My Thoughts and More on Sarah's Search by Jodie Wolfe

 

About the Book

Book: Sarah’s Search

Author: Jodie Wolfe

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: June 30, 2026

All her life, Sarah McBride has gone along with whatever her guardian dictates. Now on the verge of graduating from the Shippensburg State Normal School, she questions her ability to teach in a classroom when her heart isn’t in the profession. What she wouldn’t give to pursue her heart’s desire of becoming a writer instead of following what’s expected. But how can Sarah defy her guardian’s plans?

Everything has been a hardship for Ezekiel Stouffer ever since his wife died giving birth to their second child. The last thing he needs is the responsibility of monitoring the new schoolteacher while still maintaining his farm. But when their paths entangle, he can’t help but notice the way his children respond to her tender concern. After his loss, Zeke doubts he’ll ever search for love again, but maybe friendship is an option.

Can two searching hearts find the same path?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Sarah is a character that I really felt for. I felt that her search for belonging in life was palpable and realistic. She has been raised by her wealthy uncle under strict rules and being groomed for what he wanted her to do with her life. Sarah wants to be an author, already a near impossible career for a young woman to get in her day and age. Her uncle, however, has plans for her to be a schoolteacher. 

Ezekiel is a farmer who is busy taking care of his two motherless children with the help of his grandmother, while missing his wife who was the love of his wife. Sarah who has somehow won the children over keeps getting in his way so to speak. Even after he helped her secure her teaching position, she cannot even seem to keep that on her own. And the worst part is he just keeps thinking about her. Then Ezekiel comes up with a solution for both of them, marriage but one of convenience. For as he told Sarah, he would only love his wife. Poor Sarah, just what every woman wants to hear in a marriage proposal.

Well, Sarah really does not have many options so she does take the offer from Ezekiel, it would be better than going back to her uncle.  Well, this is where the story really picked up for me. I enjoyed watching their eventual love match work out, there were some other things they needed to work on first though. I appreciated that Ezekiel needed to make things right with his Maker before he could make things right with Sarah. This was an enjoyable story of finding love and faith again, even against our own stubborn hearts.

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

JODIE WOLFE loves writing historical fiction after years as a homeschooling mom. She enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, knitting, and walking. Jodie creates novels where hope and quirky meet.

 

 

 

 

 

More from Jodie

Almost ten years ago, a big Victorian house was for sale. I had the pleasure of touring it and taking photos of the exterior and interior. I knew I would eventually set a story there. Fast forward to spring of this year, and it was finally time to write about the setting in Shippensburg, PA. The house has changed very little through the years, so it’s easy to imagine life in 1878 along Normal Avenue. The house is located at the bottom of the hill where the Cumberland Valley State Normal School started in 1873*. It soon changed its name to Shippensburg State Normal School and eventually Shippensburg University.

Since I have my heroine living in the old house at the start of Sarah’s Search, she also attends the normal school and graduates before she becomes a teacher in Newburg, PA at the Mount Jackson one-room schoolhouse.

It is no longer in Newburg, but is on the grounds at Shippensburg University and set up as it would have looked when used many years ago.

I love when I can envision history coming to life by visiting places like the house, normal school, one-room schoolhouse, as well as the local churches and towns that were around in the time period that I used in my recent book. I had the distinct pleasure of finding three local historians. Two with expertise in the two different towns I wrote about in Sarah’s Search, along with one who was a former archivist at Shippensburg University. What a treasure they’ve been to me.

As you read Sarah’s Search, I hope you’ll enjoy stepping back in time as much as I did while writing it.

*The cornerstone was laid May 31, 1871.

Blog Stops

Pause for Tales, August 20

Simple Harvest Reads, August 21 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, August 22 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, August 23 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 23

Texas Book-aholic, August 24

Fiction Book Lover, August 25 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Ledger, August 26 (Author Interview)

Vicky Sluiter, August 27 (Author Interview)

For the Love of Literature, August 28 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 29

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 30 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, August 31 (Author Interview)

Stories By Gina, September 1 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, September 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jodie is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

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

https://gleam.io/FXNuc/sarahs-search-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on When the South Wind Blows by Barbara A. Curtis

 

About the Book

Book: When the South Wind Blows

Author: Barbara A. Curtis

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 14, 2026

He’s spent his life chasing headlines—until the woman behind the story captures his heart.

