Friday, February 7, 2025
Midnight on the Scottish Shore, A Novel of World War II by Sarah Sundin
Thursday, August 8, 2024
The Winged Tiara by J'nell Ciesielski
Conspirator. Thief. Charmer. Thrill-seeker. But never liar.
Quite a pair. They met in a whirlwind at the end of the War and married, only later finding out all they had in common. Both were rejected by others in their youth and ever since have been trying to prove themselves, both as thieves. Good ones. They're on the hunt for the same stolen jewels, pushing and pulling each other all the way. They're both smart and competitive, taking them into the most luxurious settings, where they each shine. Lots to sigh about. Fast paced race to a glorious end.
I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
@jnellciesielski @TNZfiction @HarperCollins #thewingedtiara #jnellciesielski #ThomasNelsonFiction #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #FiveStarNovel
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
The Gentleman Thief by Camille Elliot
Smoothly written mystery with deep plots within and wonderful 3d characters. Excellent prequel to a great series. Go along for the ride and thoroughly enjoy it!
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.
#TheGentlemanThief #CamilleElliott #CamyTang #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout
Monday, May 13, 2024
Lady Wynwood’s Spies #1 Archer by Camille Elliot
Sunday, March 24, 2024
A Hope Fulfilled by April W Gardner
Pure faith. Very little is known about Obediah, the prophet who foretold that God would destroy Edom and then the Jews would return to Jerusalem. God wouldn't accept the treatment of Edom against Jacob his brother's people. There had been a few Jews taken as slaves to Edom. This is an author's idea of how it might have played out in Edom at that time. These were two devout Jews who knew the prophecy and had waited faithfully on the Lord. This was the time, as prophesied, when Babylon came to destroy Edom, and they helped make it happen. Beautifully told, so real it's as if you were there. You can feel their faith and excitement of this time. Very enriching read.
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.
#AHopeFulfilled #AprilWGardner #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarNovel #BigSpringPress
About the Book
Book: A Hope Fulfilled
Author: April W Gardner
Genre: Biblical Fiction (Obadiah)
Release Date: November, 2023
One Hebrew slave’s courage and faith opens the gate on Edom’s demise.
Tikvah, a Hebrew slave in Edom, lives in hope of once again seeing Jerusalem, the Holy City. When a Babylonian general and his dashing Jewish liaison arrive at her master’s house, whispering plans of Edom’s destruction, she senses Yahweh at work. After all, there’s a prophecy foretelling His justice upon the kingdom. Tikvah clings to that promise while obediently following the call of service into the heart of danger. If only there were a promise she would come out the other side alive.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
April W Gardner is an indie author whose great passion is historical romance with themes of Native American and Southeastern U.S. culture. Copyeditor, mother of two grown children, and non-trad college student, April lives in South Texas with her husband and two German Shepherds. In no particular order, April dreams of owning a horse, learning a third language, and visiting all the national parks.
More from April
So…Obadiah? Who ever heard of Obadiah as the backdrop for biblical fiction? I hadn’t. But that’s not where A Hope Fulfilled began…
In late December 2021, while deciding on a Bible reading goal for the upcoming year, I pondered which sections of the Bible I knew least. The minor prophets came to mind right off, then camped there as I asked myself what I knew about these little books.
I’d heard a million sermons preached from one or another of them over the years, but could I give even a one-sentence summary on any of the twelve? That question required a moment’s thought, which produced Jonah and the big fish, Hosea and his harlot wife, Joel and the locusts, Amos and… Uh, er, uh…
This was a problem. After burning some brain cells on the matter, I finally hung my head and admitted I was a minor failure. If I’d been tested right then on the minor prophets, I would have received a big red F.
How was this possible? I’m a missionary’s kid who never missed a church service, for goodness’ sake. This was unacceptable. I had an MK reputation to uphold.
Kidding, kidding. But the point remains. After 4.5 decades in church, I should be able to state every book’s title and theme. At a minimum. Anything less is spiritual laziness.
With that challenge in mind, I hitched up my trousers and set to work. My task? One minor prophet a month. I would read each one again and again, really drilling them home, absorbing their messages and banishing my spiritual “shame.”
By April, and my fourth read of Obadiah, I stared at my Bible, the verses swimming before me, and admitted to a second problem—despite my faithful rereading, the first four books were all running together in a mental smear of prophesy messages.
Warning, judgment, doom, gloom. There was hope in there, too, of course. Praise God. And a harlot wife. I had that one down. But I was no closer to being able to distinguish them, to really understand the books with any kind of true ownership.
Since I’m a goal-girl, it made me a little sad to set aside my twelve-prophet year, but there was no getting around it. If this was going to work, I would have to go deeper, get messier, put on my work gloves and knee pads, and start digging.
New goal! Understand Obadiah. I’d worry about the rest once I had this one down. Fifteen months and three written books later, here we are, celebrating the release of my first biblical fiction, A Hope Fulfilled.
