When Kate Mallory’s mother is killed in a tragic car accident, she’s left with nothing but dead-end jobs, an on-again, off-again boyfriend, and a craving for something… more.
Despondent, she clears out her mom’s apartment and discovers an old love letter from a William Wheaton of Bell Buckle, Tennessee. Could this be the father her mom refused to discuss? With nothing left to lose, she decides to find out.

Noah Wheaton honed the gift of discernment the hard way—through a twenty-year military career and an unfaithful ex-fiancé. So, when gutsy Kate Mallory shows up at the family restaurant and applies for a waitressing job, his internal lie-detector flies off the charts. Why would a native New Yorker seek out a job in small-town Tennessee? Whatever she’s up to, messing with his family is not an option.

Kate could never have imagined that a spontaneous journey to search out an absentee dad was not spontaneous after all. A force bigger than both Kate and Noah is at work, and they may get more than they bargained for.

Click here to get your copy!

A Sojourner’s Solace is a novella by Jennifer Sienes that is a quick, easy read. This is also the first book I’ve read by Ms. Sienes and I’m not sure I would read another one. This novella is fine and written well, but there was nothing memorable about it.
 
Kate Mallory is one of the main characters. In the first chapter, she is cleaning out her mother’s apartment after she passed away and comes across a picture of a man with her mother, and deduces it must be the father she’s never known. Luckily, there is a name on the back that leads her to a small town in Tennesse.
 
Noah Wheaton is the other main character. He lives in the small town and is the son of the man in the photo. Noah recently retired from the military and moved back home to teach, and has an ex-fiancee who lied and betrayed his trust.
 
Can you see where this is going?
 
First off, despite some lip service from the characters regarding the potential sibling situation, Noah is set up as Kate’s love interest, and I was never concerned that Noah’s dad would also be Kate’s dad. Kate gets help from Noah’s family (a job, and a place to stay), and feels guilty that she might break up the family if she’s his daughter. Noah finds out she came there purposefully under false pretenses, and gets upset about it. Cue drama.
 
Because this is a novella, this all happens very quickly, and I’m not convinced that these two will work it out, despite the grand gesture at the end. The themes of family and forgiveness abound.
 
This book is written in first person, and Ms. Sienes does manage to differentiate the voices of each of the main characters, something that is not easy to do. The atmosphere of the book is great, and the side characters are a lot of fun.
 
I give this book 3/5 stars. It’s written well, the Tennessee small-town setting is nicely described and detailed, and the first person point of view works. However, two days after reading it I could barely remember the character’s names. This book did not resonate with me at all.  
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.**

She has two grown children and one very spoiled Maltese. California born and raised, she recently took a step of faith with her real-life hero and relocated to Tennessee.

I grew up with three sisters and a brother, and although life could be chaotic and a little crowded, I can’t imagine any other childhood. We spent summers camping with my grandparents and great uncles, and holidays with lots of cousins, aunts, and uncles. Being part of a large family was central to my life. I thought about this as I created the Wheaton family for my Bedford County summer novella. Four siblings—two sons and two daughters—who often rub each other the wrong way, but at the same time, would lay down their lives for one another.

Noah is the oldest sibling in the Wheaton clan—retired military who’s been badly burned by a woman in the past. Trust doesn’t come easy, and he’s as loyal to his family as they come. Born and raised in the small Middle Tennessee town of Bell Buckle, he’s not a fan of the big city—or of people from the big city. His family owns and operates a restaurant in a nearby town where everybody knows everybody. He’s suspicious of outsiders, especially those of the female persuasion.

And that’s where our heroine, Kate Mallory, comes in. A native New Yorker, raised by a single mother, she never knew who her father was. She arrives in Bell Buckle on a quest to find what she’s missed all her life—family. What she discovers is far more than she bargained for, and her mother’s words come back to haunt her—“Be careful what you wish for.”

You may wonder why I chose New York City for Kate’s upbringing. My son lived in Tokyo for five years—a city of almost 14 million people. He told me on several occasions that living there, he never felt more alone or isolated. I wanted Kate in A Sojourner’s Solace to experience the same thing. Plopped into Middle Tennessee, she discovers a world as foreign to her as Tokyo was to my son—just in the opposite way.

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 24
Christina’s Corner, August 24
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 25
Texas Book-aholic, August 26
Books, Books, and More Books., August 26
Inklings and notions, August 27
For Him and My Family, August 28
Genesis 5020, August 29
Book Looks by Lisa, August 29
deb’s Book Review, August 30
lakesidelivingsite, August 31
Sylvan Musings, August 31
Locks, Hooks and Books, September 1
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 2
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 3
Back Porch Reads, September 3
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 4
Splashes of Joy, September 5
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 6

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card & a copy of the book!!
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/210c7/a-sojourner-s-solace-celebration-tour-giveaway

Returning from the devastation of World War 1 emotionally damaged, Jeb McAdams struggles against the rampant mountain alcoholism to soothe his nightmares. It’s easy to hide within the mountains, or it was, before Cora Taylor arrived. Now, she seems to show up at every turn, bringing her modern ideas, curiosity, and beautiful eyes with her.

Bound by their shared war history, the pair develop an unlikely friendship, which unexpectedly hints to something more. But when Cora’s desire to help the women of the mountains crosses an unspoken line, will Jeb be able to protect this feisty flatlander from the wrath of the mountain men or will he end up losing much more than his heart?

The Heart of the Mountains is the first book I’ve read by Pepper Basham. It certainly won’t be my last! Ms. Basham has written an excellent novel regarding finding your place in the world, even if it’s somewhere you never expected.
 
This book is a sequel to a previous book by Ms. Basham but works perfectly fine as a standalone novel. I did not read the first book in this series and do not feel I missed any character traits of the people who appear in both novels.
 
