About The Book Hidden treasure and betrayal mingle with unexpected love within the walls of Avonthorpe Hall. After studying art under Miss Drake, a renowned painter, Phoebe Radcliff is certain she can finally move beyond the childish mistake that’s kept her away from home. She is thrilled when Miss Drake employs her to complete a complicated ballroom renovation. Everything changes, however, the moment Miss Drake is murdered. With her last breath she imparts the location of a clue to Phoebe. Can the biggest secret of Avonthorpe Hall be true—the rumored treasure real? Phoebe is tasked to finish her work in the ballroom by Miss Drake’s infuriatingly regimented yet all-too-handsome nephew, Lt. Graham Burke. Determined to fulfill the promise she made to her beloved teacher to find the treasure, Phoebe also works to uncover the truth about Miss Drake’s death—and she must do so before Lt. Burke leases the house. But dark shadows line the gilded halls of Avonthorpe, and soon enough Phoebe realizes she’s not the only person who knows about the clues. What’s worse, she needs Lt. Burke’s help to stay ahead of whoever is hard on her heels. If only she weren’t so attracted to him. Caught up in a deadly race for answers, Phoebe must find a way to breach the shroud of lies that surrounds every last resident in the house and, more importantly, face a past she’s been running away from for far too long. Regency romance and mystery Stand-alone novel Book length: approximately 95,000 words Includes discussion questions for book clubs Also by author: Twilight at Moorington Cross, Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey, and The Vanishing at Loxby Manor
About Abigail Wilson Abigail Wilson combines her passion for Regency England with intrigue and adventure to pen historical mysteries with a heart. A Registered Nurse, chai tea addict, and mother of two crazy kids, Abigail fills her spare time hiking the National Parks, attending her daughter’s gymnastic meets, and curling up with a great book. In 2017, Abigail won WisRWA’s Fab Five contest and in 2016, ACFW’s First Impressions contest as well as placing as a 2017 finalist in the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and currently lives in Dripping Springs, Texas, with her husband and children.
4 stars!
Abigail Wilson brings her readers another intricately woven mystery set in Regency England. Searching for a treasure that has remained hidden for many years is sure to keep the reader interested. Especially when you add in many who are up to no good at all. Well done!
My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions in this review are expressly my own.
The murder of her ex-husband at a remote cabin and the discovery that the killers want to take her about-to-be-born baby sends Brooke Chandler running into the Tennessee mountains. She stumbles into the campsite of K-9 handler Trent Williston and his search-and-rescue dog, Rex. Trent vows to get Brooke and her baby to safety. But with the killers on their heels, the impending birth of Brooke’s baby and the threats of the wilderness, they must first survive…
About Loretta Eidson Award-winning author Loretta Eidson lives by the motto ‘never a dull moment,’ especially with her husband, four children, and thirteen grandchildren. Her love of reading began in middle school, where she devoured Phyllis Whitney’s mystery novels. Loretta’s heart is writing romantic suspense. She believes in the power of prayer and loves putting her hero and heroine in realistic predicaments where they must trust God to pull them through. Connect with Loretta on social media or through her website at http://www.lorettaeidson.com. Be sure to sign up for her quarterly newsletter http://www.lorettaeidson.com/newsletter-signup/My Rating: 4 Stars! I heard a lot of good chatter about this book and decided I needed to read it. I am very glad I did. Wonderful suspense with good characters all made for a very enjoyable read. And the author added in a very unique twist to the usual suspense. Well done!Print length
About The Book Matt Maxwell wondered a lot about changing his first name to Former: Former Marine. Former minister. Former husband. One by one, he’d lost them all. After losing his wife to his church deacon, he’d packed his battered military duffel, gassed up his ancient motorcycle, and put Baltimore in the Harley’s rearview mirrors. On an unusually cold and snowy Texas night, the Sportster breaks down along the Interstate. Out of luck and nearly broke, Matt’s lured by a bright red sign that reads SUNDOWN DINER. Inside, he meets the owners, the town’s three-man sheriff’s department, and a mechanic who thinks he can fix the old bike. Icy weather and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday make that impossible, and Matt finds himself stranded in Reliable, where everyone seems determined to keep him from the road to anywhere that isn’t Baltimore. Once the Harley is roadworthy, will he put Reliable behind him? Or does God have other plans for the down-on-his-luck pastor?
