Showing posts with label society. Show all posts

Monday, October 5, 2026

The Marquess’s Masked Archer by Abbey Downey

Lovely and frustrating romance. Sylvia and Miles have obstacles navigating high society and friendship. Neither is looking for a match but well, things happen to change plans. If God has set your path that's the best route, but many obstacles lie along the way for them. An interesting match - she's an archer, he's a scientist and both are members of top-level society and both have secrets. Self-uncertainties and interfering people delay them. Sweetly satisfying conclusion.

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.

#TheMarquesssMaskedArcher #AbbeyDowney #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #GuildedAgeHistoricalRomance #WildHeartBooks

About the Book

Book: The Marquess’s Masked Archer

Author: Abbey Downey

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 15, 2026

A hidden identity. A relentless marquess. And a summer where love could expose everything.

When Cleveland society parades debutante Sylvie Bryce before another string of unsuitable suitors, she secretly claims the one thing no one can arrange for her—a life of her own. Hidden beneath a green velvet hood and emerald mask, she becomes the mysterious Lady Robin, a daring trick-shot archer who captivates the crowds at Cedar Point resort. It’s the one place where Sylvie answers to no one. The last thing she needs is a charming English marquess threatening to unravel everything she has worked so hard to build.

Miles Wentworth didn’t come to Ohio looking for love. He came to study insects, escape the shadow of a devastating scandal, and prove that a man can build a life on his own terms. But a chance encounter with a boldly independent woman—first in a glittering ballroom, and then behind the mask of a legendary archer—upends every carefully laid plan. Determined to protect her, even from himself, Miles steps into a dangerous game of secrets and deception—one that draws them closer with every anonymous letter and stolen moment…even as the truth has the power to ruin them both.

A richly atmospheric Gilded Age romance brimming with wit, hidden identities, and the tender courage it takes to love without pretense—a tale of a sharp-shooting socialite, a science-minded lord, and the summer of secrets that will change them both forever. Perfect for fans of Jen Turano and Roseanna M. White.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Abbey Downey started writing inspirational romance stories during naptime when her kids were babies and found she couldn’t stop. A life-long Midwestern girl, Abbey lives in central Indiana with her husband, two kids, and one rather enthusiastic beagle. She loves watching her middle schoolers in all their activities and fixing up a 125-yar-old farmhouse with her husband.

More from Abbey

“Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to be impressed and entertained by the marvelous skill of Lady Robin, our own famed archer. Reminiscent of Robin Hood of old, she performs feats with a bow that are only dreamed of by most masters. Now, please, sit back and enjoy the show.” – The Marquess’s Masked Archer

Why do fictional characters hide? They might keep their entire identity hidden under a costume, their face covered with a mask, or just parts of who they are kept behind a confident act, but secrets are often an element of the conflict in books we love. And it’s for the same kinds of reasons all of us have tried to hide aspects of ourselves at one time or another. Fear. Shame. Protection. Freedom. Survival.

Characters in fiction reflect the truth of our human existence. Most of us probably aren’t dressing up as a female Robin Hood to perform archery trick shots or writing secret admirer letters to win a love interest, like my characters do in The Marquess’s Masked Archer. But the reasons Sylvie and Miles choose secrecy are all too relatable.

Sylvie’s goal in hiding behind a green hood is to give herself a taste of freedom. Her high society world is prescribed and controlled. There are very few opportunities for her to make choices in life. And while she longs to have more freedom, she also worries that if she were to get the independence she so desires, she would fail miserably and be forced to return to her parents in shame. Isn’t it relatable to want something desperately but at the same time be terrified that we can’t actually handle getting it?

In a different way, Miles hides behind a new life for protection. After false accusations in his youth left him disgraced in England, he wrestles with his purpose. His passion for medical entomology has given him hope for a normal life, but he also feels the constant weight of expectations due to his noble title. He’s certain people only see what they want to when they look at him, so he hides away doing his research, hoping no one will look at all. How truly human is that? We hide so much of ourselves out of worry that people won’t understand or will immediately jump to conclusions about who we are based on one glimpse.