Cora Taylor is the main character. She leaves England to escape an arranged marriage and runs to her brother, who is settled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She was a nurse on the front lines and battlefield hospitals during World War One and very obviously a fish out of water in the mountains. Cora is a great character. She’s tenacious, caring, and is a heroine easy to root for.
 
Jeb McAdams is the other main character. He, too, is a great character. Jeb fought on the front lines of WWI and struggles with PTSD. He is a genuinely nice guy and is a good foil for Cora. He has lived in Appalachia his whole life except when he was in the war. Jeb is a hardworking man trying to make something of his life.
 
The theme of finding your place in the world is one that permeates through the book, though it also touches on judging others, helping others even if society tells you its wrong, and finding family. This book was enjoyable and well-written. The side characters are real and have motivations and stories of their own, and the scenery descriptions are all really well done as well.
 
Near the end of the book, however, a lot of things happened one right after the other that felt like the author was struggling to finish the book. The end dragged a little but did not really detract from my enjoyment of the book.
 
I give this book 4/5 stars and recommend it to fans of historical fiction, especially those who are interested in learning more about Appalachian history.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through CelebrateLit and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**

It’s so interesting how one idea can influence an entire series, or…how one person’s story can.
The idea for The Heart of the Mountains started in Laurel’s Dream with a hint of a family history story about a girl named Kizzie. (Someday, I hope to bring Kizzie’s story to the pages of a book). From there, the idea began to grow out of a love for my Appalachian culture into a series of books which highlighted (and fictionalized) stories from my family history.

The main story in The Heart of the Mountains is about Jeb and Cora, two different people with similar servant hearts, but the secondary story that touched me so much was the one based on my great grandfather’s life. I write about it in the Author’s Note at the end of the novel, so I won’t go into detail about it. However, what I loved getting to do is bring the truth of God’s redemption in my great grandfather’s life…to life again.

I never knew “Papa Rat”. I only knew the stories handed down to me by my granny and my mama, but in writing this story, I feel as though I had a tiny opportunity to “meet” him in these pages. He was a gruff mountain man with a broken past which led him to make a whole lot of broken choices, but his story is incredibly encouraging, because it points to the God of broken people. My great grandpa wasn’t left in his brokenness, but, after years of running away from God, he would later recount that God pursued him. The beauty of Sam McAdams’ journey in The Heart of the Mountains is only a little glimpse into what I imagine my great grandpa’s redemption story looked like.

Because my great grandpa was forever changed when Jesus saved him (as any of us should be).
I think that’s what my granny and her siblings (and even “Papa Rat” himself) would want most -that his story would point to Jesus. I hope that’s what you see when you read about Sam McAdams in The Heart of the Mountains.

Have you ever read a book based on family history? One of my favorites is Catherine Marshall’s Christy.

Bizwings Blog, July 28
Rachael’s Inkwell, July 28
Bigreadersite, July 28
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 29
Texas Book-aholic, July 29
Inklings and notions, July 30
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 30
Boondock Ramblings, July 30
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 31
Reading With Emily, July 31
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 31 (Author Interview)
lakesidelivingsite, August 1
Where Crisis & Christ Collide, August 1
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 1
Daysong Reflections, August 2
deb’s Book Review, August 2
Live. Love. Read., August 2
Betti Mace, August 3
Book Looks by Lisa, August 3
Locks, Hooks and Books, August 3
Remembrancy, August 4
For Him and My Family, August 4
Blossoms and Blessings, August 4
Mypreciousbitsandmusings, August 5
By the Book, August 5
Wishful Endings, August 5
For the Love of Literature, August 6
Books, Books and More Books, August 6
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 6
Connie’s History Classroom, August 7
SodbusterLiving, August 7
Splashes of Joy, August 7
Where Faith and Books Meet, August 8
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 8
Back Porch Reads, August 9
Through the Fire Blogs, August 9
Pause for Tales, August 9
Labor Not in Vain, August 10
Miriam Jacob, August 10
To Everything There Is A Season, August 10

To celebrate her tour, Pepper is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e- gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!

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/20389/the-heart-of-the-mountains-celebration-tour-giveaway

Only last year, Fannie O’Brien was considered a beauty with a brain, and her future shone bright, despite the war pounding Europe. With her father’s sudden death and her brothers overseas, Fannie must now do the work of three men on their 200-acre farm—until eight German prisoners arrive and, just as Fannie feared, trouble comes too. Someone seems intent on causing “accidents,” and Fannie is certain the culprit is one of the two handsome older Germans—or possibly both. Can she manage the farm, keep the prisoners in line, and hold her family together through these turbulent times?

Season of My Enemy is the first book I’ve read by Naomi Musch. Based on this, I’m not sure I want to read another one. Season of My Enemy takes place in Wisconsin during World War II and is clearly well-researched. Ms. Musch also brings to life the scenery and it is very easy to see the setting and imagine what the characters look like.
 
However, the story starts off slowly and doesn’t really gain much momentum. The main characters are Fannie O’Brien, a farmer’s daughter in Wisconsin, and Wolfgang Kloninger, a German Prisoner of War who is working on her farm with some other prisoners, and there are some accidents that may or may not be sabotage.
 
I didn’t actually know that the Germans held prisoner in the US during World War II helped on farms and in factories, so that is an interesting historical detail. Ms. Musch has clearly done a lot of research and it helps the story feel more authentic.
 
There is a POV in the story that ruins the suspense of the accidents happening on the farm. I also wasn’t concerned that the story wouldn’t have a happy ending. Ms. Musch is a good writer and the characters feel alive, but there were no stakes. Honestly, I was more interested in what happened to her brothers, who are both off fighting in the war when the book opens.
 
