My Thoughts and More on Mail-Order Viscountess by Misty M. Beller

 

About the Book

Book: Mail-Order Viscountess

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian historical romance

Release Date: June 9, 2026

Five sons of an English duke, all raised in the Rocky Mountains…

When a Montana blizzard strands two strangers in a cave, honor demands a vow neither of them want.

Nobody knows the truth about newly knighted Lord Thomas Balfour. He doesn’t deserve the being honor showered on him, so after this last trip with his brother and sister-in-law to Butte for supplies, he’ll leave this territory behind completely. But once he reaches town, he’s blindsided to discover his brothers have ordered him a bride by post. A woman complicates everything. And even worse—the bride has brought her sister.

Kate McKinney masterminded this journey west to rescue her younger sister from their controlling mother’s plans. Yet one look at the intended groom’s scowl, and Kate’s doubts bloom. Maybe this mail-order marriage scheme will be far worse for her beloved sister than the wealthy brute their ambitious mother arranged.

Thomas has no choice but to help escort the sisters back to the Balfour ranch. On the trail, a blizzard changes everything, tearing Thomas and Kate away from the others—straight into danger…

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a royal family saga featuring a mail-order bride, snowed-in peril, and an aristocratic marriage of convenience…all set in the rugged Montana Territory.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Thomas Balfour's brothers believe it is now time for him to get a wife. So even with his sisters-in-law's backing, they send for one. Unfortunately, they never let Thomas know till the day of the arrival. As you can expect, Thomas is less than thrilled since he wants to break away from his older brothers' shadows and the one that still follows them from England. Thomas has plans to branch out to California and build his own ranch. He plans on stopping his wedding from ever happening. That is until he meets his bride Clara and her older sister Kate.

Kate is very protective of her younger sister. They agreed to this arranged marriage to escape their evil stepmother and her plans for both. However, when Kate finds out Thomas has no such plans and just found out about this arrangement, she is left to come up with something else for her and her sister. That is until a whirlwind of events takes place and she finds herself the bride of Thomas instead.

This was a great continuation, and I highly enjoyed watching very stubborn Thomas fall in love with an equally stubborn Kate. With all kinds of danger from nature, sickness, and from across the sea, the Balfour family continues to stand strong and united. Looking forward to Clara and Robert's story next.

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

Misty M. Beller is an ECPA and USA Today bestselling author with over 1 million books sold. She writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

More from Misty

His Brothers Did What?!  Meet the Hero of Mail-Order Viscountess

Every family has that one person who needs a little…nudging in the right direction.

For the Balfour brothers, that person is Thomas.

Lord Thomas Balfour is many things—newly knighted, fiercely capable, and absolutely convinced he doesn’t deserve any of it. He carries a secret that weighs on him heavier than the Montana snow, and he’s made up his mind: after one last supply run to Butte with his brother and sister-in-law, he’s leaving the territory for good. No fuss, no goodbyes. Just gone.

His brothers, of course, had other plans.

Because while Thomas was busy planning his quiet disappearance, his brothers were busy placing an ad—for a mail-order bride. For him. Without telling him a single word about it.

So imagine Thomas’s face when he arrives in Butte and discovers a woman waiting there to become his wife.

Actually, not one woman. Two.

Because the bride—Kate McKinney—has brought her sister along.

To say Thomas is less than thrilled would be an understatement. The scowl he greets them with says everything. A woman complicates his carefully laid plans. Two women? That’s a catastrophe.

But here’s what Thomas doesn’t know yet: Kate didn’t come west to trap a reluctant lord into marriage. She came to rescue her sister. And one look at Thomas’s stormy expression has her wondering if she’s made a terrible mistake—whether the Balfour brothers’ well-meaning scheme has landed her beloved sister somewhere far worse than the life they left behind.

Two people who don’t want to be there. One scheme cooked up by meddling brothers who love Thomas too much to let him walk away. And a Montana blizzard that’s about to strand them all together with no way out.

I pray you love Mail-Order Viscountess! J

Blessings!

Misty

Blog Stops

Book Looks by Lisa, June 24

Sydney Schmied Books, June 24

Devoted Steps, June 25

Melissa’s Bookshelf, June 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 26

Lyssa Loves Books, June 26

lakesidelivingsite, June 27

Artistic Nobody, June 27 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Texas Book-aholic, June 28

Jeanette’s Thoughts, June 28

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 29

For Him and My Family, June 29

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, June 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 30

Book Holds and Jello Molds, July 1

Sylvan Musings, July 1

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 2

She Lives To Read, July 2

Life on Chickadee Lane, July 3

Books You Can Feel Good About, July 3

Connie’s History Classroom, July 4

Simple Harvest Reads, July 4 (Guest Review from Donna)

Cover Lover Book Review, July 5

Mary Hake, July 5

Holly’s Book Corner, July 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 6

Devoted To Hope, July 7

Pause for Tales, July 7

Giveaway

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

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

https://gleam.io/NbqMu/mail-order-viscountess-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on The Escape Game by Gina Holder

About the Book

Book: The Escape Game (The Game Masters Book 2)

Author: Gina Holder

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: May 5, 2026

20 years ago, the world’s leading enigmatologist disappeared…

Demi Kayne, owner of a popular puzzle shop, has spent years searching for her father, who vanished without a trace. When she cracks the code he left behind, the trail leads her to a secluded mansion—and straight into danger.

Liam Shepherd, a missionary with a passion for puzzles, is desperate to find his missing sister. His investigation brings him to Silver Falls, where his path collides with Demi’s in ways neither of them expects.

Drawn into a deadly escape game designed by a brilliant and vengeful mind, Demi and Liam must unravel twisted riddles and confront buried secrets before time runs out. Losing could cost them everything. Their faith and each other may be their only means of escape.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This story has a lot to unwrap. A missing father for twenty years and a missing twin sister for about a month. Two strangers, Demi and Liam are determined to find their missing family. These two are drawn together and also must survive the worst escape game of their lives. It is literally a life-or-death game for them.

This was a very interesting read. I have not yet had the fun of doing an escape room experience, but let me tell you, I would not ever want to do one at this mysterious old mansion that holds way too many secrets. I also would not want to do one where my very survival depended on me solving puzzles. Thankfully, Demi is a genius problem solver and Liam has done many escape rooms for his undercover role as a missionary.

The themes of letting go and accepting a new path were done well. With a lot of thrills and some creepiness along with a thread of romance, this was a unique read and is the second in the Game Masters series. I look forward to more.

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

Gina Holder is a Christian award-winning author of romantic suspense and cozy mysteries filled with faith, intrigue, danger, romance, and epic twists you’ll never see coming.

She’s had an infatuation with books for as long as she can remember. She loves sharing uplifting messages from God’s Word and introducing readers to new and new-to-them authors on her blog.

When she’s not writing, Gina enjoys playing the piano, cooking, reading, watching Hallmark mysteries, and solving “escape room” puzzles. She loves growing in her craft as an author. She published her debut novel in 2017. Gina lives in Wyoming with her husband and daughter.

More from Gina

The Book I Almost Gave Up On

 

When I turned in the first full draft of The Escape Game last September, I hated it.

Not in a playful, self-deprecating way. I really, truly hated it.

I had that awful, hollow feeling in my stomach. The one that whispers, This isn’t good enough. You aren’t good enough. Why did you ever think you could pull this off?

Honestly, I believed this book was beyond my abilities.

And it was.

But I forgot I have Someone on my side who can do all things.

Back in 2022, this story idea was supposed to be simple. A shorter novel inside a collection. I had a fun premise, a few intriguing characters, and a basic plot: a second chance romance with the two main characters locked in a deadly mansion.

Easy peasy, right?

Wrong.

I realized the story needed space to breathe, so I wrote something else for the collection, and put this story back on the shelf until the right time.

Fast forward to 2025. The Escape Game was proposed as book 2 of The Game Master series.

I started writing. Characters pushed back. They wouldn’t talk. Inside my head, there was silence.

Some books flow. This one fought.

I wrestled with tone and pacing. I rewrote entire sections only to delete them again. Scenes that sparkled in my head fell flat on the page. I second-guessed everything.

My heroine was supposed to be the faithful Christian girl who wins the bad boy to the Lord.

She wasn’t.

And my hero? He was all wrong.

So, I did something terrifying.

I replaced him.

Completely.

I created an entirely new character—Liam Shepherd.

On the surface, Liam was perfect—kind, protective, devoted to the Lord, close to his family. Every Christian girl’s dream.

But fiction doesn’t work that way. Perfection isn’t compelling.

I asked God to show me Liam’s wound.

When it came, I cried.

No, I bawled like a baby.

Liam wasn’t abused. He didn’t come from a broken home. He had love and stability. Then tragedy struck, and he faced a choice.

He chose wrong.

And it haunted him.

But the troubles were far from over.

This wasn’t just a tricky plot or a stubborn manuscript.

This story touched some deep places in my own heart—places I didn’t expect to have to revisit. Writing it meant digging into tender, uncomfortable emotions, facing truths about fear, grief, and courage that I hadn’t fully confronted. It hit a little too close to home.

Some days it felt less like writing fiction and more like surgery.

And surgery is exhausting.

By the time I reached the end, I wasn’t excited. I was just tired. I turned it in because it was due, not because it felt finished.

Then the editing began.

If drafting this book was wandering through a dark forest, editing was finally being handed a flashlight. Sentences tightened. Motivations clarified. Scenes I thought were essential were cut, and others grew stronger. What felt hopeless started to feel possible.

Slowly—painfully at times—the story started to come into focus.

My editor asked hard questions. I rewrote the entire book. (Not completely, but it felt like it.)

Each round of edits chipped away at the parts I disliked and revealed the story underneath—the one I’d been trying to tell all along.

Somewhere along the way, something unexpected happened.

I stopped hating it.

More than that, I started to like it.

Everything clicked. The story finally had the depth—and the heart—it had been missing.

And now, sitting on the other side of the process, I can honestly say something I never imagined saying last fall:

I’m proud of The Escape Game.

Not because it’s perfect—no book ever is—but because it represents persistence. Growth. The courage to dig into hard places and stay long enough to find the heart of the story.

And that heart is what I hope you feel when you read it.

What started as a small, simple idea grew into something deeper than I expected. Something that required more from me than I thought I had to give.

And in the end, it became something God and I built together.

This book reminded me of something important:

We’re all first drafts.

God is shaping us, molding us … and we fight back. We look at our lives and wish things were different. We replay our wrong choices. We feel regret, frustration, and fear.

Sometimes, we even hate what we see.

But hating your draft doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6 (KJV)

It just means God isn’t finished yet.

And sometimes, the stories we struggle with the most end up being the ones we’re proudest to hold in our hands.

Blog Stops

SydneySchmied books, June 26

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 27

Lyssa Loves Books, June 28

Book Looks by Lisa, June 28

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 29

Inspired by Fiction, June 30

Texas Book-aholic, July 1

For Him and My Family, July 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 3

Holly’s Book Corner, July 4

Mary Hake, July 5

Pause for Tales, July 6

Cover Lover Book Review, July 7

The Lofty Pages, July 8

Lights in a Dark World, July 8

Lily’s Corner, July 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Gina is giving away the grand prize of a copy of The Puzzle Within and 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/P1o9U/the-escape-game-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts and More on A Work in Development by K.A. Ross

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Work in Development by K.A. Ross, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: A Work in Development 
Series: A Work in Progress Series #2 
Author: K.A. Ross 
Publisher: Sweetwater Books (a Cedar Fort imprint) 
Release Date: July 1, 2026 
Genre: Sweet Contemporary Romance

For a woman who has edited hundreds of romance novels, Nellie’s own happy ending feels out of reach. After the death of her first husband, Daniel has offered her a second chance at happiness and love. But just as Nellie begins to hope for a future with him, her in-laws arrive to celebrate her late husband’s memory. Bringing more confusion than comfort, the well-intentioned relatives test Nellie's determination to be brave. 

Problems escalate when an unexpected threat emerges to tear open deep wounds from Daniel’s past and jeopardize everything Nellie has built with him. Nellie never thought she’d find love again. Now that she has, she’ll do anything to protect it. With only a week to keep everything from spinning out of control, keeping her romance from becoming a rom-com cliché is the least of Nellie’s problems. 

Nellie must face the fears buried inside herself to save her and Daniel’s story—or risk the next plot twist breaking it apart.  

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

More in This Series

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About the Author

K.A. Ross loves stories so much she can’t write in just one genre! Find her fantasy works under “Kay Ross” and her romance under “K.A. Ross.” When she's not at work, she's finding new stories, discussing old stories, or writing her own. If she's ever not thinking about stories, she's either trying not to be too invested in sports or climbing up a mountain so she can run down it. She may live out West, but she considers any open space with a view home. To be the first to hear about upcoming releases, and receive a free short story, sign up for her newsletter at authorkayross.com!

My Thoughts:

This was a story of two people who know grief well. Nellie is a widow and Daniel lost his sister. They connected and have fallen in love; Nellie is hoping that Daniel and she can marry and start a family sooner rather than later.

I liked how they balanced each other out. Both suffer with trigger points that are related to the death of their loved ones. They were very good for each other and helped one another in coping. I was also hoping these two could move on with their lives. However, they do have a few more trials to get through.

Nellie is an editor for romance novels. She has a really funny way of narrating her life, out loud. That was a bit of quirkiness for her character, and I found that trait charming and funny. This is the second book in series about these two. I like that the author is continuing their relationship growth alongside their individual growth. Grief unfortunately is a part of life, and this story handled some difficult subjects well without being too heavy.

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 A Work in Development & a $15 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 29, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 6, 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. 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 on Storm at Nottingham Castle by Ann Elizabeth Fryer

 

About:

Three sisters are thrust into an uncertain future when their wealthy stepfather dies, leaving them with a small annuity to live upon. They find refuge with an aged uncle who convinces them to live in the apartments at Nottingham Castle, whose halls are shrouded in history and secrets, and whose residents watch the sisters with unsettling interest. Chief among them is the handsome property manager, Charles Rushforth, whose quiet authority conceals more than estate affairs and a brooding lodgekeeper who seems to know every hidden passage and whispered rumor…

Charlotte Fieldstone received a parting gift from her late stepfather—a set of valuable pilgrimage badges meant to safeguard them from want. But hidden hands seek the relics, and in the caves beneath the castle, a restless hunger stirs among those who trade in sacred things. At the center stands her uncle, whose charm deceives, and a Duchess, whose influence can tip scales on a whim.

As Charlotte’s uncle is swept into a dangerous quest, tensions rise. Charlotte must depend upon a stranger to shield her from a society whose motives aren’t as they appear. Will Charlotte be able to keep her sisters together as the tempest threatens to tear them apart?

Surrounded by deceit and danger, Charlotte must cling to faith and to one whose protection feels perilously like love...

My Thoughts:

So, this was a fun and unexpected read with a touch of gothic mystery and Robin Hood vibes. Three sisters, who share the same mother, have just lost their remaining parent, their beloved stepfather. I found their stepbrother's actions towards them most abominable. I often wondered why inheritances could not have been different in that time, especially for the protection of females. However, the author did explain that the stepfather was bound by the law in what he could give them. Basically, they were left to the mercy of the brother, who had none.

However, they are given a second chance at Nottingham Castle, which is now owned by Charlotte's estranged uncle's estate. Where apparently there is much more than history haunting those halls. 

Charles Rushforth is the estate manager and doing a bit of sleuthing about the caves underneath the castle. Are there wrongdoings going on? Pirates and smugglers? What Charles did not expect was to fall in love basically at first and second sight of Charlotte. 

This is just the beginning for these sisters. We still have Faith and Moira's stories yet to come and more secrets. I enjoyed the whole ambience of this story and the author's spin on all the historical places.

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.

My Thoughts and More on The Stained Glass Window by Crystal Walton

 

About:

She’s fighting to heal him. He’s risking everything to protect her. In the line of fire, they’ll need a miracle to survive.