But God didn’t create us for secrecy. The tension of hiding makes it difficult for Sylvie and Miles to fall in love, in spite of their interest in each other from the beginning. Every step forward brings new worry that they’ll be found out and their plans will be destroyed. Each romantic moment comes with the discomfort of knowing they aren’t being completely genuine with each other. Even Sylvie and Miles’s first kiss is shrouded in questions about whether the other knows that they meant it.

In the end, Sylvie and Miles’s story is also about what happens when they’re forced to take off the masks. It takes trust in each other and in God for them to finally get to the moment of happily ever after that we all love so much. Just like in fiction, when we trust God with those secret parts of ourselves, we can start to see how living in truth offers more freedom than hiding.

Do you enjoy a hidden identity or secret admirer trope? What’s your favorite book that includes one of those?

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 26
Texas Book-aholic, September 27
Pause for Tales, September 28
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 28
Madi’s Musings, September 29
For Him and My Family, September 30
Book looks by lisa, October 1
The Vine and The Branch, October 1
Devoted Steps, October 2
Leslie’s Library Escape, October 2
Lyssa Loves Books, October 3
Devoted To Hope, October 4
Books You Can Feel Good About, October 5
Blossoms and Blessings, October 6
Holly’s Book Corner, October 7
Locks, Hooks and Books, October 8
Lily’s Corner, October 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Abbey 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/GCnUr/the-marquesss-masked-archer-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Saturday, October 3, 2026

Murders in the Marquee (Murder Most Fowl Mysteries Book 1) by Dana Mentink

It's clean, Christian, historical. This is the famous hotel where they had the mallard ducks parade through every day. VERY well written - you sink in and feel comfortable with the characters and tone of the story right away. You've got to love them. Three people who come to the hotel under different circumstances and have very different backgrounds come together as one to solve the disappearance of people from the hotel with fun banter and interesting interactions. The support they give to one another is compelling, overcoming insecurities along the way. Makes you think of the tv series Only Murders in the Building, but it's quite different. Excellent read, twisty page-turner keeps you hooked until you learn what happened.

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.

#MurdersInTheMarquee #DanaMentink #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianMysterySuspense #LoveInspiredTrade

About the Book

Book: Murders in the Marquee

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Release Date: September 1, 2026

In this witty historical murder mystery set in a San Francisco hotel, an unlikely trio of amateur sleuths must uncover a killer before another guest checks out for good.

In 1905, the Grand Mallard Marquee is well known for its iconic style, as well as its daily duck parade. For Saul Niffler, a reformed jewel thief, working at the luxurious hotel offers a much-needed second chance. Staying out of trouble and in gainful employment is essential. Which makes seeing a body plummet from a penthouse window extra complicated.

Except…did he see it? There’s no body to be found, and Saul knows he should concentrate on his new duties as “Duck Commandant” rather than meddle. If only Kitty Rossi, a persistent young guest yearning to be a Pinkerton detective, would leave well enough alone. Kitty has already roped in Henry, the elevator man, to investigate suspicious goings-on around the hotel. And against his better judgment, Saul feels compelled to join them.

Between the mystery of Saul’s missing predecessor and a grisly discovery in a drain, all signs point to murder most fowl. And with a cold-blooded killer roaming the Marquee’s lavish corridors, keeping his job may be the least of Saul’s problems…

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and the recipient of a Holt Medallion for excellence in mystery/suspense. She was honored to receive the Author of the Year award from West Coast Christian Writers. A California native, she’s written over sixty titles for the general and Christian markets in the suspense, lighthearted romance, and mystery genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense and Revell.