“I know that evil men will have their just reward. I can’t judge the whole human race or even a small part of it by them. None of us can. There were Americans who did wrong too. It was war, and things like that happen in war. Awful things. Things that I hope to God some of those fellows will repent of. But it’s war. And it’s over.”
 
The above quote is the thesis of the book. It’s a book about the costs of war, at home and at war, and how we are all just humans trying our best. It’s a good message and Ms. Musch clearly gets that point across in the story.
 
I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. It’s well-written and well-researched, but the suspense of the accidents doesn’t materialize and I didn’t find the characters that interesting.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Barbour Books, through CelebrateLit and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**

Welcome to my wilderness – that’s what it says when you pop onto my website, because so many of my books take place in rural and wilderness settings. That’s where my heart lives too. Therefore, when I decided to write a World War II story, I gravitated to the home front, to rural America, where living out the war years meant a different kind of survival.

Before this story idea came to me, I knew that prisoners of war had been held in America during part of the war years. There are a number of other wonderful WWII novels out there set in North America involving POWs, and I adore the 2005 movie Sweet Land. Yet, until looking further, I hadn’t realized that so many German soldiers were held right here in my home state of Wisconsin! In fact, thousands of prisoners were sent to work in our country’s canning factories and on our farms. How could I have grown up and never been told that there had once been a POW camp right in my home town?

In fact, there were 38 such “branch camps” just in Wisconsin alone—camps that housed workers specifically for contracting work on farms and in canneries. Workers were contracted by farmers with the army and sent to labor in the cranberry bogs, cherry orchards, apple orchards; to farms picking beans, peas, corn, and to tend the other crops. By international treaty, prisoners had to be paid for their work, so they were allowed to earn scrip in the equivalent of 80 cents per day which they could spend in camp canteens on personal items.

Bingo! There was the seed that burst through the soil of my imagination for my novel Season of My Enemy.

My heroine Fanny O’Brien is a Wisconsin farm girl who left state teacher’s college to manage her family’s farm during the war. She never imagined herself coordinating the work of eight German prisoners in the process—or what the outcome of that task would be.

I believe a great story has to reveal strong yet subtle themes in order for the characters and their plight to feel real. In Season of My Enemy, Fannie uncovers a lot of prejudice both in her own heart and as her eyes are opened to the broader sphere around her. There are all kinds of prejudice in the world, and some of it revealed in this story may surprise you. In fact, my editor and several other authors of WWII fiction who read the book all said, “I didn’t know that!” (I won’t tell you what they were referring to, because you know…spoilers.)

Season of My Enemy isn’t all about history of course. It’s a heartfelt story of a man and woman who slowly yield their hearts to love amidst unpredictable times and unusual circumstances. They begin as enemies who finally look beyond their prejudices to find they have more in common than they first thought. To overcome terrific odds, they must depend upon their faith and rest in a powerful hope that touches their own lives as well as the lives of others surrounding them.

I hope you’ll read Season of My Enemy, and be sure and pop me a note to tell me what you think!

Texas Book-aholic, June 28
Blossoms and Blessings, June 28
Inklings and notions, June 29
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 30
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 30
For Him and My Family, July 1
Remembrancy, July 2
Pause for Tales, July 2
deb’s Book Review, July 3
Book Looks by Lisa, July 4
Mary Hake, July 4
Betti Mace, July 5
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 6
Locks, Hooks and Books, July 6
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 7
Connie’s History Classroom, July 8
Books, Books, and More Books, July 8
Bizwings Blog, July 9
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 10
Labor Not in Vain, July 10
lakesidelivingsite, July 11

To celebrate her tour, Naomi is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!


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/1f45e/season-of-my-enemy-celebration-tour-giveaway

A Promise Engraved is the first book I’ve read by Liz Tolsma, and it won’t be the last. A Promise Engraved is an enjoyable and well-written book. It is a dual timeline with one story set during the Texas Revolution and the other in present-day San Antonio. Both stories were well-written and nicely done.
 
In the past, the story centers on Josie Wilkins, a young woman recently returned to Texas after being rescued from an abduction, and John Gilbert, who is the pastor in their community. Josie is a headstrong character trying to recover from extreme trauma. Some of her reactions or decisions seemed very foolhardy and concerning, but she is a good, well-rounded character. John was a little harder to decipher as their story is told entirely through Josie’s point of view but he seemed like a perfectly pleasant character.
 
In the present day, Kayleigh Hernandez is the main character. She works as a liaison for unaccompanied minor immigrants coming over the United States-Mexican border. She finds a ring that belonged to her mother at a market and takes it our other main character, Brandon Shuman, who’s family owns a jewelry store, to see if they can figure out where it came from. Brandon is, like John, hard to decipher and seems to just be there in the story. He did not have much personality.
 
Ms. Tolsma has clearly researched the Texas Revolution and the Battle of the Alamo. The historical setting feels accurate and Josie feels like a real person. The present-day story is unfortunately not as interesting as the historical story. Kayleigh is the only present day character who doesn’t feel like a plot device.
 
The story also suffers a little from the single point of view in each timeline. Our female main characters are both rich and dynamic characters and as a result the men in their stories fall a little flat. In addition, each story felt slightly rushed (the entire book comes in a little over 200 pages).
 
The themes of forgiveness, learning to trust, and believing that God is always there for you, even when horrible or unimaginable things are happening, run strongly through the book. Ms. Tolsma has a knack for delivering these themes in a way that does not feel ‘preachy.’
 
I rate this book 4/5 starts and recommend it for dual-timeline fans and those who enjoy themes of forgiveness and learning to trust. The points of view from one character in each story didn’t really work for me, but Ms. Tolsma has crafted a well-researched and well-written book and I did find it to be an enjoyable read.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through Celebrate Lit and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.**

The Story of Susannah Dickinson, Alamo Survivor

When asked how many died at the Alamo, many would answer that everyone did. While it’s true that all fighting on the side of Texas independence perished, there were survivors, all women and children and one slave. The only white woman (the rest were of Mexican descent) was Susannah Dickinson, along with her daughter Angelina. Susannah had followed her husband, Almaron, to Mexican Texas in 1831. They had married two years before when Susannah was just fifteen. She never learned to read or write.