Elizabeth Canton never planned to abandon her budding theater career, but after witnessing a crime, she has no choice but to disappear. When a family invitation offers refuge at the Double E Ranch, she seizes the chance to hide and finds unexpected purpose helping her young cousin rehearse for the stage, never expecting to be drawn to the local reporter who sees past her carefully kept secrets.

Ranch hand Logan Palmer has always dreamed of writing stories that matter, not livestock columns for the town paper. Elizabeth’s grace catches his eye. But it’s her patience and tenderness with her cousin that captures his heart, even as her mystery stirs his reporter’s instincts. The closer he grows to her, the more he questions whether some stories are better left untold.

As Elizabeth and Logan grow closer, danger follows her to Idaho. When her past catches up with her, she’ll have to choose between protecting her heart and trusting in love. And Logan must decide what matters more—the story that could launch his career, or the woman who’s stolen his heart.

Set against the rugged beauty of the American West, this touching historical romance explores the healing power of family, second chances, and learning that sometimes the greatest role we can play is simply being ourselves.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This was a story that took place in a timeline that I don't really read too much in, the 1950's, and it is one that I wish more stories took place in. To me it seemed like a simpler time, even though I know it had its own set of problems. This story is also the continuation of a family drama that started all the way back in the first book. Of the deep family chasm that took shape all those years ago.

Elizabeth Canton is a young actress in New York City living what is supposed to be her dream come true. That is until she fatefully overhears something she shouldn't have and now, she is running for her life. She decides to go to her estranged family in Idaho. That is also where she meets ranch hand Logan Palmer whose dream is to be a newspaper writer. 

Life on the ranch seems so idyllic and romantic sparks begin to develop between Elizabeth and Logan. However, the secrets that Elizabeth carries could mean Logan's big break, but can he do that to her? And Elizabeth has not escaped like she thought she did as she is still being hunted. This was a good wrap up of a family drama showing their faith and love that saw them all through even years later.

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.

About the Author

Barbara A. Curtis lives in Connecticut with her husband, and they have one grown son, a blessing to their hearts. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Novel Academy.

 

 

 

 

 

More from Barbara

Chocolate, Chocolate

What part does chocolate play in When the South Wind Blows? To little Susannah, it plays a big part, as Logan is going to help her frost her salvaged cake.

 

“Miss Lizzie?” Logan hadn’t moved from his spot next to the stove. “If it’s all right with you, may Susannah and I make the frosting for the cake?”

He knew how to make frosting? And again, he included the little girl.

“Thank you. Susannah, why don’t you pull out the cookbook for chocolate that your grandma and I like, and you and Logan will be in charge?”

“Oh yay! The Hershey’s Cookbook? They have the best frosting recipe.”

 

Yes, in 1934 Hershey’s had published a cookbook, so it would have been well loved and used in the Double E Ranch kitchen in 1950.

And Nestlé’s Toll House cookies weren’t far behind, as Nestlé acquired the rights to the original recipe in 1939. By World War II, the cookies were a staple included in packages sent to US servicemen overseas. Do you think they’d mind that Elizabeth called her version Victory cookies? Though they had nothing to do with the war but a little victory right at home.

Have you ever renamed a favorite recipe just for your family for fun?

I hope you enjoy When the South Wind Blows, the final book in the Blooms of the Bitterbrush series. Maybe with a cup of tea and a chocolate chip cookie to go along with it.

 

Blessings.

Barbara

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 5

Simple Harvest Reads, August 6 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 7

Texas Book-aholic, August 8

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 9

lakesidelivingsite, August 10

Books Less Travelled, August 11 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 11

DevotedToHope, August 12

Connie’s History Classroom , August 13

Cover Lover Book Review, August 14

Sydney Schmied Books, August 15

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

Holly’s Book Corner, August 17

Pause for Tales, August 17

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Barbara is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

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

https://gleam.io/oVpBV/when-the-south-wind-blows-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts on The Preacher's Promise by Victoria Bylin

 

About:

Because Love is Worth the Risk

Reverend John Leaf wasn’t always the man he is now—a fact driven home when a letter arrives from a fifteen-year-old girl claiming to be his daughter. What John fears most in this world is passing on his bad blood to a child. But if the letter from Susanna Windsor is true, he’s already done exactly that.

His fears are confirmed when Abigail Windsor, once Abbie Moore, arrives in Midas. Widowed and accompanied by her incorrigible son, Abbie needs John’s help. Her daughter Susanna has run away from her Washington DC home and is searching for him—not in Midas but in Bitterroot, Wyoming, where John’s most feared enemy has sworn revenge on him.

