the grand prize of a $40 Amazon gift card and a paperback 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, 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

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 21
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.

My reviews

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