So, how did I get from studying a minor prophet to writing biblical fiction? The journey from point A to point B wasn’t very long. The series (A Fire and a Flame) started out as a Bible commentary for women, but when I got to exploring the history around Obadiah, my fiction brain kinda took over. It does that sometimes. Silly brain.
I did finish the commentary, but as soon as I allowed myself to ponder all the what-ifs of the event, the novella practically wrote itself.
Obadiah gives a fiction writer almost no details to build on. So, A Hope Fulfilled is what one might call an artist’s rendition of what might have happened during the fall of Edom. There were probably Hebrew slaves in Edom. One of them probably knew the prophecy of Edom’s doom. And that somebody might have, just might have, longed to help God’s justice play out.
Thus, Tikah and her story, A Hope Fulfilled, were born.
Blog Stops
Holly’s Book Corner, March 21
The Lofty Pages, March 21
Book Looks by Lisa, March 22
Exploring The Written Word, March 23
Books You Can Feel Good About, March 24
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 25
Lots of Helpers, March 26
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 27
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 28
The Printed Edge, March 29
Texas Book-aholic, March 30
She Lives To Read, March 31
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 1 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, April 1
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 2
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, April is giving away the grand prize package of a $30 Amazon gift card and a paperback set of the A Fire and a Flame!!
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/2a8f4/a-hope-fulfilled-celebration-tour-giveaway
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Protecting the Mountain Man's Treasure (Brothers of Sapphire Ranch Book 3)
Almost sneaky, getting you fully invested in these people quickly. Very intriguingly written and artful as it unfolds. I found that I was rooting for each of them strongly right from the beginning. I loved how it unfolded with faithfulness. Nothing over done or prolonged too far. Excellent story, and fits nicely in the series. Looking forward to the next one!
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.
#ProtectingTheMountainMansTreasure #MistyMBeller #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarNovel
About the Book
Book: Protecting the Mountain Man’s Treasure
Author: Misty M. Beller
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: February 6, 2024
In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, loyalty…and a hidden fortune.
Jude Coulter is far more comfortable in his family’s sapphire mine tucked in the Montana mountains than the bustling streets of New York City where he’s been sent to deliver a shipment of gems. His relief at boarding the train for the first leg of his journey home is short-lived when an accident renders him unconscious.
Angela Larkin worked hard to earn this assignment for the Treasury—an undercover mission to determine the source of the sapphires brought each year for auction in the city. When an accident causes her target to lose his recent memory, Angela jumps at the opportunity to create the ideal ruse. Jude seems surprised to learn the two of them had married and were returning from a glorious wedding trip, but he doesn’t question too strongly.
Yet when an unexpected threat arises, they find themselves dependent on the other to navigate the treacherous journey home. As the danger mounts, so too does an attraction neither of them anticipated. But can this love withstand the revelation of their tangled beginnings?
From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain family saga filled with a pretend marriage, amnesia, undercover agents, and a love worth treasuring far more than riches.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.
Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.
Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.
Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.
More from Misty
In my latest release, the hero and heroine travel up the Missouri River in a steamboat, and I loved the research for that portion of the story!
Traveling on a steamboat in 1869 was an experience like no other, and took about two months to travel from St. Louis, Missouri to Fort Benton in the Montana Territory. Passengers would step aboard these floating palaces to find ornate decorations, plush accommodations, and the promise of new scenery at every bend in the river. Despite the occasional discomforts of travel—such as noisy engines and the ever-present risk of boiler explosions—passengers reveled in the novelty and the relative speed of steamboat travel.
The Missouri was notorious for its shifting channels, snags, and sandbars, which could easily ensnare even the most experienced pilot’s vessel. Navigating this river required an intimate knowledge of its capricious nature, and the river pilots were worth their weight in gold.
River towns along the Missouri thrived thanks to the steamboats. These towns became hotbeds of economic activity, where goods were loaded and unloaded, and stories from faraway places were exchanged. The arrival of a steamboat was an event, often met with fanfare and excitement by the local populace.
I pray you love the peek at steamboat life in Protecting the Mountain Man’s Treasure! J
Blessings!
Misty
Blog Stops
Wishful Endings, March 1
Lighthouse Academy Blog, March 2 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 2
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 3
Splashes of Joy, March 3
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 4
Where Crisis & Christ Collide, March 4
Madi’s Musings, March 5
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, March 5
Texas Book-aholic, March 6
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 6
Betti Mace, March 7
Books You Can Feel Good About, March 7
Devoted To Hope, March 8
For Him and My Family, March 8
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , March 9
Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 9
Cover Lover Book Review, March 10
Life on Chickadee Lane, March 10
Blossoms and Blessings, March 11
Mary Hake, March 11
lakesidelivingsite, March 12
Melissa’s Bookshelf, March 12
Holly’s Book Corner, March 13
The Lofty Pages, March 13
Lily’s Corner, March 14
Pause for Tales, March 14
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Misty 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/2a3d3/protecting-the-mountain-man-s-treasure-celebration-tour-giveaway
Thursday, February 8, 2024
The Paris Spy's Girl by Amanda Lees
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
To Spark A Match by Jen Turano
Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO. She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoauthor/ or visit her on the web at www.jenturano.com. She is represented by the Natasha Kern Literary Agency.