Susanna is in danger. So are John and Abbie for entirely different reasons. Only love can heal past hurts and the emotional wounds left by Abbie’s violent marriage. But with love comes risk—and danger in the form of Ben Gantry, a man determined to exact revenge on John and his family.

My Thoughts:

It has been a little bit since I have read an author Bylin book, and this one was chock full of reasons of why I like her stories. 

Past mistakes are coming back for revenge against John Leaf, a gunslinger now turned preacher. Even after getting his life turned around, the past is still coming for a reckoning. First, the love of his life, the woman he wronged has come to town to get his help to locate her missing daughter. Second, the man he wronged years ago is bent on revenge and he intends to take everyone that John loves away.

Abbie Windsor does not want to ask for help from John. Widowed and still being controlled by her late husband's estate, she needs to find her runaway daughter, Susanna and make things right between Susanna and John, the man she once loved. With her son in tow and a deadline by her controlling father, they need to find Susanna quickly.

This was quite a page turner. Susanna is a woman who has been controlled by her father and then horribly abused by her late husband. If she never has to marry again, that would be perfect. But she is a woman who does not even have control of her own money, like it or not, she needs John's help. A man she still has not forgiven for leaving her.

So much good stuff was touched on in this story. From forgiveness and starting a new and better life as a Christian to showing how God wants a man to love his wife. Forgiveness and love go along way with each other. And throw in a marriage of convenience, yep, I am already there.

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.

My Thoughts and More on the Beach House Rescue by Hope Toler Dougherty

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Beach House Rescue by Hope Toler Dougherty, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Beach House Rescue 
Author: Hope Toler Dougherty 
Publisher: Scrivenings Press 
Release Date: June 23, 2026 
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Two strangers. One beach house. Zero plans to share it. 

Tessa Trask expects a quiet summer restoring a friend’s beach house—not waking up to an intruder and defending herself as best she can. Wyatt Henry isn’t a burglar, though. He’s just as surprised to find her there—and just as determined to stay. 

Under protest, the two agree to an uneasy truce. Tessa is creative and spontaneous. Wyatt is disciplined and guarded. Keeping their distance should be easy…until a surprise visitor arrives and turns their temporary arrangement into something far more complicated. 

As sun-soaked days lead to deeper conversations, irritation softens into a fragile peace and grows into something worth protecting. While Tessa begins to trust God’s leading for her future, Wyatt wrestles with a past that makes trust feel dangerous. 

Are their growing feelings worth the risk—or is walking away the only safe choice?  

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

Also Available

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About the Author

Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her early novels are Irish Encounter, Mars…With Venus Rising, and Rescued Hearts. Her Forever Series includes Forever Music, “A Hatteras Surprise,” a novella featured in Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams, Forever Home, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA)’s 2023 Romance Novel of the Year, and Forever Free, first place in the Faith, Love, & Hope Reader’s Choice Award for 2025.

A chronic community volunteer as well as a member of ACFW, NC Writers’ Network, and Neuse River Writers, she shares her belief in God “Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” in her daily life and stories. 

She and her husband, Kevin, live in North Carolina and delight in visits with their two daughters and twin sons. 

Connect with Hope by visiting hopetolerdougherty.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.

My Thoughts:

This was such a refreshing read for this summer. I mean how can you not like living on the beach, taking a much-needed break, doing what you love, and finding the love of your life. This also had one of the best meet cutes I have read in a while.

Both Tessa and Wyatt have been invited to their friend's beach house for the summer. Except their mutual friends forgot to tell one another and so did not warn Tessa or Wyatt. Due to the mix up, Tessa and Wyatt do start off on a bad foot. Wyatt is also a bit of a grumpy bear but his damage to his foot and impending lawsuit also are contributing to his bad attitude. And unfortunately for Tessa, he has a thing against artists, which Tessa is one.

Tessa has come to the beach house to help her friends redecorate it; she is also dealing with trauma from a fire at her place and the bad press she has received. She just wanted a quiet place to get away too. Though I found it funny that she was a talker and Wyatt just wanted her to be quiet.

This story revolved around family and moving on from past issues, especially when you are holding on to those bad memories so much, they may just destroy your future happiness. I highly recommend this beach read and watching the love story between two people who couldn't be more wrong or right for one another unfold. 

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.