After seven years of chasing her goals, Shelly Peters is finally one interview away from becoming a flight nurse—until a malpractice investigation and a promise cornering her into caring for a headstrong veteran put her entire future in jeopardy. Now, to keep her calling alive, she’ll have to break her own rules or risk watching the man she’s falling for succumb to a fate he might not survive.

Former soldier Clayton Briggs doesn’t just need medical care. He needs a reason to live. Disillusioned by the IED that ended his career, Briggs will do anything to fulfil his vow to keep his best friend’s hometown safe. But when a new injury leaves him at the mercy of a home nurse who sees past his scars, the battle becomes personal. To protect Shelly and his friends, he must embark on a treacherous rescue mission and confront the one enemy he fears the most.

As the local cartel’s reach tightens and medical stakes surge, a dangerous storm puts Shelly and Briggs in the crosshairs of a choice they can’t outrun: cling to the safety of their shattered plans, or trust God to lead them through the wreckage.

My Thoughts:

I cannot believe this, but this is my first author Walton story I have read. This is also the fifth in a series, and that old saying, don't judge a book by its cover, well that suits this story well. As you can see, the cover looks peaceful, but this story had a lot more danger and adventure than what I was expecting. From the very first chapter our couple who have just met in an exceptional way, not meet cute mind you, but memorable, nonetheless. 

Shelly Peters is a nurse, but her dream job is to be a flight nurse. She is almost there. That is until some unsettling news surfaces and she comes across a very injured former soldier now acting bodyguard for one of her friends. That man is Clayton Briggs. Briggs, as he likes to be called is suffering from some serious PTSD among other things. He is sidelined by another serious injury while he is trying to protect his best buddy's girlfriend from some very dangerous men out for revenge. He hires Peters, what he likes to call Shelly, as his personal nurse. Their snark and banter were quite amusing and the romantic tension between these two was palpable. It really helped lighten the mood as some serious danger played out.

I really enjoyed this story and need to backtrack and read the rest of the series. I look forward to more of this author's stories.

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.

My Thoughts and More on Jane's Secret by Jennifer D. Tirrell

 

About the Book

Book: Jane’s Secret

Author: Jennifer E. Tirrell

Genre: Split-Time

Release Date: June 2, 2026

At the heart of Jane’s Secret lies an heirloom – a mysterious key passed down through generations. Jane Ingleton, a young English woman from the medieval era, uncovers a secret. Bound by blood but

separated by centuries, the two women unravel a hidden family secret in a thrilling quest of truth that could change everything.

Jennifer E. Tirrell’s richly layered suspense story weaves between the Tudor period and present day and pulls readers into a world of hidden truths, historical intrigue and modern-day discovery. Her storytelling is both immersive an elegant, offering a gripping journey that fans of mystery, history and strong female leads will savor.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This is a dual time-line story that spans 500 years. Present day Kaitlyn who lives in the United States and her ancestor, Jane who lived in England. At the center of this mystery is a key and what it unlocks many in both timelines and throughout the years have been searching for its secrets.

There is danger to both women. Even to Kaitlyn who is hundreds of years removed from Jane and her time. But what the mystery of this key unlocks is just too great for any generations to give up on. 

I did enjoy going back in time to the manor house of Jane. I really felt for her and the loss of her beloved father, the secrets she was trying to unravel, and the absolute cruel stepfather she had now. Her story was harrowing and her life's journey was interesting to watch unfold.

Kaitlyn too is thrust in danger. This key and what it unlocks causes her to leave the USA and step back on the land of her ancestors. Little does she know the danger and the love that awaits her. Her adventure is just getting started.

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

Jennifer E. Tirrell was orphaned by the age of three and kinship-adopted. Her writingoften includes the natural beauty around her. She uses creation, and the Word of God, topoint both adults and children to the Creator. Her stories are shaped by faith, confirmedby history and centered on Truth.

When Jennifer is not writing, there is a good chance she is taking a walk or baking cookies.She is thrilled to have received her crown of white hair and six dear grandchildren–so far!–to go

with it. Jennifer and her husband, Bobby, live life to the fullest in the Coastal Carolinas.

