My Thoughts and More on Miss Beth Bettencourt by Eva Marie Everson

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Miss Beth Bettencourt by Eva Marie Everson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Miss Beth Bettencourt 
Author: Eva Marie Everson 
Publisher: Kregel 
Release Date: May 12, 2026 
Genre: Southern Fiction/Christian Fiction

Will an unlikely romance tear down Beth’s walls of indifference? 

It's 1962 in Bynum, Georgia, and Beth Bettencourt's world is turned upside down when she wakes to a man snoring in the guest bedroom. 

She's home alone; her parents are traveling abroad, grieving her twin sister's unexpected death. Instead of accompanying them, Beth stayed in Bynum to tend to her kindergarten and closely guard her own heart. 

A beautiful and beloved member of the community, Beth is an unusual specimen for her time as she nears thirty and remains unmarried. She holds deep-seated unforgiveness toward her twin, Elise, who ran off with Beth's beau. To make matters worse, Elise took their grandmother's ring, which had been promised to Beth. 

But now a stranger enters her home and her world. David Patrick Martin seems ready to break down her walls of indifference and find the core of Miss Beth Bettencourt. But can he be trusted with Beth's past, her present, and more importantly, her future?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Kregel Publications | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

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About the Author

Eva Marie Everson is a bestselling, multi-award-winning author of nearly 50 works of fiction and nonfiction. Collectively, her novels have sold over 300,000 copies. She is the CEO of Word Weavers International, the director of Florida Christian Writers Conference, and a popular speaker at writers conferences across the nation. Eva Marie is a double magna cum laude graduate of Andersonville Theological Seminary (Associate of Biblical Studies and Bachelor of Biblical Exposition) and of Tzemach Institute (a two-year program in Biblical Studies). In 2022, she was awarded the Yvonne Lehman Legacy Award and presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association). She and her husband live in Central Florida where they enjoy their children and grandchildren. They are owned by a Norwegian Forest cat named Vanessa.

Connect with Eva Marie by visiting evamarieeversonauthor.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

My Thoughts:

What an interesting story this was, with a set of unique characters that really just jumped off the page. This story takes place in the 1960's which was fun to visit. And again, the characters and their secrets are what really kept drawing me back into this story.

Beth is a young woman who for the most part knows her own mind. She has some history we are not told about right away, but it has made her into the woman that she is today. She meets the hero of the story when she finds him sleeping in her guest bedroom uninvited. That was a very quirky meet cute situation for all involved.

Marty is back from the military and on his way home after he makes some money. Through a series of misfortunes, he finds himself at the wrong place at the wrong time. He also has some truths he is keep close to his chest. So begins the story of Beth and Marty.

The was full of Southern charm, a close-knit community, and a bit of mystery with romance blending in seamlessly. The side characters, especially Molly was such a character that I was waiting for her to start fussing with me. And the cover is absolutely gorgeous. 

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

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Tour Giveaway

(5) winners will each receive a copy of Miss Beth Bettencourt (winner's choice between ebook or print), Southern recipes, a Miss Beth Bettencourt bookmark, and a $10 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 11, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 18, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

My Thoughts and More on A Love Restored by Kelly J. Goshom

 

About the Book

Book: A Love Restored

Author: Kelly J. Goshorn

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: June 18, 2018

Loudoun County, Virginia, 1873

With pert opinions and a less than perfect figure, Ruth Ann Sutton doesn’t measure up to society’s vision of a perfect lady. When she accepts a position teaching in a Freedman’s School, it threatens the only marriage offer Ruth Ann is likely to receive. She’s forced to choose between life as a lonely spinster or reinventing herself to secure a proposal from a man she doesn’t love.

Determined to rise above his meager beginnings, Benjamin Coulter’s reputation as a fast learner and hard worker earn him the opportunity to apprentice with a surveyor for the railroad—a position that will garner the respect he craves. After a chance encounter with Ruth Ann, Benjamin is smitten with her pretty face, quick wit, and feisty personality.

When others ridicule his choice, Benjamin must decide if he will follow his heart or put ambition first.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This was a great story that takes a very raw and emotional look at a heroine who is a bit on the plumper side and trying to deal with her inadequacies as she sees them and their detrimental effect on her self-image. Ruth Ann has been held to high standards her whole life, but she never quite makes the mark. Her weight is something she has always dealt with, fought with, and even her own mother points that out. She is about to be married to a man she neither loves, or even really likes.

In steps Benjamin who is instantly drawn to Ruth Ann, though he has no idea why. She can be stubborn and infuriating and she is definitely not what he is looking for in wife material. But he can't help himself and he begins to fall for her. Until he lets his own ideas and other comments on her fuller figure get to him and remind himself of all the promises he has made to himself.

The author shows us the real war that is being fought for both Ruth Ann and Benjamin, the power of forgiveness, and the faith and work that goes into trusting someone again. Most women can relate to the battle that Ruth Ann is fighting in this novel for many reasons. This story resonated truth on many levels and focuses on the One who sees our true selves.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Kelly Goshorn weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into inspiring stories of love, faith, and family set in America’s vibrant past. She is the bestselling author of The Undercover Heiress of Brockton and A Love Restored. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys binge-watching BBC period dramas, exploring historical sites with her husband, board-gaming with family and friends, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Biscuit.

 

 

 

More from Kelly

Writing my Real-Life Romance

 

When I first began tinkering with storytelling in 2011, I wrote about an Irish mail order bride. I’m not sure what it is about mail order bride stories that fascinates me, but I will read everyone I can get my hands on. When my husband discovered that I was writing creatively he looked over my chapter and advised that it “wasn’t bad,” then suggested I write our story.

Honestly, God had whispered in my heart a long time ago that I would share our story, but I assumed I’d give my testimony in a ladies Bible study or something. I never imagined I’d share some of the most painful moments of my life with the world in written form. However, the more I thought about it, the more I agreed that our story had all the elements needed for a great romance—interesting characters, a strong spiritual arc, and enough conflict to drive a Mac truck through the hardest of hearts.

Like my full-figured heroine, Ruth Ann, I’ve struggled with weight issues my entire life. I’ve had cruel things said about my appearance. Oftentimes by people who were supposed to love me.

Boys don’t date chubby girls.

You have such a pretty face, you really should do something about your figure.

Men don’t marry overweight women.

 

But their insensitive words failed in comparison to the ugly way I spoke to myself.

You’re fat.

You’re ugly.

No one likes you.

No man…will ever…love you.

 

I’d become so defined by the negative comments and opinions of those surrounding me, I no longer saw anything to esteem. I’d allowed my self-worth to be determined by a yardstick that measured my value according to the size of my waist or the flatness of my stomach, always coming up short.

Then one night the unthinkable happened. Mike, the man I’d previously been dating told me the real reason he ended our relationship weeks earlier. “I made a vow that I wouldn’t marry a woman who was overweight.” My mind spiraled out of control recalling every unkind word that others or I had spoken about my appearance. Within an hour I was curled up on my bathroom floor, an entire bottle of ibuprofen emptied in shaky palm.

Thankfully, that is not where the story ended. Weeks earlier, knowing I was sad about the breakup with this man, my pastor’s wife asked if I had been thinking about suicide. Shocked, I told her no. Prompted by the Holy Spirit the two of us prayed against the spirit of suicide and that no harm would come to me by own hand. I firmly believe those prayers saved my life in that dark moment when the voice of the enemy was silenced, and I chose to live.

Although I learned that God loved me in a way no man ever could, he brought a soul mate into my life. A loving husband who, despite my fuller figure, often greets me in the morning with a loving salutation, “Good morning, Beautiful.”

Mike and I will celebrate 36 years of marriage in June.

Yes, the same Mike whose other words had sent me into a life-threatening tailspin.

God had to purge those negative thoughts from the minds of both Mike and me. We had to experience the fullness of God’s love for us before we could give and receive love unconditionally in marriage—to anyone. God could’ve decided to bring us new relationships, start over with a clean slate. Instead, He taught us about forgiveness, trust, and unconditional love.

He had not only chosen to heal, but to restore.

Our journey to unconditional love and acceptance is told through my characters in A Love Restored. At its core, A Love Restored is not only a story of love, romance, heartache and restoration, but also a story about the power of words over our lives. It is a story about the struggle each of us faces to take our thoughts captive to the truth of Scripture so we may experience the fullness of God’s unequivocal love for us. As my husband and I discovered, it is only then that we are truly able to give and receive love, unconditionally.

My prayer for you and your lovely readers is that you will not allow the enemy to steal the joy that is rightfully yours as a child of God. Speak the truth of the gospel over yourself every day and ask God to give you His eyes to see yourself as He does (1 Samuel 16:7b).

Your Turn: Have you ever been plagued by self-doubt? If so, in what area of your life? How did you overcome it?

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 8

Devoted Steps, May 9

Artistic Nobody, May 10 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Familiy, May 11

Simple Harvest Reads, May 12 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Guild Master, May 13 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, May 13

Life on Chickadee Lane, May 14

Fiction Book Lover, May 15 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, May 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys , May 17

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 18 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, May 18

Books You Can Feel Good About, May 19

Cover Lover Book Review, May 20

Books Less Travelled, May 21 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kelly is giving away the grand prize of a canvas tote bag with XOXO printed on it, a print copy of A Love Restored, a few “novel teas” tea bags, one “I’d Rather Be Reading” notepad, a pen, a pair of booklover socks, and a “I can do all things through Christ” charm bracelet!!

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

https://gleam.io/wYPCS/a-love-restored-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on Vinny by MaryAnn Diorio

 

About the Book

Book: VINNY

Author: MaryAnn Diorio

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Release Date: April 15, 2026

VINNY by MaryAnn Diorio

Book 1 in The South Philly Italians Romantic Suspense Series

Vinny Morello is on track for a promising career in the fine arts. But when tragedy suddenly hurls him headlong into a life-altering crisis, he faces a frightening fork in the road. Which one will he take? The road that leads to life or the road that leads to death?

VINNY is an edge-of-your-seat, romantic suspense story where tragedy and triumph merge into transformation. Don’t miss it!

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

For whatever reason, I forgot that this was suspense. Here I am reading this story about a young artist who is trying to get his father to understand why he does not want to take over the family deli business. Even though it has been their family business for a few generations, he wants to be an artist, and he is good at what he does. So, Vinny steps out on his own to try to get his business off the ground.

His first meet with Rosalie was pretty much an instant attraction for both of them. However, they both wanted to get to know one another better. Rosalie is temporarily working at an art gallery until she can find a nurse's position. They start a business relationship first, both hoping they have found the one.

However, don't forget that this is a suspense, and then BOOM! it happens. Now they are trapped in a nightmare neither wanted. I really didn't see what happened next coming. So, reader beware, this is going to tug at your emotions and have you on the edge of your seat in no time.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

MaryAnn Diorio writes award-winning fiction from a quaint small town in New Jersey where neighbors still chat while walking their dogs, families and friends gather on wide, wrap-around porches, and the charming downtown finds kids licking lollipops and old married folks holding hands. A Jersey girl at heart, MaryAnn is a huge fan of Jersey diners, Jersey tomatoes, and the Jersey shore.

More from MaryAnn

All Things Italian

by MaryAnn Dorio

 

I grew up in a home where Italian was my mother tongue. My late mother, one of the first war brides of World War II, was an immigrant from the romantic city of Naples, Italy. When I was born, she knew no English. So, we communicated in Italian. Although my mother eventually learned English, she and I always spoke in Italian until she passed away.

When I went off to college, I majored in French and minored in Italian. After I graduated, I spent a year of study at the University of Florence in Italy, earning my Master’s degree in Italian Language and Literature. Afterward, I taught Italian at the university level here in the States.

From my earliest days, Italy was a big part of my culture and of my heart. And it still is. It is no wonder then that I gravitate to writing fiction with an Italian flair. This is the milieu I know and understand best. It is the milieu I love. And I want to share it with you through my stories.

But, my fiction is far more than Italian. It is universal. In other words, it deals with issues that pertain to all of us humans. Issues of pride, rebellion, lust, and greed. Issues of deception, betrayal, hatred, and fear.  Issues that result from our failure to love.

When you read my stories, you will travel to the deepest places of the human heart. Places you might not want to go to because they are places of pain, of confrontation, of facing our past and our sin. But they are also places of truth where you will find the freedom from the past and from sin that only truth brings. For my stories not only explore the deepest issues of the human heart; they show you how to overcome them through Jesus Christ.

Won’t you join me on this entertaining journey of exploration and transformation? If you do, I have a feeling that at the end of my stories, you will discover that you have become a far better person than you were at the beginning.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 9

Simple Harvest Reads, May 10 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, May 11

Artistic Nobody, May 12 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, May 13

Guild Master, May 14 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, May 15

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, May 16 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 16

Pause for Tales, May 17

Fiction Book Lover, May 18 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, May 19

Books, Books, & More Books, May 20 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 21 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 21

Books Less Travelled, May 22 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour MaryAnn is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a print copy of the book!!

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

https://gleam.io/loxwx/vinny-celebration-tour-giveaway

Spotlight and More on Loving Sarah by Jo Huddleston

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Loving Sarah by Jo Huddleston, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Loving Sarah 
Author: Jo Huddleston 
Publisher:Forget Me Not Romances, a division of Winged Publications 
Release Date: May 12, 2026 
Genre: 1950s sweet small-town romance  

Sarah wears William’s engagement ring. Then, Robert arrives in town. 

In this love-triangle story, Sarah cheerfully manages the candy shop she inherited from her mama. Being engaged to be married to Gatlinburg, Tennessee’s most eligible bachelor, makes her life pretty much perfect. But then she meets Robert and has an unexplainable sense they’ve met before. 

Robert travels from Michigan to operate Gatlinburg’s main-street SkyLift attraction while his dad recovers from a fall. He’s miserable being relocated to this Tennessee mountains hick town. That is, until he meets Sarah and feels an instant attraction to her. He’s unaware that the town’s biggest secret involves him. 

Although she’s engaged to another, Sarah and Robert are mysteriously drawn to each other. This woman and her beloved mountains curb his desire to return to Michigan. Will Sarah give in to her feelings for Robert or be true to the man she’s promised to marry? 

Loving Sarah is steeped in the easygoing culture and traditions of the Smoky Mountains in the 1950s. The story is a sweet, small-town romance with a heart-wrenching battle to make the right choice. This book will keep you turning pages with its mix of loyalty, betrayal, uncertainty, and emotional stakes.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

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About the Author

Jo Huddleston writes sweet Southern romances set in the 1950s, where you can escape into wholesome, faith-based love stories of deep commitment, hope, and happily-ever-after endings. Readers describe Jo as a wonderful storyteller whose books are sure to inspire and entertain you. Reviewers say her books should be Hallmark movies.

She likes to laugh with people, but not at people. The beach is her favorite vacation spot. She’s a spectator fan of several sports, with tennis being her favorite. She doesn’t enjoy being in the dark and is fearful of snakes! 

Jo holds a BA degree with honors from Lincoln Memorial University (TN), where she is a member of their Literary Hall of Fame. She earned the MEd degree from Mississippi State University. 

Please visit Jo's website and get a free book when you sign up for her newsletter.

Excerpt:

Having grown up in these parts, Sarah knew many local people, but she wondered

about this handsome stranger. He appeared extremely familiar, but she couldn’t put

a name to him or remember where she might have met him. She didn’t want to be

caught staring at him, but she continued to cautiously study him. Maybe it would

come to her where she had seen him before.

Being engaged to William didn’t stop her from taking notice of a good-looking

man near her age. It was like her frequent window shopping—she looked but

didn’t choose to buy anything. After all, he didn’t wear a wedding ring.

His dark auburn hair held just enough curl to flip up in the back over the top of his

white shirt collar. Many women in Detroit probably yearned to run their fingers

through those curls, so unlike the shorter haircuts of the local men. The stranger

didn’t appear to be from around here, with his expensive-looking suit, his shiny

leather dress shoes, and the standoffish way he carried himself.

He unnerved her slightly by being near him. Alone in the waiting room, they were

seated a respectable distance apart. Nevertheless, something like electricity buzzed

 

between them in the small room. The sensation was like a magnet pulling them

together. Once, he took a sideways glance at her. Did he feel the vibrations as well?

His leather shoe tapped the floor continuously.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card + eBook of Loving Sarah!

(2) winners will each receive the eBook of Loving Sarah!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 12, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 19, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. No delivery restrictions. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

My Thoughts and More on A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham

 

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: A Brewed Awakening 

Author: Pepper Basham 

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 

Release Date: May 5, 2026 

Genre: Small Town Contemporary Romance 

Daphne dreams of Mr. Darcy. Finn serves up pints and rock music. Can opposites attract when a tea shop princess meets her pub-owning rival? 

In the charming mountain town of Wisteria, North Carolina, Daphne Austen clings to tradition like cream to a scone. She's built her life--and her late grandmother's tearoom, Tea Thyme--around all things English: delicate china, Jane Austen novels, and the comforting predictability of routine. The only thing threatening her perfectly ordered world? The loud, aggravatingly handsome Brit opening a pub next door. 

After his ex-wife broke his heart and his business partner nearly destroyed his career, Finn Dashwood packed up his six-year-old daughter and left England behind. He's looking for a fresh start, and the last thing he needs is a fussy, tea-obsessed neighbor criticizing his every pint and playlist. It doesn't matter that she's ridiculously kind (to everyone else) and that his daughter is utterly fascinated by her. Finn's heart is not open to being broken again. 

But disagreements turn into prank wars and then a competition when a high-profile wedding needs a last-minute caterer. The townsfolk are thrilled--Wisteria hasn't seen this much excitement since the county fair lost a goat. 

When the wedding demands both sweet and savory fare, Daphne and Finn are forced to put down their swords and pick up their serving trays. Between burnt pastries, brewing tempers, trending hashtags (#SipsAndSpats, anyone?), and one very adorable little girl, rivalry soon gives way to reluctant friendship--and maybe something that feels suspiciously like chemistry. 

Can a tea shop princess and a pub owner with a past mix their lives as seamlessly as clotted cream and jam . . . or will their differences keep them steeped in rivalry forever? 

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Thomas Nelson | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | BookBub | Bookshop

Also Available:

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About the Author

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of southwestern VA, where she is a wife, mom to five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

Connect with Pepper by visiting pepperdbasham.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

My Thoughts:

This novel serves up Southern hospitality with British charm, kind of. She is Southern and he is British and neither can get along. Humorously their war with words and their respective businesses clash one too many times, quite possibly made worse with their underlying mutual attraction. But will either wave the white flag of surrender?

Daphne Austen has inherited her grandmother's tea shop. Still grieving over the losses in her life, this latest one has really set her back. She really wanted to keep everything the way her late grandmother had things, in a way to preserve her memory. But Daphne needs to realize that she is also valuable and it is ok to add new ideas and maybe shake up what has always been. She is her own person, and her grandmother would be proud of her.

That is exactly what her new business neighbor Finn Dashwood is doing. He has moved from England with his little girl to open an English pub in a little Southern town in North Carolina. He is ready for changes, and he is not going to let his cute, but frustrating neighbor derail his plans when she insists on keeping things the same.

This was a fun read of when opposites attract and how not to start a neighborhood war of businesses. Hanging on to the old traditions and branching out to the new are both important topics. So is letting down your guard and being loved and giving love. Their love match was a battle of wit and humor, tea and coffee, but they both lost anyway, to each other.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will receive a signed copy of A Brewed Awakening, and winners choice of a Literary Beverage Mug or a Storming Castles mug!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 13, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 20, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

My Thoughts and More on The Hometown Cop's Forever Family by Tara Randel

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Hometown Cop's Forever Family by Tara Randel, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Hometown Cop's Forever Family 
Series: A Golden, Georgia Romance #3 
Author: Tara Randel 
Publisher: Harlequin Heartwarming 
Release Date: April 28, 2026 
Genre: Wholesome Contemporary Romance

Solving crimes  

And falling in love! 

Charming, small-town Golden, Georgia, has everything Briana Connelly needs—her four-year-old daughter, her family, and her job as a police officer. When her former best friend, Jackson Walker, returns suddenly and is made her partner at work, she’s forced to face the events that drove them apart. With a mysterious theft to investigate, spending time with Jax is unavoidable…and easier than she’d like. Especially when his effortless warmth wins over her precious daughter. As a deeper connection grows between them, he starts to feel like a part of Briana’s little family. But if overcoming the past means admitting their true feelings—that might be the biggest risk of all.  

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

From Harlequin Heartwarming: Wholesome stories of love, compassion and belonging.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Harlequin.com | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

More in This Series

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About the Author

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Tara lives on the West Coast of Florida, where gorgeous sunsets and beautiful weather inspire the creation of heartwarming stories. Tara has received the Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Award and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.

Connect with Tara by visiting tararandel.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

My Thoughts:

In a small town, two friends that have grown close and everyone thought would get married, have a sudden falling out when one wants to leave home and the other wants to stay. Family is at the root of it all.

Briana did not want to join her Jax, her best friend once upon a time, while he went off to the military. She cared for him and they did everything together, but she was unwilling to leave her mom and her sisters after the devastating heartbreak they had all endured. Jax wanted to get out of town as fast as he could, so their friendship obviously took a hit.

Years later Briana is a single mom and a cop still in her hometown and she loves her life. Then Jax returns to stay. Why? His family this time. Now he is also a cop, and Briana is assigned as his partner. Could anything be worse or better?

This was a story of second chances with family and love at the center of all of it. There is also a bit of mystery thrown in as both are cops and their main assignment is to protect some golden treasures. A crime ensues and both must work together to solve it. Within all of that these two become distant friends to lovers and show that you can have both family and love.

I was provided a copy of the novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a prize bundle which includes a $25 Amazon Gift Card, bookish tote bag, booklover's keychain, bookmark and 2 autographed books by the author!

(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 4, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 11, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

My Thoughts and More on A Girl's Guide to Having it All by Leslie Kirby DeVooght

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for A Girl's Guide to Having it All by Leslie Kirby DeVooght, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: A Girl's Guide to Having it All 
Series: Magnolia Bluff #3 
Author: Leslie Kirby DeVooght 
Publisher: Lanier Price Publishing 
Release Date: April 30, 2026 
Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction with Romance

She mastered her career. Finding a husband? Not so much. 

High-powered political lobbyist Carleigh Chastain turns thirty-five with an impressive résumé, a packed calendar, and no love life to speak of. When her longtime friend—and former marriage-pact partner—Lawson announces he’s marrying a woman he barely knows, Carleigh does what any sensible best friend would do: she drops everything in DC and jets to Magnolia Bluff, Georgia, determined to save him from a costly mistake. 

Instead, her plans unravel, forcing Carleigh to confront the choices she’s made—and the ones she’s avoided. 

Meanwhile, Spencer MacDowell, her steady, loyal best friend since law school, is done waiting in the friend zone. 

As faith, friendship, and romance collide, Carleigh wonders if she’s been too busy chasing success to notice where God—and her heart—have been pointing all along. Funny, heartfelt, and romantic, this story asks what “having it all” really means.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

More in This Series

 

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About the Author

Publisher’s Weekly Bestselling author Leslie Kirby DeVooght writes women’s fiction with faith, love, laughter, and a lot of Southern charm. Her stories are inspired by romcoms, coastal Georgia, and fried okra! When Leslie isn’t writing, she’s cheering on her three children, and enjoying date nights with her husband, who loves that she researches kissing.

In addition to writing her own stories, Leslie co-owns Spark Flash Fiction, an online magazine that publishes short, short romance collections four times a year. 

 

Connect with Leslie by visiting lesliedevooght.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

My Thoughts:

Carleigh Chastain is a smart, career-driven woman, who as the saying goes, can't see the forest for the trees. She has just reached her thirty-fifth birthday, her marriage pact best friend and birthday buddy, Lawson, is getting married to someone who is not her. He was always her Plan B. Also, her brother is getting married too. A co-worker and friend, Jordan, yep, you guessed also just got married. Carleigh is feeling a little bit lost and kind of desperate.

Spencer her best friend guy who lives in the same apartment and does everything with her, is trying to calm her down. However, she will not have any of that which leads to some big fights between the two of them, not to mention the crazy mixed-up emotions she is feeling whenever she is around him. Could Spencer possibly like her more than a friend? Sometimes I really felt like Carleigh was really sabotaging herself and she had no clue she was even doing it.

Carleigh still has a lot of growing up to do even though she is very successful. Her clock is ticking and she really does not want to be just a cat lady, even though she loves her kitty. This was a heartfelt, sometimes crying, other times laughing journey that Carleigh needed to take if she really was going to have it all. Hang on as Carleigh's rollercoaster life zips you up and down on the road to true love.

This was such a fun story from start to finish by a new to me author and I look forward to more of her stories.

I was provided a copy of this novel by the author. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each receive a bookish tote bag with all three books from the Magnolia Bluff series (A Girl's Guide to Having it All, How to Sparkle, and Stealing Magnolias)!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 6, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 13, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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