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Tour Giveaway

(3) winners will each receive a signed copy of Beach House Rescue and a $20 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight August 10, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on August 17, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only  for print copy. Ebook available instead if winner is outside the US. 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 The Bachelor Spy by Pepper Basham

 

About the Book

Book: The Bachelor Spy (A Freddie and Grace Mystery Book 5)

Author: Pepper Basham

Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction

Release Date: July, 2026

Spies Infiltrate Havensbooke Hall. . .and Another Mystery Adventure Begins

Stephen Blake’s life goal is to protect people, especially those closest to him, but war in 1914 England doesn’t follow any rules. When Blake is informed that a noted German spy may have taken up residence at Havensbrooke Hall—his cousin Lord Astley’s estate, which is being used as a convalescent war hospital—he’s sent there to uncover the plot.

Lady Grace Astley has become a force to be reckoned with while Frederick is out on the war front. With Havensbrooke as a hospital, she’s shocked by the devastation the war is bringing home; but ever hopeful, she is determined to help these weary soldiers find some relief. However, not everything is as it seems inside Havensbrooke. Precious items soon start disappearing. . .and not just the kind that are worth a lot of money.

Through a case of mistaken identity, a comedy of errors, a kidnapping, and a race for time within the crumbling subterranean passageways beneath Havensbrooke, can Blake and Gracie work together to root out the criminals, thieves, and spies before time runs out?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thouhghts:

What another fun installment in the Freddie and Grace Mysteries. This one finds us with Grace facing many fears, one her husband Freddy is off to war, and then the greatest fear she has ever had has come upon her. She needs her husband desperately. Not only that but they have decided to open their home to be a convalescent hospital. But more than wounded soldiers have come through their doors. Thieves and spies have apparently made their way in also.

This story opens with a doozy of a dilemma for Frederick's cousin Stephen Blake. Wounded and fighting for his life in more ways than one, he is also recovering from the biggest shock of his life. He ends up on his way to Grace and Freddie's home. Grace realizes she has another partner for her sleuthing ways and this time it is to protect her family and home.

The atmosphere was ripe with tension and I so enjoyed not only Freddie and Grace but Blake and Evie's situation. The author has certainly given us another couple to root for and maybe even have more stories with. I also enjoyed the family dynamics and the faith and hope that was portrayed even in the midst of so much uncertainty. The ending surprise was the cherry on top.

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. 

About the Author

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroads and Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

 

Excerpt

Prologue

May 7, 1915

Stephen Blake had been trailing the presumed spy most of the voyage—first to secure his target, and then. . .to strike. Every clue pointed to the fact that the gregarious businessman Donald Leaman was none other than Albert Stein, a German informant ferrying English war secrets straight to the fatherland.

Unfortunately, every opportunity Blake had found to confront the man had been thwarted: too many watchful eyes, too much pomp and luxury for a clean cornering. With the Lusitania’s transatlantic voyage ending in less than a day, his time to complete this mission was slipping away.

Worse, he couldn’t shake the feeling he was being followed himself. Only a limited few knew of his operation to uncover a ghostlike informant who’d used their “ordinary” position to gain extraordinary intelligence—from transfer stations, casualty clearing posts, even a general’s bunker at the Western Front. The spy had proven madden-ingly elusive, slipping through every trap British intelligence laid

with almost theatrical flair.

But what did they know? Stein was the spy’s last contact. And Blake was tasked with finding out what he knew.

The Lusitania was hardly Blake’s first ship, but certainly it was the grandest. It felt as though Claridge’s, the famous hotel in London, had taken to the sea, complete with its extravagant marble floors and its crystal chandeliers, with champagne in the air and ease all around. Just after luncheon, Stein had excused himself early and started down the grand staircase toward the lower decks. An odd choice for a first-class passenger, especially so near the end of the trip and with

his companions urging him to remain for cards.

So, of course, Blake followed.

Deck by deck, corridor by corridor, until the music and chatter faded into the deep measured thrum of the engines.

Occasionally, Stein cast a look behind him but never appeared concerned enough to stop his descent. This was certainly a planned meeting.

The elegance of the upper floors gave way to simpler decor, narrower corridors. Second-class accommodations. Stein stopped before a cabin door. His knock held an unnatural rhythm—three quick raps, a pause, two more. After only a beat of silence, a murmur from within responded.

Stein’s immediate whispered answer? “Octavia.” A code word, no doubt.