About Loree Lough At last count, USA Today best-selling author Loree Lough had 134 award-winning books (nearly 17 million copies in circulation), hundreds of industry awards, 7 book-to-movie options), 71 published short stories, and nearly 3,000 nonfiction articles in print. And in August of 2019, Loree celebrated 25 years as a published author! An oft-invited guest of writers’ organizations, colleges and universities, corporate and government agencies in the U.S. and abroad, Loree loves sharing learned-the-hard-way lessons about the craft and the industry. Once upon a time, Loree (literally) sang for her supper, performing alone and “opening” for the likes of Tom Jones, Dottie West, The Gatlin Brothers, and more. Though she refuses to share the actual year when she traded her Yamaha 6-string for a wedding ring, she IS willing to admit that, every now and then, she blows the dust off her six-string to croon a tune or two. But mostly, she just writes (and writes). Loree and her husband split their time between a home in the Baltimore suburbs and a cabin in the Allegheny Mountains, where she continues to hone her “identify the critter tracks” skills. Her favorite pastime? Spending long, leisurely hours with her grandchildren…all seven of them! Loree and co-host Andrea Boeshaar interview writers (fiction and non), artists, editors, agents, and performers on the popular weekly podcast, Discover the Story, broadcast via iHeart Radio, iTunes, YouTube, Spreaker, and more. Loree loves hearing from her readers, and answers every letter, personally. You can connect with her at Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and http://www.loreelough.com.
5 Stars! This book was so good. A preacher out of a job and down on his luck finds that God has a wonderful plan for his life now. He is taken in by a diner full of great folks in a small town, which made me want to visit them. I enjoyed these characters so much. Shed a few tears, too. Loree Lough has done a fine job here. I look forward to the next in the series. My thanks to the author for a copy of this book. I was not required to leave a review.
Nothing will be merry about Steve Weston’s Christmas if he doesn’t find a nanny for his newborn nephew fast. But the best choice is Chloe Richardson, the woman he pushed away years ago. He has a second chance at making the season’s joy last for a lifetime—unless he allows old wounds to separate them once more…
From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.About Meghann Whistler Click the “Follow” button to be notified by email whenever Meghann publishes a new book! Meghann Whistler writes sweet Christian romance novels that WON’T make your grandmother blush. Her debut novel, FALLING FOR THE INNKEEPER, was named one of “Six Sensational 2020 Debut Series Romances” by the American Library Association’s Booklist Reader, and was a finalist for the 2021 Book Buyers Best Award. Her latest book, THE BILLIONAIRE’S SECRET, was a #1 bestseller and #1 Hot New Release across multiple categories on Amazon.com, including Christian Romance, Christian Women’s Fiction, and Contemporary Religious Fiction, among others. Before settling down with her rocket scientist husband and raising three rambunctious boys, Meghann earned a B.A. in English from Amherst College and an M.F.A. in creative writing from Emerson College. Learn more and get insider updates by joining her newsletter at http://www.MeghannWhistler.com/newsletter My Rating: 4 Stars What a sweet story this was. A young man raising his newborn nephew and facing nearly impossible odds and old heartaches hires as a nanny a girl he once knew and cared for. That girl also has heartaches. But read on to see what God can do with our problems! Precious!
My thanks to the author for a copy of this book.Print length
About The Book “In this heartwarming compilation, three talented authors bring us the perfect blend of small-town nostalgia and holiday warmth . . . [as] timeless as the notes of a favorite carol and as softly luminous as lights twinkling on an evergreen tree.” –Amanda Barratt, Christy Award-winning author of The White Rose Resists
In this charming collection of novellas, join three generations of Mapleview, Michigan, residents longing for love–and finding it–on the most wonderful night of the year. “Hopes and Fears” by Amanda WenEmma Trowbridge is determined to give her students the Christmas pageant of a lifetime. The last person she expected, or wanted, to encounter in her two-room classroom is her childhood rival, Frederick Oberstein. He would rather be far away himself. He wants no part of cheer, Christmas or otherwise. Can they learn to see each other in a new light–and embrace a new season of hope and faith together? “While Mortals Sleep” by Janyre Tromp While World War II rages overseas, news reporter Eleanor Sweers returns home to Mapleview to face the repercussions of the death of her sister and her nightmare of Christmases past. But the homefront isn’t as far from the war as she thought: a bomb has landed in the middle of the U.S. Now Eleanor and family friend Gideon Braum may have to choose between the scoop of a lifetime and the love of a lifetime. “The Wondrous Gift” by Deborah Raney High school football coach Caleb Janssen and music teacher Rachel Hamblin bond when they both lose their jobs at a Christian school. But when they discover their plans for the future are mutually exclusive, the fallout threatens to tear them apart.
About Amanda Wen Amanda Wen’s debut novel, Roots of Wood and Stone, released to both reader and critical acclaim, including a Christy Award nomination for First Novel. She also placed first in multiple contests, including the 2017 Indiana Golden Opportunity Contest, the 2017 Phoenix Rattler Contest, and the 2016 ACFW First Impressions Contest, among others. In addition to her writing, Amanda is an accomplished professional cellist and pianist who frequently performs with orchestras, chamber groups, and her church’s worship team, as well as serving as a choral accompanist. A lifelong denizen of the flatlands, Amanda currently lives in Kansas with her patient, loving, and hilarious husband, their three adorable Wenlets, and a snuggly Siamese cat.
About Janyre Tromp In case we get to meet in person some day, you pronounce that first name Jan-air. Kind of like the stove. I’m a developmental book editor by day and a writer at night. And that all happens from my kitchen table when I’m not hanging out with my husband, two kids, and slightly eccentric Shetland Sheepdog. Unfortunately, I spilled coffee on my super cape and then the dryer ate it. So you’ll just have to imagine I can do it all! I have four traditionally published books—a WWII era novel, Shadows in the Mind’s Eye; a juvenile fiction, That Sinking Feeling; and two board books in the All About God’s Animals series—and 2 indie books—Wide Open, a historical novella and It’s a Wonderful Christmas, a Christmas novella collection (coming October 2021). But my passion is writing about the beauty of the world—past and present—even when it isn’t pretty. After all, isn’t it the beauty in the world that gets us through the day? Hopefully after you hang out with me for a bit, we’ll be able to see things a little more clearly, find a little bit of meaning, and make a bigger impact. With me what you see is what you get…all the Beautiful, all the Ugly, all the Me.
About Deborah Raney
DEBORAH RANEY’s first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title and launched Deb’s writing career. She has now written more than forty books, including novels for imprints of Random House, Simon & Schuster, and HarperCollins. Deb served on the board of the 2500-member American Christian Fiction Writers for 18 years and teaches at writers conferences around the country. Her novels have won RWA’s RITA Award, the ACFW Carol Award, the National Readers Choice Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She is also a three-time Christy Award finalist. Deb is a recent Missouri transplant, having moved with her husband, Ken Raney, from their native Kansas to be closer to kids and grandkids. They love road trips, Friday garage sale dates, and breakfast on the screened porch overlooking their wooded backyard. Visit Deb on the Web at http://www.deborahraney.com.
FROM THE AUTHOR: I went from full-time stay-at-home mom for 20-plus years to full-time author. My passion is my family—my husband and I have four kids and an even dozen grandkids. But since, if a mom does her job right, she eventually puts herself OUT of a job, I’m delighted to have discovered a “next” career that I love.
My first literary love is fiction and I have written more than forty books and contributed to several anthologies. The third and final book of my Camfield Legacy series, Breath of Heaven, released in 2022, and my new Christmas novella, “The Wondrous Gift,” is part of O Little Town from Kregel.
A typical writing day for me begins early—usually before 5 a.m.—with the business side of things: answering e-mail and reader mail, writing blog posts, reading for research. Our routine is much quieter now than when we had four kids at home! When my writing time begins each day, I have a routine that sets the stage: lighting scented candles, choosing music to write by, and brewing a perfect cup of coffee. I have a cozy office that looks out over our front yard, but I much prefer to take my laptop out to the back screened porch overlooking our woods where the deer, birds, squirrels, groundhogs, raccoons, foxes, and bunnies provide inspiration and entertainment.
As much as I enjoy the actual process of writing, I am an extrovert by nature, and doubt I’d have lasted long in this business were it not for the company of several wonderful online writers’ groups, connecting with other authors at retreats and conventions, and meeting aspiring writers whenever my husband and I teach at conferences around the country.
Ken and I started road-tripping in 2018 and in 2021 we bought a 1998 Chinook camper and have taken several weeks-long trips since then—the southeastern coastal states, the northern states, northwest through Montana and Utah, and a dozen or so national parks. If the price of gas doesn’t keep us home, we hope to add more to our list this year. We love that we can work from the road while researching, taking photos, and exploring new story ideas!
Probably the most exciting event in my writing life so far was having my first novel made into a movie by World Wide Pictures. Certainly a dream come true for any author, and I feel blessed beyond words to still get to be doing what I love as my day job.
My Rating: 4 stars If you like Christmas stories, and I do, then you need to pick this one up and read it. Three novellas tucked into this and they are so sweet and precious. All three take place in a very small town at different time periods. Your heart will smile when you close the book. I enjoyed this one.
Thanks to Kregel for a copy of this book. The opinion in this review is my own. Print length
About The Book During a time when legends were born . . .
ENTRUSTED
The feisty enemy princess, the cunning knight holding her captive, and the ultimate battle that will determine their fate.
Hoping to minimize the death and destruction of the coming war, Princess Birgitta of Swaine leads the Dark Warriors as part of her brother King Canute’s efforts to take the throne of Norvegia. As she engages in a skirmish with a band of elite Knights of Brethren, she’s kidnapped by Kristoffer Prestegard, a cunning warrior.
While searching for the holy lamp that can help defeat the Dark Warriors, Kristoffer realizes that Swaine has already seized the ancient relic. Since King Canute is fiercely protective of his sister, Kristoffer offers to return Princess Birgitta in exchange for the coveted holy lamp.
While trying to keep his feisty prisoner from escaping, Kristoffer learns that his father and uncle have set in motion a scheme that would give him the kingship of Norvegia. Where will Kristoffer’s loyalties lie, and how will he choose sides without losing everything, including the princess he’s grown to love?
The real story of the Holy Lamp continues . . .
About Jody Hedlund Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over forty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes clean, sweet romances with plenty of sizzle. Find out more at jodyhedlund.com.
KNIGHTS OF BRETHREN SERIES: Enamored Entwined Ensnared Enriched (Coming July, 2022) Enflamed (Coming August, 2022) Entrusted (Coming September, 2022) FAIREST MAIDENS SERIES: Beholden Beguiled Besotted LOST PRINCESSES SERIES: Always: Prequel Novella Evermore Foremost Hereafter NOBLE KNIGHTS SERIES: The Vow: Prequel Novella An Uncertain Choice A Daring Sacrifice For Love & Honor A Loyal Heart A Worthy Rebel
My Rating: 5 Stars! Jody Hedlund brings her wonderful Knights of Brethren series to a wonderful close with this story, featuring Kristoffer and Birgitta. This has been so great to read this outstanding series set in the medieval era. Hedlund does this genre so well. I was captivated during the entire reading of them all. I was sad to see it end. Truly.
‘I had to choose the honorable path, choosing sacrifice over personal gain.’
I certainly hope Hedlund decides to revisit this series. There are a few characters I’d love to see have their own story. Fingers crossed! I highly recommend this series.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book. The opinion here is entirely my own.
About The Book This epic journey will test his ability to protect his children—and they’re all he has left.
Missionary Elise Lane returns with her team to the Rocky Mountain native tribe they serve to discover the entire village—including the children she’s come to love—has been massacred. A fierce brave standing at the edge of the devastation has taken the only surviving child.
Goes Ahead returns home with his son to find his worst fears have come true—his entire village has been slaughtered, including his wife. Only their infant daughter has survived. But there’s no time for grief or vengeance. He must get his children across the mountains to the protection of his family.
The last thing he wants is help from the white people who’ve brought this disaster on his village, but his babe is not yet four moons old. Her hungry cries prove he can’t make this journey without the white woman already nursing a babe of her own. But she refuses to come without the rest of her group, including the opinionated missionary who thinks she knows best for his children. As winter closes in and the mountains prove treacherous beyond anything Goes Ahead can control, only a strength and love greater than his own can save his children—and the woman he’s come to love.
From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and adventure so intense, lives will never be the same.
About Misty M. Beller 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. For a limited time, you can get one of her bestselling novels FREE here: https://mistymbeller.com/freebook 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. Learn more at http://www.MistyMBeller.com.
My Rating: 5 Stars! ‘Can your God make me better?’
I am a huge Misty Beller fan and this book is so incredibly precious! I love the series, anyway, but this one was extra special. I am a history buff, and Beller knows her history well indeed. I highly recommend this one. There’s a lot more I could say about it, but it would be a spoiler. Suffice it to say, this book is great!
My thanks to the author for a copy of this book.Language
About The Book It may seem odd to seek peace by moving to a war-torn African country, but for medical missionary Dr. Cynthia Myers, it provided a way to escape a shallow life of unearned wealth, a philandering fiancé, and a father now square in the public eye as vice president of the United States. At least here she knows her work and life have meaning. But all that is thrown into chaos when she fails to save the life of a local warlord’s mortally wounded son.
As part of the Army Special Forces “A-Team” on a mission to capture and subdue the warlord, Captain Rick Norton is compelled to use deadly force to save Cynthia’s life. Enraged at the violence she witnessed and riddled with guilt that men died because of her, Cynthia tries to hold on to her anger–but an unwanted attraction is taking hold.