She and the other women hid in the sacristy of the church, one of the surviving buildings in the mission and what we now think of as the Alamo. Her husband died, but Mexican General Santa Anna found them and spared their lives, sending them to Sam Houston with $2 each and a blanket.

She married again the following year but divorced him almost immediately on the grounds of cruelty. She married a third time the following year and was married for five years until her husband died of alcoholism. A fourth marriage occurred in 1847, but she divorced again in 1857, this time allegedly because she was having an affair. That same year, she married for a fifth time. This marriage lasted until her death in 1883.

The ring in A Promise Engraved is based on a cat’s eye ring supposedly given to Angelina by William Travis before the battle. Angelina was Susannah’s only child. She married and had three children, but that marriage ended in divorce. She gave the ring to a man she’d become involved with in New Orleans. She married again and had one more child but died in 1869 from a uterine hemorrhage.

​Today there are many descendants of Susannah Dickinson. If you visit the Susannah Dickinson house in Austin, you’ll see a quilt that is signed by many of her living descendants.

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 28
Bigreadersite, May 28
The Write Escape, May 28
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 29
Christina’s Corner, May 29
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 29
lakesidelivingsite, May 30
Texas Book-aholic, May 30
Rebecca Tews, May 30
Inklings and notions, May 31
Blogging With Carol, May 31
Splashes of Joy, May 31
Betti Mace, June 1
Southern Gal Loves to Read, June 1
Genesis 5020, June 2
Daysong Reflections, June 2
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 2
Remembrancy, June 3
Books, Books, and More Books, June 3
For Him and My Family, June 3
Older & Smarter?, June 4
Locks, Hooks and Books, June 4
Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 5
deb’s Book Review, June 5
Mary Hake, June 5
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 6
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 6
Blossoms and Blessings, June 6
Connie’s History Classroom, June 7
Life of Literature, June 7
Back Porch Reads , June 7
Bizwings Blog, June 8
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 8
For the Love of Literature, June 8
Through the Fire blogs, June 9
Pause for Tales, June 9
Labor Not in Vain, June 9
A Good Book and Cup of Tea, June 10
Melissa’s Bookshelf, June 10
​Little Homeschool on the Prairie, June 10

​To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and copy of the book!!
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/1e37a/a-promise-engraved-celebration-tour-giveaway

Her aunt’s invitation to Richmond is just the change Beatrice Swanson needs after her brother’s release from a Union prison. Bea’s father agrees to the trip with a condition—one that tosses her emotions into swirling confusion.

Though Jay Nickson wants to serve his country as a Confederate soldier, his work is too important to the government. Bea’s interest in his job, which includes secrets that would benefit the Union, arouses his suspicions. Is she spying for the North? His growing feelings for her are hard to squelch.


Though she participates in activities to benefit Confederate soldiers, Bea struggles with her own loyalties and her father’s demands. Where does her cousin, Meg, go on her solitary errands? Bea’s own growing love for Jay, a Southerner, only adds to her confusion. Tensions escalate in Richmond as the Union army approaches, drawing her into more secrecy. Where does her allegiance lie? And how will she be forced to prove it?

Nothing in war is simple…especially when the heart becomes entangled.

​Boulevard of Confusion is the first book I’ve read by Sandra Merville Hart, and I’m not sure I want to read another one, though I admit I may pick up the third book because the character that book is about is probably the character I’m most intrigued by in this book.  
 
The book takes place in Richmond during the middle of the Civil War, with a Northerner (Bea) and a Southerner (Jay) as its main characters. Both Bea and Jay are staunchly against slavery, but Jay is firmly of the belief that the Confederacy is in the right to secede. Bea has a more confused take as her brother owns a planation in North Carolina and her sister and brother-in-law are staunchly pro-Union, and she struggles with this. Repeatedly. Throughout the entire book. It
 
Ms. Merville Hart definitely completed a ton of research and the historical details and figures are nicely integrated into the story. As a historian in my heart (though I focused on Medieval history), I appreciated the effort and time the author took to get the historical aspects authentically drawn and her characters did not feel like they were transplanted from the 21st century.
 
Boulevard of Confusion is the second in a series. I believe this book does not stand alone, though there does appear to be an ‘info dump’ of sorts on the first few pages as the two main characters discuss the plot of the previous book.
 
This book was fine. The main characters had a lot of depth, though the repetitiveness of their inner thoughts became tiresome quickly. I also admit I just didn’t connect with the main characters.
Scenery descriptions are fine and the side characters appear to have full lives and are not just written to hang around the main characters. I also struggled with the sentence structure as it felt choppy and disjointed, but that is a personal preference.
 
I give this book 3/5 stars for its themes regarding family and unity, and that the characters all felt like real people. However, the repetitiveness of the inner thoughts of these main characters and the fact that it seemed like side character’s stories were more interesting makes it difficult for me to recommend this book.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book through the publisher through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.**

In Boulevard of Confusion, Book 2 of my “Spies of the Civil War” series, two people in love—one supporting the North, one supporting the South—struggle to rise above their differing loyalties.
In my book, the hero is a Virginian who supports the South. Though Jay hates slavery, he cannot turn against his state. His job at Tredegar Ironworks supplies the Confederate army with artillery. They develop new weapons and technology, such as submarines, that must be kept secret even from Richmond residents.

Our heroine is from the North. Bea has Southern ties and her brother, a Confederate officer, was recently released from a prison camp. Bea’s understanding of both sides of the conflict tosses her into confusion, especially in light of her growing feelings for Jay.

Part of my research for this novel involved a trip to Richmond museums. One display in particular at the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar made me want to do a little dance. (If you followed me around on my museum visits, you’d witness my enthusiasm for historical people and events and how they impact my stories. Perhaps you share my love of history. 😊)

Anyway, this particular display was a painting of Julia Ann Mitchell, who lived in Richmond at the start of the Civil War. She was from a well-to-do family that traveled often. On one of these trips, she met and fell in love with Frederick Coggill, a New York City resident. Though they loved one another, the couple was divided in their loyalties.

Sadly, Julia’s brother, who fought for the Confederacy, was killed in battle. This probably added to the conflict between Julia and Frederick.

I’m happy to say that the couple seemed to enjoy a happy ending, for they were married in 1863.
I didn’t yet know my characters when I read this display, for the stories ferment in my imagination as research reveals the history. I tucked it away in my mind and it later inspired me.

Boulevard of Confusion isn’t Julia’s and Frederick’s love story. Not at all. It’s simply that history’s record of them overcoming their differing loyalties to marry proves that it happened. That’s all I needed to know.

Avenue of Betrayal, Book 1, is set in the Union capital of Washington City (Washington DC) in 1861, where a surprising number of Confederate sympathizers and spies lived. Boulevard of Confusion is set in Richmond, the Confederate capital in 1862. Actual historical spies touch the lives of our fictional family.

Through both real and fictional characters, this series highlights activities spies were involved in and some of the motives behind their decisions.

I invite you to read both Avenue of Betrayal and Boulevard of Confusion. And please watch for Book 3, Byway to Danger, which will soon follow!

​Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 10
Texas Book-aholic, May 11
Inklings and notions, May 12
Betti Mace, May 13
Books, Books, and More Books, May 13
For Him and My Family, May 14
deb’s Book Review, May 15
Locks, Hooks and Books, May 16
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 17
Connie’s History Classroom, May 18
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 19
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 20
Blososms and Blessings, May 21
Pause for Tales, May 22
Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 23 (Author Interview)
Of Blades and Thorns, May 23

​​With her father in a German POW camp and her home in Ste Mere Eglise, France, under Nazi occupation, Rosalie Barrieau will do anything to keep her younger brother safe. . .even from his desire to join the French resistance. Until she falls into the debt of a German solder—one who delivers a wounded British pilot to her door. Though not sure what to make of her German ally, Rosalie is thrust deep into the heart of the local underground. As tensions build toward the allied invasion of Normandy, she must decide how much she is willing to risk for freedom.

​Click here to get your copy!

​“There is no going back.”
 
“We can only go forward.”
 
If I had to pick a ‘thesis statement’ for this book, it would be the above statements, said by one character to another in A Rose for the Resistance. It perfectly encapsulates the themes of this book, especially as our characters are fighting to live through World War II.
 
A Rose for the Resistance is the first book I read by Angela K. Couch, and it won’t be the last. In this book, Ms. Couch has written an entertaining, heartwarming, and enjoyable book, though it does have some flaws.
 
The book takes place in occupied France during World War II, which is a very common setting for historical fiction. The first chapter of the book sets up the beginning of the occupation, but then skips ahead to three years later. In my opinion it would have been interesting to see more of the initial feelings of the people in Normandy prior to the time jump.
 
Rosalie is the main character and I will admit it took me awhile to warm up to her. At the beginning of the story, she is not willing to step out of her comfort zone, even after three years of occupation. It rang true, of course, as not everyone is willing to be directly involved in the Resistance, but once she committed to it, she was all in.
 
Franz, the other main character, is introduced as conflicted regarding his role in the war. He’s a German soldier who is disillusioned with fighting and the war itself. He is a good foil for Rosalie as he tries to help her without bringing attention to her.
 
Rosalie and Franz are aware that every interaction between them is fraught and it comes through very clearly on the page. The romance is sweet and believable, and I was rooting for them to make it through.
 
The story does take a while to get going, and I wasn’t really engaged in it until about page 75. If I wasn’t reading this for a review, I’m not sure I would have stuck with it. But I’m glad I did!
 
I give this book 4 stars and recommend it to those who like stories about World War II, sweet romances, and themes of love, faith, and how we can impact the world around us.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit Publishing and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**

The story of A Rose for the Resistance has been in the making for a while. Rosalie and Franz came to life for me in the first novel I started writing as a teenager… (not even going to mention how long ago that was). Though much of that early work will never see the light of day, I am glad I can finally share them with you.

Every November 11th since I was a child, I would sit with my dad and watch WWII documentaries and movies like A Bridge too Far, or The Longest Day which featured Sainte-Mère-Église during the D-day landings. So many of those stories beg to be remembered and I tried to include as much as I could in this novel, even in passing. Stories such as John Steele of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment who dropped into the warzone of Sainte-Mère-Église that night and his chute caught on the spire of the church. He hung limply for hours, pretending to be dead, before the Germans took him prisoner. John later escaped and rejoined his division. Or, Henry Langrehr who landed five miles from his drop zone, crashing through a greenhouse on the way down. He was unharmed from the fall, but was later wounded and captured. He lived into his nineties to tell the tale.

Many of the events and deeds of The Resistance in the novel are also pulled from history. The French citizen’s willingness to risk their lives to transport weapons and information, and to staunchly resist the brutal German occupation. It is estimated that approximately 90,000 men women – and children – were killed, tortured, or deported by the Germans for their efforts.

Though many of the characters in this story are fictional, there are so many men and women who truly did live through the horrors of the War in Europe, and more importantly risked or sacrificed their all for the freedom and lives of others.

I pray we never forget.

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 29
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 29
Books, Books, and More Books, April 29
The Write Escape, April 30
Remembrancy, April 30
Southern Gal Loves to Read, May 1
Rachael’s Inkwell, May 1
Texas Book-aholic, May 1
Genesis 5020, May 2
Where Crisis & Christ Collide, May 2
Inklings and notions, May 2
She Lives To Read, May 3
lakesidelivingsite, May 3
Betti Mace, May 4
For Him and My Family, May 4
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 4
Sodbuster Living, May 5
deb’s Book Review, May 5
Book Butterfly in Dreamland, May 5
Locks, Hooks and Books, May 6
Jeanette’s Thoughts, May 6
Vicarious Living, May 6
Older & Smarter?, May 7
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 7
Sylvan Musings, May 7
Connie’s History Classroom, May 8
Blossoms and Blessings, May 8
Mary Hake, May 8
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 9
Splashes of Joy, May 9
Through the Fire Blogs, May 9
Bizwings Blog, May 10
Pause for Tales, May 10
Labor Not in Vain, May 10
Bigreadersite, May 11
Where Faith and Books Meet, May 11
A Good Book and Cup of Tea, May 11
CarpeDiem, May 12
Lights in a Dark World, May 12

​To celebrate her tour, Angela is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and copy of the book!!
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/1d3bb/a-rose-for-the-resistance-celebration-tour-giveaway

Click here to purchase your copy!

​Simon Harlow is one of an elite corps of American soldiers. Regularly chosen for dangerous covert missions, he is tasked with infiltrating Paris to ascertain the Axis’s defenses. Nearly caught by German forces moments after arriving, he owes his life to the beautiful prostitute who claims she’s been waiting for the Allies to arrive. Her lifestyle goes against everything he believes in, but will she steal his heart during his quest to liberate her city?
​
Inspired by the biblical story of Rahab, Love’s Rescue is a tale of faith and hope during one of history’s darkest periods.

​Love’s Rescue is the first book I’ve read by Linda Shenton Matchett. It’s the second in the Wartime Brides series but works completely fine as a standalone book. Love’s Rescue is set in German occupied Paris, France, near the end of World War II.
 
Ms. Shenton Matchett has written a great story that explores topics including survival, redemption, and trusting in God.
 
Rolande is our main character. She is a French woman forced into prostitution and eventually becomes a member of the French Resistance. Rolande is smart and resourceful and though she is aware of what her family and other people think of her, she is unapologetic about what she had to do to survive. She is hesitant to believe that God can use someone like her to do His work, but learns to trust that is true.
 
Simon is our other main character. He’s an American soldier who is tasked with infiltrating Paris to ascertain the locations of German troops before the Allied invasion of Paris. He’s a nice character who is uneasy about what he’s done in the war and takes an instant liking to Rolande.
 
Because this is a novella, the romance between Rolande and Simon feels rushed, but we expect that out of these shorter stories. Love’s Rescue felt extremely quick, however, and it spent a lot of time on the set up of the story that could’ve been discarded.
 
The novella is a very quick and easy read, but Ms. Shenton Matchett creates emotions and depth in the main characters that belies the shortness of the story. Despite the rushed romance, both Rolande and Simon are fully realized characters with motivations and character actions that make sense for their respective plotlines and characters.
 
I give Love’s Rescue 3/5 stars and can recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, somewhat satisfying read that explores themes of redemption and trust.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** 

​Love’s Rescue is a modern retelling of the biblical book of Rahab. I set the story in Paris during the last weeks of the German occupation of France during WWII. While researching the book, I read numerous memoirs and interviews of folks who lived through the occupation. Two aspects discussed time and time again were rationing and the difficulty in getting food. People with any amount of land at all planted produce to supplement the meager supply in the shops. If they were fortunate and an egg was available, it would be fried to a runny consistency and poured over the top of the dish.

Here is a simple recipe for Ratatouille:
Ingredients
1 whole white onion
1 large eggplant
1 large zucchini
1 bell pepper
2 medium tomatoes
2 large cloves garlic
2 sprigs thyme
2 T Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

• Peel garlic cloves. Smash with end of knife, then cut into a small dice.
• Cut onions, bell pepper, and tomatoes into a medium dice.
• Chop the eggplant and zucchini into 1” cubes.
• In a large saucepan or pot, warm olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Warm over low heat. Add the onion to the pot and cook until tender – about five minutes.
• Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
• Add remaining vegetables to the pot.
• Add a generous pinch of salt and a light pinch of pepper.
• Add the thyme.
• Cover the saucepan or pot with a lid and cook over medium-low heat for approximately 40 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender and there is little liquid in the pot.
• Serve on your favorite platter.

Bon Appétit!

​Texas Book-aholic, April 16
Carpe Diem, April 17
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 18
Reflections From My Bookshelves, April 19
Inklings and notions , April 20
A Reader’s Brain, April 21
Genesis 5020, April 22
Books, Books, and More Books., April 22
Carla Loves to Read, April 23
Connie’s History Classroom, April 23
For Him and my Family, April 24
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 24
Maureen’s Musings, April 25
Connect in Fiction, April 26
Through the Fire Blogs, April 26
mpbooks, April 27
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 27
Real World Bible Study, April 28
My Devotional Thoughts , April 28
janicesbookreviews, April 29
The Becca Files, April 29

To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away a grand prize of a French/WWII themed gift basket that includes a WWII Word Find book by Linda Shenton Matchett, Love’s Rescue – Wartime Brides Book 2 by Linda Shenton Matchett, French-milled soap lavender scent, a Fleur-de-lis ribbon book mark, a set of three note pads with French motif, and a set of cocktail napkins with French motif!!
​
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/de7e/love-s-rescue-celebration-tour-giveaway

​Click here to purchase your copy!

​It is the worst of times . . .
 
Paris groans with a restlessness that can no longer be contained within its city streets. Hunger and hatred fuel her people. Violence seeps into the ornate halls of Versailles. Even Gagnon’s table in the quiet village of Mouton Blanc bears witness to the rumbles of rebellion, where Marcel Moreau embodies its voice and heart.
 
It is the story that has never been told.
 
In one night, the best and worst of fate collide. A chance encounter with a fashionable woman will bring Renée’s sewing skills to light and secure a place in the court of Queen Marie Antoinette. An act of reckless passion will throw Laurette into the arms of the increasingly militant Marcel. And Gagnon, steadfast in his faith in God and country, can only watch as those he loves march straight into the heart of the revolution.

I ​haven’t read Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities since high school, and so I did not remember the character of the seamstress. However, I love reading stories about the French Revolution, as it is an often overlooked time period in my reading experience, and Allison Pittman has written an excellent novel in The Seamstress.
 
This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Pittman, and I was immediately drawn in. She has created a setting and characters so vivid I could immediately see the setting and the characters in my head. The story begins when the main character, Renee, and her cousin, Laurette, are taken in by a neighbor, Gagnon, who lets them sleep in his barn and work on his farm.
 
Renee is a great character. She loves the farm and raising sheep, though a little too idealistic. It seems weird to say that someone who grew up in poverty and endured the struggles of that upbringing could be idealistic, but once she moved to Paris to work in the royal household, I found her often naïve and hopeful when she should have been more aware of the consequences of the unrest growing in pre-Revolutionary France.
 
Laurette is the other main character, and I related to her immensely. She was desperate for a place to belong and kept trying to fill it with people and things instead of God. The themes of redemption are strongest in her storyline and I found myself rooting for her as she navigated her way through a life of uncertainties and unwise choices.
 
The Seamstress is a book that will stick with you. I was rooting for all the characters and the portrayal of the King of France and Marie Antoinette is an interesting one, and one not often seen as they are considered the “villains” of the French Revolution.
 
I give this book 4/5 stars and recommend it to those wanting to read more about the French Revolution and those who enjoy nuanced takes on polarizing historical figures (in this case, Marie Antoinette). The book is well-written and the themes of redemption, what makes a family a family, and equality in the eyes of the government are given appropriate amounts of page space and conclude the story in a way that is satisfying.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.**

​My dream of being an author began by “finishing” other author’s works, fleshing out the stories of neglected characters. When I read the final books in the Little House series, I was far more interested in Cap Garland than I was in Almonzo Wilder, and I imagined all kinds of stories in which he was the hero.
This, The Seamstress, is one of those stories that came to me in a single burst of thought. I was teaching my sophomore English class, discussing through the final scenes in A Tale of Two Cities,when the little seamstress in those final pages reached out to me. She is a nameless character, seemingly more symbolic than anything. Dickens, however, gives her an entire backstory in a single phrase: I have a cousin who lives in the country. How will she ever know what became of me? I remember pausing right then and there in front of my students and saying, “Now, there’s the story I want to write.”
Now, years later, I have.
While every word of every Charles Dickens novel is a master class in writing, what he gave to me for The Seamstress is the kind of stuff that brings life and breath to fiction. I have to convey the fact that any character on my pages—no matter how much story space he or she is allotted—has a life between them. Every man was once a child; every woman a vulnerable young girl.
So, Dickens gave me the bones of the story. A seamstress. A cousin in the country. A country ripped apart; family torn from family. I did my very best to put flesh on those bones, but no writer can ever bring the life and breath. Only a reader can do that.

​Fiction Aficionado, February 9
The Lit Addict, February 9
The Power of Words, February 9
Jennifer Sienes: Where Crisis & Christ Collide, February 10
Lis Loves Reading, February 10
Maureen’s Musings, February 10
Carpe Diem, February 11
A Baker’s Perspective, February 11
All-of-a-kind Mom, February 12
Emily Yager, February 12
Mary Hake, February 12
Stories By Gina, February 13
Stephanie’s Life of Determination, February 13
The Christian Fiction Girl, February 13
Inspired by fiction, February 14
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 14
Remembrancy, February 14
Through the Fire Blogs, February 15
Seasonsofopportunities, February 15
Inspiration Clothesline, February 15
Books, Books, and More Books, February 16
Inklings and Notions, February 16
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 16
Bibliophile Reviews, February 17
Texas Book-aholic, February 17
Margaret Kazmierczak, February 18
A Reader’s Brain, February 18
By The Book, February 18
Multifarious, February 19
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, February 19
Pause for Tales, February 19
Bigreadersite, February 20
Simple Harvest Reads, February 20
Janices book reviews, February 20
For the Love of Books, February 21
Book by Book, February 21
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, February 21
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 22
To Everything A Season, February 22
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 22

​To celebrate her tour, Allison is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card, a hardcover copy of The Seamstress, and this copy of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens!!
​
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/db0e/the-seamstress-celebration-tour-giveaway

Click here to purchase your copy!

​Using biblical principles, but not relying on miracles or “name-it-and-claim-it” theology, Dan provides easy-to-follow, practical steps that can be used by anyone to escape financial bondage. Finally, he encourages readers to use their financial freedom to help others and advance God’s kingdom, and to use their newfound fiscal wisdom to store up wealth. Without shaming those who struggle financially, 5 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom is the perfect combination of spiritual wisdom and practical advice for those who desperately need it.​

​Five Simple Steps to Financial Freedom is the first book I’ve read by Dan Willis. As someone who helps facilitate a budgeting basics class for my own church and being in the middle of my own debt reduction journey, I was excited to read this book by Mr. Willis to see if I might gain some tips or tricks to help the class.
 