The door opened. Stein slipped inside, but before the door could click shut, Blake rushed soundlessly forward and caught it with his fingertips.

Perfect.

He released a self-satisfied grin and then pressed himself against the corridor wall, listening through the crack over the hum of the ship’s engine.

The cabin was small—voices carried easily in the confined space—and the faint scent of cigarette smoke drifted through the opening. “You’re late.” A man’s voice, crisp and impatient. Something about the cadence nagged at Blake’s memory, but he couldn’t place

1. English, certainly. Kentish?

Blake frowned. He could overpower Stein easily—the man was more socialite than combatant, the sort who’d probably never thrown a proper punch in his life. But this unknown fellow, clearly in charge and confident enough to smoke a cigarette while conducting treason? That suggested either experience or exceptional stupidity. Blake hoped for the latter but suspected the former.

“It was difficult to get away without raising suspicion,” Stein replied, his accent thickening into full German. “Blake is on this ship.”

Blake’s pulse quickened. So Stein knew he was being followed. “I know.” The other man’s tone didn’t waver. A long exhale

followed, as if he were breathing out smoke. “We’ve been watching him to ensure he didn’t wreck things.”

We? Who?

Blake’s mind raced through the passenger manifest, through his team members, through every face he’d seen on this voyage. That voice. . .

“But with that in mind, we need to move quickly,” the Englishman continued. “What do you have for me?”

A rustle of papers. “The Midnight Angel’s next assignment. She’s to embed herself in a convalescent hospital—but not in France this time. There is too much interest in her there.”

Blake’s breath caught. She was called the Midnight Angel? The informant they’d been hunting for months. And she was a woman.

“Italy, then?”

“Nein,” Stein answered simply. “A place much closer to your front door, mein Herr.”

England? A convalescent hospital in England?

“Perfect,” the Englishman murmured. “Wounded officers talk too freely around nurses they think are angels of mercy.”

“Clever, no?” Stein’s voice held a note of pride. “No one suspects the nurses. They’re invisible, really. Moving between stations, tending to generals and privates alike. She’s already proven invaluable.”

“This is excellent information, Stein.” A pause. “And you’ve given

it so freely. Too freely, I’m afraid.”

Blake froze. He knew that tone—the shift from curiosity to finality. The Englishman was finished with Stein. The German had served his purpose, been found wanting, and now. . .had become a liability.

He couldn’t wait any longer. Stein had to be taken alive—had to be questioned, catalogued, and wrung dry of every detail about the Midnight Angel and her network before—

He drew his revolver and pushed through the door. The scene materialized in a horrifying instant.

Stein stood near a narrow desk, documents scattered before him. And holding a gun already drawn, already aimed at Stein’s head with casual confidence, stood Evan Montgomery.

Blake’s breath squeezed closed in his throat.

Montgomery? His colleague. His friend. The man he’d trained with in Scotland, shared terrible army rations with in the trenches, trusted with his life on half a dozen missions across the Channel. The man whose sister Blake had been half in love with for six months but was far too professional to mention. The man who was, apparently, a traitor.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 30

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 30

Melissa’s Bookshelf, July 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 31

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 31

Texas Book-aholic, August 1

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 1

For Him and My Family, August 2

Book Holds and Jello Molds, August 2

Sylvan Musings, August 3

Jodie Wolfe, August 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 3

Where Faith and Books Meet, August 4

Connie’s History Classroom , August 4

Simple Harvest Reads, August 5 (Guest Review from Donna)

The Vine and The Branch, August 5

Stories By Gina, August 6 (Author Interview)

Betti Mace, August 6

Mary Hake, August 6

Min Reads and Reviews, August 7

Wishful Endings, August 7

She Lives To Read, August 8

Blossoms and Blessings, August 8

Labor Not in Vain , August 9

Holly’s Book Corner, August 9

Lily’s Corner, August 10

Cover Lover Book Review, August 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 11

Pause for Tales, August 11

The Sacred Line, August 12

Devoted to Hope, August 12

Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, August 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Pepper is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-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/ovQ5J/the-bachelor-spy-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts on When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard

 

About:

A deathbed confession. A decades-old secret. A mountain that holds the answers--and danger closing in.

When intelligence analyst Sarah Ellison learns of her grandfather's deathbed confession connected to her brother's murder, she's determined to protect her remaining family. After further investigation, she discovers the disclosed information points to a decades-old government secret buried deep in the Cascade Mountains. With this knowledge, she looks for a guide who knows the terrain like the back of their hand.

After his father's death in a tragic mountain accident, former Navy SEAL Ryder Goodwin no longer guides for the family business. At first, Ryder refuses to help Sarah, but he sees the trouble chasing her and can't stand by while someone brings danger to his small-town mountain community.

Ryder and Sarah gear up to climb the mountain in a race against time and a looming storm. When the danger escalates, their search for answers shifts to a survival mission. Their only chance to make it through involves trusting each other and confronting the truth no one wants them to find.

My Thoughts:

Deep seated family secrets and very evil men who either want those secrets to stay hidden or keep them for themselves help to fuel this high adrenaline adventure. Sarah needs answers as to why her brother was murdered and what her late grandfather had kept hidden for all of these years. She wants to protect the remaining family she has left. She is doing this for them, and she has her own skills to pull this off.

Ryder, who is a former Navy SEAL, is just the man who can help her and guide her on this what seems like an ill-fated journey through the wilderness and up a mountain fighting all along the way with nature and man. And he is a most determined man to keep Sarah safe and to run away from his own demons.

This story is brimming with twists and turns and fraught with danger. The first few chapters' kind of throw you into the thick of it. There were some truths I did not see coming. All in all, this is a great start to a new series by author Goddard.

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

My Thoughts and More on Seeds of Hope by Teresa Wells

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Seeds of Hope by Teresa Wells, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Seeds of Hope 
Series: The Truitts of Texas #2 
Author: Teresa Wells 
Publisher: Scrivenings Press 
Release Date: 07/14/2026 
Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Two wounded hearts. One fragile hope. A love that dares to take root. 

Blooming Grove, Texas, 1896 

Deputy Rabb Truitt has sworn to protect Blooming Grove. But when a clerical error sets a criminal free, Rabb blames himself. He should’ve admitted he can’t read, and now he must resign. If he failed the town once, he could fail it again. 

A recent survivor of a devastating fire, Sallie Parker refuses to let Rabb give up the job he loves. She helps him make sense of letters on the page, and as his knowledge grows, so do their feelings for each other. 

When a series of mysterious events surround Sallie’s school, Rabb fears a connection to cattle rustlers he’s pursuing. Each day without arrest, the demands for mob justice increase. Rabb races to protect the town and the woman he loves. But is he too late? 

Perfect for fans of Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, and Jody Hedlund, Seeds of Hope is a faith-based historical romance filled with small-town danger, friends-to-lovers tenderness, found family, courage, and the promise that God can grow hope in even the hardest places.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Scrivenings Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

More in This Series

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About the Author

Award-winning author Teresa Wells writes stories threaded with hope and redemption. She loves meeting people, touring old homes, and studying the Bible. She lives with her husband of 45 years outside of Dallas, Texas. Her debut novel, What Brings Us Joy (Scrivenings Press, 2025), is a double winner for the 2026 Holt Medallion Award. Seeds of Hope, Book 2 in The Truitts of Texas series, releases in July of 2026. You can find her online at teresawells.com

My Thoughts:

Taking place in Texas during 1896, we have two characters that are each dealing with physical limitations that can really harm their chosen careers and their peace of mind.

Deputy Rabb Truitt can't read. He has kept this secret for so long that no one knows. However, a criminal has been let go because of his inability and he begins to do some real soul searching on whether he is cut out for this job. This does seem like an easy matter to solve, but except for his pesty pride. 

Sallie Parker wants to be a teacher. After recently being burned severely in a fire, she just doesn't have the strength to keep up like she used to. She is also dealing with her parents and especially her father's displeasure of her getting an outside job and her mother keeping her hidden. Sallie wants to be on her own, even if it means leaving town. Especially since her secret crush on Rabb seems to be going nowhere, it seems he doesn't even notice her.

Then she finds out his secret and agrees to teach him to read. Well, that opens a whole new world to both of them. Sallie gets a part-time garden teaching job, and everything seems to be falling into place until they meet a troubled boy, and rustlers make life more dangerous for all of them.

I enjoyed watching these two come out of the depths of their scarred pasts and deep secrets. Opening the doors to their own self-imposed prisons and learning to trust one another. Finding love and realizing that their limitations were not the end of the world. They could break free, move on, and have richer life for it.

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 signed copy of Seeds of Hope, items related to the book, and a $25 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight August 3, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on August 10, 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.

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