Friday, September 8, 2023
Reclaiming the Spy (Agents of Espionage Book 2) by Lorri Dudley
Another really special, faith filled love story. Full of lessons to rely on God and not on your own understanding. Abby and Nick were just married when he was called into service for the Crown during the war with Napoleon. He became a valued spy and stayed away from home for 10 years until the death of his Mother. Circumstances made him reveal himself to Abby, when he had planned on leaving again. She had never stopped loving him even though she was told he was dead. Wonderful love story with a great deal of struggle for both of them, heart wrenching at times. The proof of God's faithfulness shines through. Solid faith, very believable characters to get caught up with. Help comes from unexpected places. Second in a series but stands alone (read the first one, you'll be glad you did!)
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.
#ReclaimingTheSpy #LorriDudley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #FiveStarNovel #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistorical #WildHeartBooks
About the Book
Book: Reclaiming the Spy
Author: Lorri Dudley
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: August 29, 2023
How can he protect her from himself when she keeps winding up in his arms?
She never gave up hope. After ten years of prayers for her husband, presumed dead in the Peninsula Wars, Abigail Emerson is shocked to discover him alive. Yet what should be the happily ever after of fairy tales becomes a nightmare when he coldly instructs her to forget she’d ever seen him. Abigail refuses to let her beloved slip through her fingers again, and she’s willing to battle for his love, despite the walls he’s created to barricade his heart.
Nicholas Emerson’s time as a spy for the War Office has left physical and mental battle wounds. He can never be the charming, carefree man he once was—the man his wife deserves—but when a threat to Abby’s life returns him to their small Midland village, keeping her safe proves more challenging than expected. If only Abby would forget him and remarry, then he wouldn’t have to face the torment of all the tender, buried feelings she evokes. The consequence of his life as a spy means he can never have her again…
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at www.lorridudley.com.
More from Lorri
When writing stories, I delve into research to provide the best experience for my readers, hoping to transport them to another time and setting, in this case, the lush green rolling hills of England’s Cotswolds at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. However, God had an alternative plan for me during my research and writing of Reclaiming the Spy. To prepare for the beginning scene with Mama Em, I read Glimpses of Heaven by Trudy Harris, RN. Trudy Harris was a hospice nurse and wrote about her clients in their final days. I’ve never sobbed through every book chapter quite like I had this one. At the same time, I was encouraged to hear how many of her patients heard glorious music, observed beautiful scenes, had visions of past friends or family members, witnessed angels, or even saw their Savior, Jesus Christ.
I didn’t realize that God was preparing me through my research for my dad to go into hospice care. In his final stages, my dad spoke of seeing his parents in vivid dreams, and thanks to reading about similar situations in Glimpses of Heaven, I know they were waiting to welcome him into heaven. I’m so grateful for how God readied my heart, and I was able to draw comfort in seeing how He blurs the lines of this realm and the next to make for an easier transition. God is good all the time, and I felt his presence beside me the entire way.
I’d initially titled my manuscript Love Never Fails because Abby and Nicholas struggle to learn the qualities of love from 1 Corinthians 13, “Love is patient, love is kind… love believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Nicholas’s debilitating spells and nightmares after serving as a spy in the Napoleonic Wars cause him to fear Bedlam and that he may hurt Abby. Post-traumatic stress disorder wasn’t a mental health diagnosis of the early 1800s, but it did exist. Mental hospitals (or madhouses) were frightening places where inmates were often treated like zoo animals. Spectators would come for enjoyment to stare and laugh at the men and women housed there.
While my parents didn’t have a wartime story like Abby and Nicholas, they shared a love that endured through good and bad times and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past year. The last few days my dad was alive, he sang Amazing Grace and to my mom a Doris Day song, I Love You a Bushel and a Peck. They shared a love that never failed, and that is the love I hoped to convey through Abby and Nicholas’s story.
Blog Stops
lalkesidelivingsite, August 30
Melissa’s Bookshelf, August 31
Connie’s History Classroom, August 31
Betti Mace, September 1
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 2
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 2
She Lives To Read, September 3
Texas Book-aholic, September 4
Sylvan Musings, September 4
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 5
Locks, Hooks and Books, September 6
The Book Club Network, September 7
Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, September 7
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 8
Books You Can Feel Good About, September 8
For Him and My Family, September 9
Lily’s Book Reviews, September 10
Christina’s Corner, September 10
Book Looks by Lisa, September 11
Cover Lover Book Review, September 11
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, September 12 (Author Interview)
Pause for Tales, September 12
Holly’s Book Corner, September 13
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Lorri 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/278c0/reclaiming-the-spy-celebration-tour-giveaway