This book is written in a clear, simple to understand manner. I felt like Mr. Willis was speaking directly to me in this book and I appreciated it. It’s always interesting when reading a financial health book because in my experience the authors tend to scold their readers.
 
Mr. Willis avoids doing that, and he is insistent on promoting the idea that debt is bad for us because it can separate us from God. One of my favorite lines in the book is the following:
 
“God wants you to be free, but we’re not really convicted about being in debt. Do you realize that being in debt is a spiritual condition, not a financial condition? It is a sign that greed has set in.”
 
I had never considered that debt could be a sign that we’ve succumbed to the sin of greed and that it is inhibiting our spiritual growth. Debt is just a fact of life for most of us and we are aware that we will never really be free of it. It makes sense though. If we are in debt, especially if we are struggling, we are not going to give as much as we should of either our blessings and talents.
 
While this book is easy to read and will help those who have never read a financial health book before, the steps themselves are rudimentary and nothing I haven’t read in other financial books. The steps aren’t that detailed, but I think it would make a good book for beginners.
 
I give Five Steps to Financial Freedom 4/5 stars and can recommend it to those who have never considered what being debt-free can do for your spiritual and financial health. If you are looking for less generalized steps, this book is not for you.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of the book from CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.**

​Not 23 Ways to Money Greatness or 67 Options to Financial Well Being. Just Five Simple Steps to Financial Freedom. Why complicate this? Wipe out debt and create wealth.

​Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 8
Real World Bible Study, January 9
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 10
Just the Write Escape, January 11
Robin is Bookish, January 11
Books, Books, and More Books, January 12
A Baker’s Perspective, January 13
Janices book reviews, January 13
Remembrancy, January 14
Texas Book-aholic, January 15
Bigreadersite, January 15
Aryn The Libraryan, January 16
Margaret Kazmierczak, January 16
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 17
Jennifer Sienes: Where Crisis and Christ Collide, January 18
Mary Hake, January 18
A Reader’s Brain, January 19
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 20
Captive Dreams Window, January 20
Carpe Diem, January 21

​To celebrate his tour, Dan is giving away a $20 Starbucks 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/d8d4/5-simple-steps-to-finical-freedom-celebration-tour-giveaway

Click here to purchase your copy!

​​When Tori and Derek get involved in building a local women’s shelter, the extra time together stirs more than an ember of attraction. Haunted by the fear of exposure, each must wrestle with the chains of their pasts to experience freedom, love, and the full depths of God’s grace.

​Unbound by Grace is the first book I’ve read by Michelle Massaro. It is an excellent contemporary Christian romance novella that is well-written and touches on the theme of our pasts and trusting God with His plan for our lives.
 
Tori Bishop is our main character, and she comes from a wealthy and well-connected family. When the book opens she is between jobs and living with her parents. Tori’s experiences growing up in a rich family makes her wary of people’s intentions. She knows she can never be sure if people like who she is or if they want her connections.
 
Derek Miller is the opposite of Tori. He grew up in a poor area of town, his mother suffered physical and emotional abuse, and he is an ex-convict. Derek struggles with feeling inadequate because of his upbringing and his time in jail.
 
Both Tori and Derek are believers when the story begins, and each is struggling with what God is calling them to do. What we want to do is not always what God wants for us, and the disconnect causes us to struggle.
 
One of the aspects I appreciated the most about Unbound by Grace is that Tori and Derek both struggle with their different upbringings. How each of them were raised and how they lived informs a large part of their current upbringing and it rings true. We are all shaped by our life experiences and Tori and Derek are no different.
 
Though this book is well-written and Tori and Derek each have distinctive voices, the descriptions and settings are not well-detailed, and it is difficult to get a sense of place in a lot of this novella. The secondary characters are well-developed and have worries and troubles of their own. None of the secondary characters felt shoe-horned in or superfluous to the story. 
 
I give Unbound by Grace 4/5 stars and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a sweet romance and themes of forgiveness and not letting our past experiences cause fear to override our trust in God’s plan.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.**

When I sit down to write a new story, I tend to gravitate toward some pretty deep emotions. The raw kind we all have known at one point or another. It’s what connects us all as human beings, no matter how different we are on the outside. If we can learn to see ourselves in others I believe that’s where compassion is born, as well as some self-revelation. Like King David hearing the story of the rich man stealing the poor man’s lamb and realizing he was that man!

In Unbound by Grace, I was approaching the story of two super fun characters I had introduced in my first novel, Grace in the Flames. In that book, they were side characters. But I always adored writing their scenes. They were both so entertaining! And the chance to put these two together and give them their own book was just too delicious an idea to pass up.
​
I got to put them into some interesting surroundings (anyone been to watch a horse race lately?) and take them to some very exposed, vulnerable places as well. Through them I was challenged to get inside someone else’s skin, and understand. Plus, they kept me smiling as well! This story was a blast to write, and I hope you enjoy these fictional friends of mine as much as I do.
​
It’s such a pleasure to meet new readers. I hope to hear from you soon!

​Real World Bible Study, September 20
Godly Book Reviews, September 20
Among the Reads, September 21
The Power of Words, September 21
Bibliophile Reviews, September 22
A Baker’s Perspective, September 23
Fiction Aficionado, September 24
Faithfully Bookish, September 25
Reading Is My SuperPower, September 26
Carpe Diem, September 27
Lis Loves Reading, September 28
proud to be an autism mom, September 28
Simple Harvest Reads, September 29 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
Janices book reviews, September 30
The Mimosa Blossom, October 1
Books, Books, and More Books., October 1
Texas Book-aholic, October 2
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 3
Bigreadersite, October 3

​To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away a grand prize package that includes a notebook, a mug, a bookmark, a pen, a signed copy of Grace in the Flames, and an Amazon Gift Card ($40)!!
​
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d3a6/unbound-by-grace-celebration-tour-giveaway