With two members of his team badly injured and rebels in hot pursuit, Rick will have to draw upon all his strength and cunning to get her out alive . . . because he’s beginning to think they just might overcome their differences and be able to make a life together.
About Hallee Bridgeman Get a free ebook when you sign up for Hallee’s newsletter: http://www.halleebridgeman.com/newsletter Hallee Bridgeman is the award winning and USA TODAY bestselling author of several action-packed romantic suspense books and series. An Army brat turned Floridian, Hallee settled with her husband in central Kentucky, where they have raised their three children. When she’s not writing, Hallee pursues her passion for cooking, coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Christ; and relies on the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide her. LOVE AND HONOR SERIES Prequel: Love in Any Language 1. Honor Bound 2. Word of Honor 3. Honor’s Refuge\
My Review: 5 Stars! ‘There is evil in the world and sometimes what protects pacifists are soldiers willing to meet that violence with equal violence.’
Boy howdy, this was a good book! I was immersed completely on the first page. I’d never read a book by Hallee Bridgeman and I was just amazed at how good the writing was. The story line was great and the character development was very well done indeed. I’m always a bit skeptical when choosing a new author’s book to read, but I was so not disappointed here.
This author’s words grabbed me immediately and just refused to let me go. Her heart-stopping military suspense with a God-honoring spiritual thread was stunning. My family has a large military presence and I am a complete patriot, and this aspect of the book really was amazing. I’m always thankful for those brave men and women who put their all on the line for this great country we live in. It was unputdownable to this reader and I could not wait to get back to it after having to pause for life occasionally. I’m happy to see she has a back list and I can read more of her good work. Well done!
My thanks to Revell Publishing for a copy of this book via Net Galley and the Revell Reads program. The opinion here is my own.
Christmas should be celebrated with family. But for Vera Swanson, that’s not an option this year. Widowed and recently relocated, she is lonely in her condo-for-one–until little Fiona Albright knocks on her door needing help. With her mother seriously ill and her father out of town, Fiona enlists Vera’s help, and when she finds out her new neighbor is a quilter, she has a special request–a Christmas quilt for Mama.
Vera will have to get a ragtag group of women together in order to fulfill the request. Between free-spirited artist Tasha, chatty empty nester Beverly, retired therapist Eleanor, and herself, Vera has hopes that Christmas for the Albright family will be merry, after all–and she may find herself a new family of friends along the way.
Bestselling and award-winning author Melody Carlson invites you to cuddle up this holiday season with this cozy story of giving, forgiving, and a little bit of romance.
About Melody Carlson Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including Romantic Time’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com
4 Stars I never miss Melody Carlson’s Christmas stories. They are so moving and heartwarming. This one is particularly precious. A four year old girl wants to give her mother a beautiful quilt for Christmas. A lonely widow, a grieving widow and mother, and a few others added to the mix and you have the recipe for a delightful and moving Christmas story.
My thanks to Revell Publishing for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion in this review is my own.
About The Book She thought he was arrogant. He thought her walls would never come down. Then they fell in love. Forever walking the line between passion and conflict, Laurel and Gavin’s relationship ended in divorce after years of miscommunication and unmet expectations. Now pursuing their own separate lives and careers, the two are content . . . though not completely happy. When their best friends, Mike and Mallory, are killed in a plane crash, Laurel and Gavin are stunned to learn they’ve been named guardians of their friends’ young daughter, Emma. Putting their differences aside, the estranged couple search for a suitable guardian as they care for Emma and manage Mike and Mallory’s apple orchard. Soon tempers flare—as does the passion they both remember so well. And Laurel and Gavin find themselves working through their past—their mistakes, their miscommunications, and ultimately the tragedy that ended their marriage. Will the seeds of love, still growing inside them, thrive and flourish? Or will grief and regret strangle the feelings before they can fully blossom?
About Denise Hunter
Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than forty novels, three of which have been adapted into Hallmark movies. She has appeared on the The 700 Club and been featured in Southern Living and Woman’s World.
Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories, peopled with layered characters who have real-life issues. Her readers enjoy the vicarious thrill of falling in love and the promise of a happily-ever-after sigh as they savor the final pages of her books.
In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she’s been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!
When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling, drinking chai lattes, hiking, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband raised three boys and are currently enjoying an empty nest and two beautiful granddaughters.
My Rating: 4 Stars! This last book in her Riverbend series is very good. I wondered how she would manage this story, given the history of the two main protagonists. But she did a mighty fine job of it. I really enjoyed it very much.
My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion is expressly my own here.
Simply Susan 