More from Jennifer

Have you ever wondered if your ancestors prayed for the generations who would come after them—prayed for you? During the Tudor period, life was lived much closer to death than it is today. Illness, hardship and uncertainty were constant companions. Because tomorrow could never be assumed, eternity felt very near. Faith was not merely tradition; it was something tested daily. I have often thought that whatever survives testing is usually the thing most worth keeping. I felt that sense of history in a very personal way when my daughter and I visited the small chapel just outside London where my ninth great-grandmother is buried. On her stone memorial she is carved wearing a garment with a book hanging from it—The Book of Common Prayer. Seeing that image made me pause and wonder what prayers she might have spoken for the generations that followed.

Just across from the chapel stands Thornton Hall, where she once lived. When my daughter and I were welcomed inside as ninth and tenth generation Tirrell descendants and ushered into the drawing room for tea, the weight of that history felt suddenly real. Standing in that house, I couldn’t help but imagine the lives that had unfolded there centuries before. Inside the chapel, a memorial window for Jane Ingleton shows a woman wearing a mantle bearing the arms of the Tyrell family—our name later spelled with an “i”—and holding both a red and a white rose. That image captured my imagination. Jane’s Secret is a completely fictional story inspired by those moments. The historical record left only fragments, but sometimes fragments are enough to spark a story. From them grew a fast- paced suspense novel that weaves together history, faith, and the enduring power of prayer—and the possibility that blessings offered long ago may echo farther than we realize.

Blog Stops

Devoted Steps, June 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 5

Devoted To Hope, June 6

The Lofty Pages, June 7

Texas Book-aholic, June 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 9

For Him and My Family, June 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy , June 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 11

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 12

Holly’s Book Corner, June 13

Cover Lover Book Review, June 14

Lily’s Corner, June 15

Pause for Tales, June 16

Vicky Sluiter, June 17 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, June 17

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer if giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a signed 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/vvJon/janes-secret-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Thoughts on The Brunswick by Callie Murray

 

About:

When Cora provides a safe haven for Jewish refugee children, she discovers that opening her doors means risking everything, including her heart.

In 1939 Georgia, far removed from the war brewing overseas, Cora Cain's world feels small--and shrinking. There, she runs The Brunswick, her family's once-grand hotel, which is now struggling as the town's general store. When Thomas Watkins arrives seeking work and solace after his mother's death, a connection sparks between them. Through Thomas, Cora glimpses a life beyond obligation and her war hero father's unpredictable moods.

But everything changes when Cora is asked to turn The Brunswick into a sanctuary for Jewish children fleeing persecution in Germany. As Cora and Thomas prepare for the children's arrival, they struggle to confront their pasts--and the prejudice of their neighbors--as their fragile hope is put to the test.

Meanwhile, in Vienna, ten-year-old Charlotte is offered refuge in America. But even with the horrors she sees around her, she wonders how her parents could possibly send her away. As war's shadow begins to reach small-town Georgia, each person must face what love demands and decide what to hold on to and what to let go.

My Thoughts:

This story takes place during World War 2 and is unique because we get a lot of the story told at a hotel in Georgia, of all places. We also get a little girl's viewpoint of the war on the other side of the world. Charlotte is a Jewish little girl living in Vienna when the hatred and war strip her family of the life they once knew.

In Georgia, Cora Cain is trying to pay down her father's debts after their once upon a time grand hotel started to fail after the Great Depression. She now runs a grocery store out of it by herself, until Thomas Watkins steps into her life.

This was an interesting story as Cora will be receiving about fifty Jewish children to keep safe in Georgia at her hotel. This is based on true events and some I had never heard of, but I am glad to learn of them. There is a lot of other things going on too as just because the war started, finances, health, and family issues continue. Cora has her hands full as she begins to develop some rather scary health issues. Issues that Thomas is too familiar with. Not only that, but the prejudice against American Germans is strong and affects this little makeshift family.

This story shows us that we are all affected by other people's decisions the world over, eventually.

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.