More from Dana

Ice cream or pie? Cake or cookies? Beach or mountains? The answer for me is always, “Yes!” I’m a restless soul, I suppose, but I’ve never been able to choose one delight over the other. I’m that way with writing too. I started my career in mystery and sidestepped to suspense. It’d be so much easier to stick with one genre but no. Dana Mentink has to write both, it seems. I attended a Harlequin anniversary celebration in Toronto a couple of years ago and listened to the editors discuss their futures wishes. Tina James mentioned she’d like to see an “Only Murders in the Building” type book or maybe a historical mystery. Whammo! The idea hit me like a train. What about both? An Only Murders in the Building/Downton Abbey type mashup? The series idea was born. Lots of twists and turns? Check. Humor? Check? An unlikely crime solving trio? You bet! I’m truly thrilled to have been allowed to step back into mystery land. I hope you’ll enjoy the results!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 29
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 29
Books Less Travelled , September 30
She Lives To Read, September 30
Melissa’s Bookshelf, October 1
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 1
Texas Book-aholic, October 2
Wishful Endings, October 2
For Him and My Family, October 3
Books You Can Feel Good About, October 3
Lily’s Corner, October 4
Blogging With Carol, October 4
Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 5
Leslie’s Library Escape, October 6
Life of Literature , October 6
Connie’s History Classroom, October 7
Mary Hake, October 7
Blossoms and Blessings, October 8
Holly’s Book Corner, October 9
Pause for Tales, October 9
Cover Lover Book Review, October 10
Life on Chickadee Lane, October 11
A Good Book and Cup of Tea, October 12
Lights in a Dark World, October 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize of a $100 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/hz50N/murders-in-the-marquee-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Schooled in Love: A Sweet Gilded Age Romance (Hearts on Display Book 4) by Kimberly Keagan

Part of a series but good as a stand-alone. Two intelligent, independent people come together in England over a love of history. A professor who is a family friend and an American who had recently been united with her grandmother. Intrigue of family and society, with backstabbing people on both sides. In a search around the grounds, she finds a rare book that may uncover an ancient mystery. He needs it to advance his career. They have to work through a lot of issues, and it's interesting to be a bystander and watch, rooting for them both. Good read!

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.

#SchooledInLove #KimberlyKeagan #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #GildedAgeHistoricalRomance #VentanaPublishingLLC

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Thursday, April 23, 2026

Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volumes 1-3 Box Set by Camille Elliot

An amazing series. Nonstop intrigue, suspense, mystery page turner. Written with incredible depth and a lot of interesting characters. Members of the Ton who are also secretly spies. They have things that they are hiding from each other - and society. The women are secretly highly trained and specialized. The neat thing is that Lady Wynwood also has unfortunates that she has given employment as servants who are also uniquely equipped to act as spies. There are maniacs who are injecting a substance into and turning men into super monsters, and these crews all want to catch and stop them. The men are official undercover spies; the women have been secretly doing so, and the men are resistant to letting the women work with them. It's a riveting series; I highly recommend that you get all three because you won't want to skip a beat between volumes. There's even a bit of romance and humor in the mix. You can't go wrong choosing this book.

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.

#LadyWynwoodsSpies #CamilleElliot #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianMysterySuspense #CamyTang

About the Book

Book: Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volumes 1-3 Box Set

Author: Camille Elliot

Genre: Christian Regency Romantic Suspense

Release Date: April 23, 2024

Pride and Prejudice meets Mission: Impossible in this Christian Regency Suspense with slow-burn romance and a touch of the supernatural.

Recovered from her harrowing marriage, Lady Wynwood’s peace shatters as a nefarious secret society linked to her past emerges. She seeks the aid of Mr. Sol Drydale, an old friend with ties to a shadowy arm of the government.

They gather a circle of trusted individuals with unique skills:

A botanist with deadly aim with a bow and arrows
An unconventionally trained female medic and chemist in a field dominated by men
A cat burglar who also happens to be a viscount’s son
A spy searching for answers to the mysterious death of his brother
An ex-soldier haunted by regret and self-loathing
A human lie detector desperately protecting lies of her own
The most covert phantom agent working for the Crown
All led by a nobleman keeping dangerous secrets (who feels like he’s wrangling cats)

To protect their loved ones, they must race to stop a treasonous brotherhood, whose dark secrets could enable Napoleon to win the war.

Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer

An ex-spy and a spinster botanist must find a murderer—with ties to both their families—whose uncanny alchemy could turn the tides against the war with Napoleon.

Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 2: Berserker

The team searches for their missing comrade before a crazed murderer finds him first.

Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 3: Aggressor

When French spies land on British soil to steal the ingredient for a powerful alchemical potion, Lady Wynwood’s team falls under attack from the toxins they unleash.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Camy writes Christian Contemporary Romantic Suspense as USA Today bestselling author Camy Tang and Christian Regency Romantic Suspense as USA Today bestselling author Camille Elliot. She grew up in Hawaii but now lives in California, where she knits antique knitting patterns and is learning Japanese.

More from Camille

What inspired me to write the Lady Wynwood’s Spies series:

While I love Regency Romances and Jane Austen’s books, I also really love action movies. When plotting the rest of the series, especially in light of Sol’s clandestine job for the Crown, I realized that I really wanted to do a mash-up of Mission: Impossible in the Regency era.

So I created Sol’s team of agents, some who used to work for the Foreign Office as spies and some who are civilians with unusual skill sets. And, of course, there will be lots of romance for each of the team members, as well as lots of action and suspense.

What exactly is an epic-length serial novel?

Originally I had written The Spinster’s Christmas, a Christian Regency Romantic Suspense, as a stand-alone novel, and I had planned more stand-alone novels with Lady Wynwood and Sol as minor characters in each of them. However, as I began planning the series past that first Christmas book, I realized the storyline was becoming longer and more complex.

I fought it for a while because it would have been a really long series—I even tried writing the next book as a stand-alone novel, but I wrote almost 90,000 words and I hadn’t even gotten to the 25% mark in the book!

So I decided to structure the series like a Japanese light novel series, in which each book has a complete story arc, but there is an underlying story arc that runs through each of the volumes and isn’t resolved until the end.

This is similar to the serial novels being published in the U.S., but those tend to be smaller installments of around 20,000 words, while each of the volumes in my series is around 100,000 words.

I have already plotted the entire series and it will be 12 volumes, plus 3 prequel novels (The Spinster’s Christmas, The Gentleman Thief, and Lissa and the Spy). At the moment, I’m writing volume 10.

I hope you enjoy my latest Regency series!

Blog Stops

All-of-a-kind Mom, April 22
Inspired by Fiction, April 23
Books You Can Feel Good About, April 23
Melissa’s Bookshelf, April 24
Lily’s Corner, April 25
Life on Chickadee Lane, April 26
Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 27
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 28
Texas Book-aholic, April 29
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 30
Sydney Schmied Books, April 30
For Him and My Family, May 1
Blogging With Carol, May 2
Blossoms and Blessings, May 2
Book looks by Lisa, May 3
Devoted To Hope, May 4
Holly’s Book Corner, May 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Camille is giving away the grand prize of a Special Edition Paperback of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 1: Archer and a Regency-style ribbon bookmark!!

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

https://gleam.io/oUeZj/lady-wynwoods-spies-volumes-1-3-box-set-celebration-tour-giveaway

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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.

https://gleam.io/zqeQC/the-bird-of-bedford-manor-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Wednesday, November 12, 2025

The Lumber Baron's Wife by Lynn Austin

Haunting story. The fairy tale life of a provocative, immature woman who is now extremely wealthy, is not all that it seemed. She makes friends with the wife of the doctor her husband has brought in, who has a sad past of her own. Unlikely friends, they get to know one another and an intriguing story unfolds, keeping you turning the pages. It's hard to put down, taking you on some very emotional paths. A nice long read. Good lessons and examples of Christian faith. Actually a timeslip, years later a new couple encounters their houses and do research as to what happened to them all.

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

Christian, romance, women's fiction, unpredictable, scary, wonderful characters, tragic, haunting, inspirational, page-turner, orginal, easy-to-read, realistic

#TheLumberBaronsWife #NetGalley #LynnAustin #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #TimeSlip #TyndaleHousePublishers

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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: 7 large potatoes

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep the beef by cutting into 1 inch cubes. Season well with salt.
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.
Dice your onion and celery while the beef is cooking (or prep ahead of time). Finely mince the garlic cloves.
Once the meat is browned on all sides, add in the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until just softened.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Simmer for an additional 45 minutes or until the beef is very tender – in the meantime, prepare the potatoes for serving.
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.
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!