Showing posts with label shunned. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shunned. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Gingham Mountain by Mary Connealy

 

Another treasure of a story. It will make you laugh - hard, tear up, feel frustrated and angry and all because of the wonderful characters who will positively melt your heart. This is another special book that you're sure to love and want to read the rest in the series. 

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.

#GinghamMountain #MaryConnealy #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianWesterns #WildHeartBooks

About the Book

Book: Gingham Mountain

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: May 26, 2026

From beloved author Mary Connealy comes a heartwarming Western romance about faith, family, and finding love in unexpected places—a touching tale of a devoted bachelor rancher, a determined schoolteacher, and the orphaned children who bring them together. Perfect for fans of Tracie Peterson and Karen Witemeyer.

Grant Cooper has dedicated his life to taking in orphaned children others have overlooked, building a loving family on his rugged Texas ranch. When a new schoolteacher arrives in Sour Springs with strong opinions about his unconventional household, he finds himself drawn to her fierce spirit—even as she challenges everything about his carefully ordered world.

Hannah Cartwright’s own painful past as an orphan makes her wary of the bachelor rancher raising children alone. But as she gets to know Grant’s extraordinary family, she discovers there’s more to him than meets the eye. When dangerous enemies threaten both their futures, Hannah and Grant must learn to trust in God’s plan—and each other.

Can a man who’s sworn never to marry risk his heart for love? And can a woman who’s known only betrayal find the faith to build a true home at last? A touching story of healing, hope and the family bonds that transcend blood.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies with cowboys and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys always with a strong suspense thread. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist. She is the bestselling author of 75 books and novellas. She has over a million and a half books in print.

Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Visit her website or find her at Petticoats & Pistols!

 

More from Mary

Gingham Mountain is the third book in this series. The first books I got published…though there were other things sprinkled in after Petticoat Ranch, the first in the series.

I think of Petticoat Ranch as my husband’s story. A mountain man who’d never been around women, finds himself married to a widow with four daughters.

Then Calico Canyon is my husband’s story growing up. He is one of seven sons. I tried to imagine how that would be.

Now comes Gingham Mountain and that’s my story. I grew up in a tiny farm house with eight brothers and sisters. We had two bedrooms until my sixth sibling was born. And two is a bit of an exaggeration because my folks slept on a couch in the living room that folded out into a bed. And the only ‘real’ bedroom was an upstairs, the kind that has sloped roofs and, well, it was just tiny.

Then my folks bought another tiny home and moved it to our home and stuck it on the end. Now our ‘two’ bedroom house had (drumroll!!!) three bedrooms. Mom and dad retired the living room couch. Huge family, tiny home, the thing was, everyone back then had a huge family. Hey, it was the baby boom, these things happened. No such thing as a kid having their own room. I remember being excited that I had my own DRAWER!

So, Gingham Mountain, all those kids in a house that really only had three bedrooms was completely believable to me. And it was hot inside and no room for nothin’ so we went outside to play all the time. And that’s how Grant’s kids had to function.

Grant with his little house and loneliness and the knowledge of how hard it was to be an orphan.

Hannah with her lioness heart for protecting children. And her utter poverty. Getting the job as school marm when she’d never been to school herself. With zero ‘womanly’ skills. The woman can’t cook or sew or do anything expected of a woman. But, because she had an abusive adoptive father who pressed her and a scad of sisters, into work at a carpet mill, she can thread a weaving look like lightning. Now she’d trying to save children from such a fate.

She and Grant are in perfect accord…if they just had a rational conversation. Instead, Hannah sees a man trying to make off with orphans, just like her abusive father. She sets out to save the children from Grant and chaos ensues.

Then set it in Texas and there’s trouble with oil, still a very underused natural resource and Grant doesn’t know he’s sitting on a gusher of wealth. But there are villains who know what he’s got and they want it.

Gingham Mountain, when I wrote it, was one of my favorite books ever. Helping those two find each other, well, I can’t even tell people about it without smiling. Grant and Hannah’s first kiss is one for the ages and, of course they are both horrified. And then they kiss again. What could be more fun?

Blog Stops

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Mary 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/cy4lg/gingham-mountain-celebration-tour-giveaway


My reviews

Sunday, February 9, 2025

Securing Charity (A Place to Belong) by Julia David

 


Many of us have been bullied or shunned for no fault of our own. Charity was born with a deformed arm. She is from a family of Roma Gypsies. Ari is from Sweden and is much different in many ways. As neighbors they join together to help each other and they learn each other's differences, accepting them through the friction. There's trouble with the town and the person who owns and controls it, with an underlying twist. Interesting story that kept me hooked to the very end. They're people you'd like to know. 

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.

#SecuringCharity #JuliaDavid #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistoricalRomance #FieldRunnerPress


About the Book

Book: Securing Charity

Author: Julia David

Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance

Release date: October 17, 2022

Has God and all that is good truly abandoned her?
After a fearless Swedish man intervenes to save her from a brutal attack, Charity Baldzo, a Roma beauty with a hidden disability and a lineage shrouded in mystery, escapes to her mother’s farm. But as she grapples with her past and the scars it left, will she ever find the safety she desperately seeks?

Ari Johansson’s world spirals into chaos after his act of bravery turns to tragedy. The vengeful hand of the man who assaulted Charity strikes back, slaughtering his sheep as retribution. Now, Ari’s brother languishes in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and flames devour his home and barn, leaving him with nothing but a future of despair. The only glimmer of hope is Charity, who now cares for his young nephew, Soren.

As desperation mounts, Ari is reluctant to lean on the fierce Roma women. But when Charity’s mother proposes an unexpected deal—one he should refuse—he’s faced with an impossible choice. Could marrying the beautiful Charity and securing the neighboring land be the key to ensuring Soren’s safety and freeing his brother?
Attraction sparks between them, but can their disparate worlds coexist? Can they navigate their differences and build a future together?

PG- A clean and swoon-worthy historical romance with deep veins of grace, courage, and heart-hugging acceptance. Curl up and escape to a happy ending.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Julia David is an Amazon #1 ranked romance author, serial DIY’er, and certified life coach. Addicted to Hallmark movies and baking, she believes it’s crucial to have some predictable things in life. Her tagline, ‘Escape to an Era Where True Love Prevails’, was from her own reason for reading stacks of books.

Married and a mother to five, she also loves to camp and hike around the Pacific Northwest.

 

 

 

More from Julia

Fun fact: My daughter’s dear friend is a talented photographer who was born missing half of her left arm. Her agility and confidence are truly inspiring, and she served as a major inspiration for our heroine, Charity.”

My favorite part of being an indie author is witnessing how God provides the perfect cover models just when I need them. Each of my books features amazing ladies (and gentlemen) from my Northern California area, and I absolutely love creating the costumes myself.

Below is a photo of our heroine, Charity, showcasing costumes that are largely sourced from Goodwill. I truly enjoy the creative process!



Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, January 28 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 29
Vicky Sluiter, January 30 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, January 30
Texas Book-aholic, January 31
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 1 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 2
For the Love of Literature, February 3 (Author Interview)
Madi’s Musings, February 4
Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 5 (Author Interview)
Pause for Tales, February 5
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 6
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 7
Blossoms and Blessings, February 8 (Author Interview)
Books You Can Feel Good About, February 9
Holly’s Book Corner, February 10

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Julia is giving away the grand prize of a $50 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.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54143


My reviews: