Wednesday, September 9, 2026

My Thoughts and More on Until I Knew You by Tanya Eavenson

About the Book

Book: Until I Knew You

Author: Tanya Eavenson

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Release Date: April 21, 2026

Photographer Jacob Michaels has spent his life running, from foster homes, from emotional attachment, from anything that asks more of him than a fleeting moment through his camera lens, except for Clay Logan, his one true friend and the only person who ever saw past the walls.

Olivia Logan lives in a world of color and quiet, expressing through art what words cannot, and Clay understood her without explanation, offering a steady presence in a world that often feels overwhelming.

But when a hiking trip ends in tragedy and Jacob returns alone, everything changes, and Clay’s final request becomes Jacob’s new reality: take care of Olivia, protect her, don’t walk away.

Now her legal trustee, Jacob steps into a life he never intended. Bound by grief and a promise neither asked for, he and Olivia are drawn into a fragile closeness they don’t know how to navigate.

And perhaps God isn’t finished mending what was never meant to be broken.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This story certainly took me through a gamut of emotions. Starting with a tragedy and ending in a sweet embrace. This is a story of an autistic woman and the man that her late husband left to be her trustee. A man that really didn't think they should be together with in the beginning and definitely did not understand her.

Jacob is still reeling from the crushing loss of the death of his best friend Clay and the only one that really ever understood him. Now he must be the trustee of Clay's wife, Olivia's estate. She is one person Jacob does not understand. And so, they begin and uneasy companionship to get through the grief and the necessities of life after a death. They both have Ellie, the woman who first took Olivia in when she turned eighteen and was kicked out of the care home she lived in. As this uneasy partnership grows into more, Jacob and Olivia both realize they may have more in common than just Clay after all. And Clay probably saw it all along as he left his precious wife's care in Jacob's hands. A story of second chances in a most surprising way.

Words cannot adequately describe how much I enjoyed this story. Read it, you won't be sorry you did.

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

Tanya Eavenson is an award-winning Christian romance novelist who writes heartfelt stories of love, faith, and second chances. To date, she has written thirteen fictions novels and seven craft books for new writers. Her historical romance The Rescue, from the All Roads Lead to Texas series, won the 2018 Cascade Award, and the series has gone on to be a finalist for several awards.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with family or curling up on the couch with a cup of coffee, chocolate, and a good book.

More from Tanya

“If you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with autism.”

Some stories come from imagination . . . and others feel gently placed on your heart for a reason. Until I Knew You is one of those stories.

At its heart, this is a story about grief, love, and healing, but also about the quiet ways God works in our lives, even when we do not fully understand what He is doing. Jacob and Olivia’s journey was never meant to be easy, but it was always meant to lead somewhere meaningful.

Olivia was a character I approached with a lot of care. I truly wanted to do this right. Along the way, I had the privilege of speaking with several people who have worked closely with autistic children and adults. They were so generous with their time, answering my questions and sharing their experiences, and I am incredibly grateful.

“If you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with autism.” Patricia’s words stayed with me and shaped how I wrote Olivia. Every individual is unique, and it was important to me that Olivia reflect her own voice, her own experiences, and her own way of seeing the world.

There is a moment in this story where Olivia observes a black widow, something many would fear or turn away from, but she sees beyond that fear and recognizes that even it was created with purpose. Not random or a mistake. That realization reflects something deeper woven throughout this story, that each of us, no matter how we are seen or misunderstood, was created with intention and for a purpose.

I wrote this story to the best of my knowledge and ability, with respect, care, and a genuine desire to honor both the beauty and the challenges within it. My hope and my prayer is that you not only enjoy this story, but that you also find something meaningful within its pages.

Here’s a short excerpt.

Olivia

It happened so fast. … Clay didn’t make it. … Clay is dead.

I could still feel the heat of Jacob’s breath against my face, his nearness burning my skin. I wanted to scream, How dare you! Leave me be! But his words rushed through me, painfully churning their way through my heart, touching the deepest parts of my innermost being, and I felt them there for a moment, but it was the fear of being without Clay that clenched my throat.

I struggled to make sense of it all, to breathe, and by some miraculous power I’d been able to hold myself upright, but the moment Ellie made Jacob leave the house, my knees buckled, and I hit the floor so hard pain radiated up my right side.

I gasped. The air forced into my lungs caused my body to crave more. The pressure in my chest grew. Please, Lord. I can’t. Breathe.

It happened so fast.

Clay didn’t make it.

Clay is dead.

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, September 2 (Author Interview)

Books Less Travelled, September 3

Artistic Nobody, September 4 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 5

Guild Master, September 6 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, September 7

Fiction Book Lover, September 8 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 9

Pause for Tales, September 9

The Bookish Ledger, September 10 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 11

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 12 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, September 13

The Quiet Bookmark, September 14 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Tanya is giving away the grand prize of a $45 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/TcQZ8/until-i-knew-you-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, September 7, 2026

My Thoughts and More on A Contrary Betrothal by Denise Farnsworth

About the Book

Book: A Contrary Betrothal

Author: Denise Farnsworth writing as Denise Weimer

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: August 18, 2026

A Cherokee lieutenant, a colonel’s daughter, and a desperate fight to protect both land and love.

Sam Hicks may be the educated son of a Cherokee chief, but his command of multiple languages and diplomatic skills can’t erase the prejudice he faces as a mixed-blood warrior. When he’s tasked with guarding Colonel Moore’s spirited daughter, Susanna, at a wilderness fort, he never expects to lose his heart to a woman he can never have.

Susanna Moore dreams of making her own way on the frontier like her Cherokee stepmother. The last thing she wants is an arranged marriage to the fort’s stuffy doctor—especially after she meets the noble and intelligent Sam Hicks. When she’s captured by a turncoat warrior during a Creek uprising, Sam risks everything to save her.

Their shared values and growing love give them hope—but with the Creek War raging and cultural pressures mounting, can a Cherokee lieutenant and a colonel’s daughter overcome the loyalties and prejudices set against them?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This novel transported me back into history from the first page of this couple's first meet. Seemingly from different worlds, these two have been told they are not meant for one another. Sam Hicks is half Cherokee and an invaluable asset to the Americans during the War of 1812 and continues to be. The moment Susanna Moore bumps into him, he experiences feelings he never has before. Susanna on the other hand was trying to hide from the man that her father deems is the perfect match for her. A much older man that Susanna does not love nor does she want to be married too.

Her father has double standards on who can marry his daughter even though his wife is half Cherokee. Poor Susanna, I felt her anger and pain of the double standards her father pushed on her. Then due to circumstances, Sam is ordered to be Susanna and her brother's guard. Things get a little bit interesting as you have two people who are attracted to one another always in each other's presence.

This was an interesting novel going back to 1813 and the turmoil and trouble that was still going on as our nation was still so young. Of allegiances and battles that shaped her, and of a love that would not flicker and go out. There was a couple of battlefronts for freedom taking place, the battlefield and within the heart.

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

North Georgia native Denise Farnsworth, formerly Denise Weimer, has authored over twenty traditionally published novels and novellas—historical and contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and time slip. As a freelance editor and Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books, she’s helped other authors reach their publishing dreams. A wife and mother of two adult daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

More from Denise

The seed idea for A Contrary Betrothal came from another author a number of years ago. She proposed a collection of stories in which the heroes were all Native Americans who served their country in different wars. I still love the idea even though it never came to pass! In fact, I loved it so much, I went ahead and wrote my story. And that story became Bent Tree Bride, first published with Smitten Romance. Now, it’s joining my Scouts of the Georgia Frontier series as book six.

Many people are unaware that the Cherokees fought alongside American troops under Andrew Jackson during the Creek War or Red Stick War, a portion of the War of 1812 that occurred in present-day Alabama. The Creek people were allied to the British, as the Cherokees themselves had been during the American Revolution. The motivation for this was, of course, to keep their land. Their warriors were so valuable to Jackson that they broke the ineffective cannonade on the town of Tohopeka, swimming across the river from behind and making the victory possible that ended the war at Horseshoe Bend.

Sam Hicks, the hero of A Contrary Betrothal, is a mixed-blood Cherokee lieutenant with the head of a scholar and the heart of a warrior. His struggle to intermingle the old ways and the new ways proves reflective of the metamorphosis of his people. Even though he’s been educated as the wealthy son of a chief, he knows his white colonel’s daughter, Susanna Moore, is out of his reach. But when he’s assigned to guard her and her little brother at a wilderness fort, he can no longer deny his attraction to the feisty young woman who’s determined to convince her father she can survive on the frontier as well as her Cherokee stepmother.

A Contrary Betrothal will resonate with readers who enjoy stories by authors like Laura Frantz, Shannon McNear, Michelle Griep, and Lori Benton. The forbidden love and fish out of water tropes create plenty of angst, and the battlefield scenes echo Last of the Mohicans. When people have asked me which of my books would translate well onto the big screen, in fact, this is one I think of. I invite you, dear reader, to be swept away by the action and romance of my final book of the Scouts of the Georgia Frontier.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, August 25

lakesidelivingsite, August 26

Books, Books, & More Books, August 27 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 27

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 30

Cover Lover Book Review, August 31

Jeanette’s Thoughts , September 1

Books You Can Feel Good About, September 2

Connie’s History Classroom, September 3

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

Blossoms and Blessings, September 5

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 6

Holly’s Book Corner, September 7

Pause for Tales, September 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Denise 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/7zfBE/a-contrary-betrothal-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, August 31, 2026

My Thoughts on Twilight Tactics by Lynette Eason

About:

He came to protect a witness. She came to teach survival skills. Now they're targets with an enemy who won't let either of them walk away.

FBI agent Sully Sullivan arrives at Broken Chains Ranch with Ollie Callahan--a foster teen and sole witness to a mob hit. The ranch, started by Sully's cousin to provide a trauma recovery facility for veterans, should be a place he can keep Ollie safe until the trial. But what was meant as a peaceful haven becomes a battleground when armed attackers surround the property.

Survival expert Elena Thompson teaches wilderness skills at the ranch and coaches Ollie in self-defense. As the series of attacks on the ranch escalates into a full siege, the question becomes who the attackers are after: Ollie, the young witness? Or Elena, with her mysterious past? With communications down and help out of reach, Sully and Elena fight to keep everyone alive as secrets and danger close in.

My Thoughts:

This story is chock full of suspense and danger, and surprises around every corner. First, we have a fourteen-year-old girl, Ollie, who has witnessed something she should not have. She is a foster kid, and her life is in danger from the mob. I will tell you, these evil men angered me. First off, she is just a kid. I have found lately whether it be books or TV shows, I really feel for the witnesses who did not ask to be there or for the good people who shoulder the blame in not stopping the bad guys in time. I want to comfort them and say this was not your fault and especially tell those who are to blame to take their blame and quit dragging innocent people down. But alas, they don't care nor do they really have a conscious. This mirrors real life unfortunately. This is what I was thinking about with poor Ollie, who has already had a shaky life. Ollie really touched me.

Then we have the doomsday preppers getting involved. This is where survival expert Elena becomes more connected. These are some pretty crazy people. FBI agent Sully has his hands full protecting them both especially when no one knows who the target actually is, Ollie or Elena.

There are a lot of action scenes and intense moments as the recovery ranch that was supposed to keep Ollie safe and help her becomes a major target. Lives are in danger and everyone must step up their game. This is the first in a brand-new series. I expect the next one will be just as hard hitting.

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.

Saturday, August 29, 2026

My Thoughts and More on The Reluctant Healer of Halifax by Terrie Todd

About the Book

Book: The Reluctant Healer of Halifax

Author: Terrie Todd

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release Date: August, 2026

Her Family, Her Home, Her Future—All Leveled in One Thunderous Explosion

When life seems weighed down by challenges, there are always pillars of enduring hope and love to be discovered.

Three days ago, Pearline Campbell’s family was whole, and Oliver Hamilton still loved her. But upon returning to Halifax disfigured and shellshocked, Oliver ended their relationship. Then came Thursday, December 6, 1917, when the Halifax harbor was leveled by a tremendous explosion. . .and Pearline fears nothing will ever be whole again. Her parents are dead, her brother is missing, and her sister refuses to speak. Pearline must fortify herself to open her home to needy orphans, including an unidentified baby. Where can she find the strength for each new day as misery grips the city?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This another excellent addition to the Enduring Hope series that revisits disasters that happened in the past. I have actually been learning a lot about history reading this series on these man-made catastrophes. This one deals with the Halifax explosion in Novia Scotia. The timeline is 1917, World War One is already ongoing and these two ships with explosives collide. And what a boom of destruction they made.

Sergeant Oliver Hamilton is already shell-shocked from his time as a soldier and now he is back home recovering after being wounded. He is not only visibly scarred but he is also missing an eye. He wants to break things off with his fiancé Pearline, as he feels that he would only be a burden to her.

Pearline still loves Oliver, but before she can really make things clear with him, the explosion happens that completely changes her life and the lives of her hometown completely. Suddenly everything else pales in comparison to what they are living through. An explosion and a war, will they and their loved ones survive to see better times?

This was another story that had me doing my own research on this historical event. Filled with hope and pushing through the worst times, their faith stands strong even though it has been blasted.

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

Terrie Todd is a Canadian author of nine historical and split-time novels and one nonfiction book. Her work has earned numerous Word Awards from The Word Guild, the 2018 Janette Oke Award from Inscribe Christian Writers Fellowship, and the 2022 Braun Book Award. She is also a Carol Award Finalist. From 2010-2024, she wrote a weekly “Faith and Humor” column for her hometown newspaper, and since 2021, a monthly column for the Heroes, Heroines, and History blog. Terrie lives with her husband, Jon, in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, where they raised their three children. They are grandparents to five boys.

More from Terrie

It wasn’t until I was interviewing a friend for a newspaper column that the Halifax Explosion of 1917 began to interest me. My friend, Gene, had gone blind from macular degeneration, and I wanted to write a series of columns about what it was like for him to lose his sight and now live with blindness. One of the books Gene mentioned as having inspired him was the true story of Eric Davidson. At the time of the explosion, Eric was a toddler, playing with his toy car on a windowsill in his Halifax home. The glass exploded, permanently blinding Eric. The north end of Halifax was destroyed, and roughly two thousand residents died. Nine thousand more were wounded, including hundreds blinded or partially blinded by flying glass. The mass blinding helped birth the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). Eric’s daughter, Marilyn Davidson Elliott, wrote the book The Blind Mechanic about her father.

I found Eric’s story fascinating. When given the opportunity to try for a spot in Barbour’s series of books about historical disasters, I decided to write one about the Halifax explosion. The more I researched, the more I wondered why we didn’t learn about this in school, and the harder it was to imagine the devastation that the city and its people survived. This was during a world war and only five years after being highly involved in the recovery of the Titanic’s victims and survivors, a disaster that helped prepare them for this one. Story after story, many revealing the incredible determination of the stalwart people of Nova Scotia and the Bostonians who came to their aid, moved me to tears. It was difficult to choose which experiences to borrow for my characters. I was thrilled to visit Halifax in 2025, a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Naturally, the book includes some blind and partially blind characters. I so appreciate the input from my two blind beta readers, Alexandra Banwell and Leanne Merren. One of my favorite things to do with each book I launch is to choose a charity to which I give a portion of the proceeds from my local book launch. For this book, I’ve chosen the CNIB’s Guide Dog program.

Although my book never became a part of that series, Barbour decided it would be a good fit for their “Enduring Hope” series. The rest is, literally, history. I’m thrilled to be part of this series and have enjoyed the first five immensely. I hope you read them all!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 26

Devoted Steps, August 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 27

Texas Book-aholic, August 28

Pause for Tales, August 29

For Him and My Family, August 29

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 31

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 1

Books You Can Feel Good About, September 2

Connie’s History Classroom, September 3

Cover Lover Book Review, September 4

Sydney Schmied Books, September 5

Mary Hake, September 5

Blossoms and Blessings , September 6

The Bookish Pilgrim, September 7

Devoted to Hope, September 7

Holly’s Book Corner, September 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Terrie 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/9yOdf/the-reluctant-healer-of-halifax-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, August 28, 2026

My Thoughts and More on The Darling's Daughter by Sydney Schmied

About the Book

Book: The Darling’s Daughter
Author: Sydney Schmied
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: August 4, 2026
A woman chasing the truth. A man running from his past. And a secret that threatens the fragile trust between them.
Searching for answers about her mother’s suspicious death, artist Angelica Woods takes a job painting backdrops at the Majestic Theater—the very place her famous actress mother warned her to avoid. When she discovers cryptic notes and bloody evidence of an old murder, Angie realizes her mother’s warning may have been meant to protect her from a deadly secret.
Architect Trace Ackerman has worked hard to build a quiet, respectable life far removed from his former mistakes. Renovating the Majestic is meant to be a fresh start—until Angie awakens feelings he never planned to risk again. Drawn to her courage and vulnerability, Trace offers his protection as rumors swirl and danger edges closer. But the past he’s worked so hard to outrun threatens to surface, and Trace fears the truth could cost him Angie’s trust—and the future he longs to build.
With a killer determined to silence them both, Angie and Trace must decide if uncovering the truth about her mother’s death is worth risking their own lives—and hearts. Set against the backdrop of a historic theater in 1912 Ohio, this romantic suspense weaves together murder, betrayal, and the redeeming power of faith and forgiveness.
Click here to get your copy!
My Thoughts:

This was a mystery novel that took place in Chillicothe, Ohio in 1912 involving a theater and the death of one of the prominent stars. Angie Woods's mother was a successful actress who has mysteriously died, looking like an overdose that doesn't fit her character, and who went to the grave with many secrets. Angie felt that she hardly knew her own mother. But just because her mother is gone, does not mean Angie is safe, no the complete opposite is true, her mother was protecting her. Now Angie is the prey.

Trace Ackerman who is the architect working on the theater where Angie's mother worked and where Angie has been hired to paint murals, comes in contact with Angie and her plight. Even though Trace is trying to hide from his past, he cannot help but assist Angie especially when she needs some letters deciphered from the German language to English. Now if only he can keep his sister, who really gave me the creeps a bit from interfering anymore with his life.

Suddenly Trace and Angie are thrown together to unravel what exactly happened to Angie's mom, before something happens to her. As they work to uncover her mother's secrets, Trace needs to also learn to let go of his guilt of the past that continues to haunt him even though he has been forgiven. This was a great mystery that I enjoyed seeing played out in the time period and setting that it was. I really enjoyed the setting being in Ohio and the real life Majestic theater.

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

Sydney Schmied writes sweet and intriguing historical romantic suspense stories with a whole lot of faith. She is a 2023 ACFW First Impressions Contest finalist and a 2024 Genesis Contest Semi-finalist, as well as a two-time Scrivenings Press Get Pubbed Finalist. When she is not writing, she enjoys reading, painting, and sipping on a classic London Fog.

More from Sydney

Theaters tell so many stories, and in The Darling’s Daughter, The Majestic Theater itself has been shaped by the people who have passed through its doors. While it was known as The Masonic Opera House from 1853 to 1915, The Majestic has stood through nearly 173 years of history. I can’t help but wonder about all the individuals who walked its halls, performers, musicians, and attendees alike, and what stories they might tell about how their lives once intertwined with the Majestic.
In my research, I came across so many real accounts of people who visited theaters like this one, and I was able to glimpse bits and pieces of that connection. For Angie, the heroine in The Darling’s Daughter, The Majestic becomes a place of reckoning and reconciliation. Her mother was her only family, and even that relationship was strained. Angie carries a deep loneliness as she peels back the complicated layers of her late mother’s life, wrestling with questions of worth, belonging, and whether she is truly loved.
For Trace, The Majestic offers both a meaningful project and a chance to rebuild. Unfortunately, his identity has been constructed atop the fragile foundation of guilt, and that foundation begins to crack as his past resurfaces.
Just as The Majestic has stood strong through seasons of change and still stands today, Angie and Trace are refined through their struggles as everything around them begins to shift. Neither of them are defined by the broken parts of their story, but by their hope in Christ, even when that hope feels uncertain and their faith is shaky. If this resonates with you, I hope you’ll join Angie and Trace in The Darling’s Daughter and find encouragement in their journey.
Blog Stops
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 19
Devoted Steps, August 19
Books Less Travelled, August 20
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 21
Texas Book-aholic, August 22
Connie’s History Classroom, August 23
For Him and My Family, August 23
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 24
Lyssa Loves Books, August 25
Holly’s Book Corner, August 26
Locks, Hooks and Books, August 27
Pause for Tales, August 28
Devoted to Hope, August 29
Book Looks by Lisa, August 30
Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, August 30
Cover Lover Book Review, August 31

Lily’s Corner, September 1
Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sydney 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/TyDfI/the-darlings-daughter-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, August 27, 2026

My Thoughts and More on Taken Without a Trace by Hope Welborn

Taken Without a Trace JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Taken Without a Trace by Hope Welborn, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Taken Without a Trace
Author: Hope Welborn
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Release Date: August 25, 2026
Genre: Romantic Suspense

A missing person case…

or a deadly cover-up?

Georgia Special Agent Cash Brenner gets an anonymous tip on a cold case that’s haunted him for years—but following the lead has him walking into a deadly ambush. He’s saved by his ex, private investigator Maya Reid, who is on a mission to find her missing sister. As eerie similarities between their investigations emerge and Cash grapples with memory loss from the attack, they must put their rocky past aside to find answers. With danger lurking at every turn, Cash and Maya need to act quickly to solve the case and locate Maya’s sister—or risk losing everything they hold dear.

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

Also Available

About the Author

Award-winning author Hope Welborn writes spine-tingling suspense, sprinkled with romance, and saturated with faith. By day, she masquerades as a digital content marketing technology specialist, and by night, she stays up too late putting words on the page. Hope is also co-owner and design/technology manager for Spark Flash Fiction and a member of the Suspense Squad. She has two indie published works, and her next novel will release from Love Inspired Suspense in August 2026. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

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

My Thoughts:

In this story full of suspense and danger, we travel along with two exes in Georgia as both of their cases seem to be interconnected. And the bad guys, would like to see both of them dead.

Private Investigator Maya Reid is looking for her missing sister. Things are a bit more complicated since her sister was adopted out of the foster system when she was a baby and they have never met as adults. But Maya is looking for an anchor, something to keep her grounded, so after searching for her sister all these years, she things she might have finally found it. Except now her sister has gone missing and it seems that nobody cares. Nobody but her ex and the bad guys.

Cash Brenner is a Georgia Special Agent. He has been working on a missing person's case that has haunted him over the years. Maya's sister's case is just too similar to ignore. And they couldn't ignore it anyway since both he and Maya have been hunted and their lives have been put into danger. Now with his temporary amnesia surrounding the recent incidents, he and Maya must now work together.

As I was reading, I really felt for these two as their sense of hopelessness really rises to the surface. It would be a scary situation to not remember why someone is trying to kill you, and you wouldn't even recognize them. However, they both do manage to escape even when it looks like everything is stacked against them. This is a great thriller to remind us to not give up on hope and to seek help when you really need it. And maybe, just maybe they can reconnect.

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.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed paperback copy of Taken Without a Trace, a copy of both Hidden and Trail of Danger (also by Hope Welborn), and a $15 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight August 24, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on August 31, 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

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

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

My Thoughts and More on Hidden Legacy by Christina Rost

About the Book

Book: Hidden Legacy (An H & G Mystery Book 2)

Author: Christina Rost

Release Date: August 5, 2025

Genre: Romantic Mystery/Suspense

When Emersyn Zucker meets Lucas Bennett, it’s love at first sight. But both harbor family secrets, and their blossoming romance soon gets tangled in a web of deception.

After uncovering her great-grandfather’s connection to a clandestine society known as H & G, Emersyn begins to question everything she’s ever known. Should she embrace the society or distance herself from her family ties and renounce her great-grandfather’s legacy? And if she joins H & G, how would Lucas react to her secret double life?

The mysterious disappearance of a century-old Bible forces Emersyn to choose where her true loyalties lie, because if the ancient text falls into the wrong hands, the consequences could be deadly.

Thrust into the treacherous world of treasure hunting, Emersyn and Lucas embark on a perilous journey where secrets abound—and trust is a luxury Emersyn can’t afford.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This story is about two people who are trying to make their own mark on the world. Even so much that when they meet at a coffee shop, both of them give aliases. Both of them are also trying to deal with legacies that have been handed down to them while trying to pursue their own passions as well. Love at first sight and a what seems like an odd prologue about a husband and wife in Korea hiding a Bible in 1939 bring these two together. Romance and mystery will see these two off on their legacy finding identities and worth.

Emersyn Zucker has a lot going on. She is starting a teaching position in the fall, running her own business, and a newspaper that she is trying to keep alive. Now her most popular writer has quit, so she now has to become the mystery writer, their most popular feature.

Lucas Bennet has his own app that he has been working on throughout college and the stress of his father wanting him to take over the family business. Which I found said business of buying and selling antiques quite interesting. There are also unexplained disturbances in and around their warehouses with threats to show these are not just random.

All the while, Emersyn and Lucas would like to get to know one another better. Hidden Legacy is chock full of romance, secret identities, obscure societies, finding oneself, and mystery. Great second edition.

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

Christina Rost is an award-winning author, mother to three amazing children, and is married to her high school sweetheart. While she currently resides in Oklahoma City, she’s lived all over the US, a few years in the UK, and loves to travel. When she isn’t spending time with her family or writing you’ll find her chatting over coffee and perusing antique stores for tattered books.

More from Christina

Hidden Legacy was birthed from a story I read about a woman living in North Korea who buried her Bible in her garden. In the dead of night, when her family slept, she would carefully dig it up, brush off the soil, and read by the faint glow of moonlight—knowing discovery could mean imprisonment, torture, or death for her entire household.

Her courage reminds me that God’s Word is not just comforting; in places like North Korea, it is life itself.

This harrowing story, and others like the North Korean believers, sheds light on how often I take for granted the freedom I enjoy. Here in my home, multiple Bibles rest openly on shelves—different translations, study editions, even large-print versions I can read without fear. I flip through them casually during quiet times and discuss them freely with family and friends. Yet for our brothers and sisters in North Korea, a single page of Scripture is a priceless treasure worth risking everything for.

My deepest hope is that Hidden Legacy would stir readers to learn more about our brothers and sisters in Christ living in hostile locations. Just like 1 Corinthians 12 states, we are all part of one body: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Corinthians 12:26 ESV)

But not only to learn about their plight — I hope it also moves us to pray.

Pray fervently for Bibles to reach believers through every possible channel in these hostile regions. Pray for God to protect and strengthen the underground church.

And never forget, Love is a Legacy.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 15

Simple Harvest Reads, August 16 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 17

Artistic Nobody, August 18 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 19

Guild Master, August 20 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, August 21

Fiction Book Lover, August 22 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, August 23

The Bookish Ledger, August 24 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 24

Pause for Tales, August 25

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, August 26 (Author Interview)

Lily’s Corner, August 27

Texas Book-aholic, August 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Christina is 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/y4erV/hidden-legacy-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, August 24, 2026

My Thoughts on Fatal Finale by Nancy Mehl

About:

They'd started back to the house when they heard a male voice behind them. Then a shot rang out.

"Run!" Kaely said.

When bestselling author Erin Delaney's novel gets picked up for a movie deal, she eagerly awaits her friend Kaely Quinn-Hunter's arrival in Tennessee before they head to California to observe the film's production. However, when Kaely does not arrive at the scheduled time and Erin can't reach her by phone, her concern grows.

A cryptic phone call from Kaely's kidnapper confirms Erin's worst fear--she has exactly six days to save her friend's life by solving his twisted clues. The message comes with a warning: Contact the police or FBI, and Kaely dies. But Erin works for the Sanctuary Police Department, and Kaely's husband is with the FBI, putting her in an impossible situation. As Erin races against time, she's forced to crack the kidnapper's chilling puzzle before it's too late.

My Thoughts:

This was definitely a creepy story. A kidnapping and chilling messages with clues that need to be deciphered. This is the third of the series about Erin Delaney a bestselling author. This story also brings in Katie Quinn-Hunter, a profiler from the previous series. This is the first one I have read of all of them. The story did not lose me, but I do like that I can go back and read both sets of stories and get more of their stories.

I don't know what to think about the kidnapper. He was a mixed bag with real issues that I did not see coming. Very interesting circumstances with him, I didn't like him at all, but I did feel pity for him.

There was a race against time and a palpable feeling of fear throughout. I especially felt for Noah, Katie's husband. They had a lot to look forward too and I can't imagine the feeling of not being able to save the person you love the most. Faith played a strong role here, it had to. For the people desperate to save Katie and for Katie herself who really wanted to be saved.

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 Shetland Sunset by Linda Shenton Matchett

About the Book

Book: Shetland Sunset

Author: Linda Shenton Matchett

Genre: Christian Suspense

Release Date: January 18, 2026

Bonded by a cause but an ocean apart, will their love survive a world war?

After months in Norway helping his cousins with their fishing business, American Askel Westgard seems trapped when the Germans invade until he has a chance to get back at the Occupiers as part of the Shetlandsgjengen, or Shetland gang, a group of fishermen who transport weapons and equipment from Shetland to Norway under cover of darkness. Unfortunately, the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s just met refuses to join him in safety. Will he ever see her again?

Distraught when the Germans overrun her beloved Norway, Tonje Bondevik refuses to take the occupation sitting down. She joins the fledgling resistance movement, deriving great satisfaction distributing the underground newspaper and performing acts of sabotage…until the day the Nazis come looking for her, and she must flee for her life. Perhaps she should have listened to the handsome Norwegian American when he offered to take her to Shetland.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This was a faith filled journey of two people living and resisting the best ways they knew how in a country that was taken over by German's regime. Living under this tyrant rule was hard enough, but these characters decided to fight back with the resistance.

Askel Westgard is an American who was helping his Norwegian cousins when Germany invaded Norway. Now he is trapped and must also hide that he is an American, or he would be made an example of. However, through his faith he knows he cannot just sit by and hide and not do anything. So as a fisherman he works undercover helping the resistance called the Shetland bus. New historical information I learned.

Tonje Bondevik cannot believe a God would let this happen to her country. She will not just sit down and let it happen. She already has lost her family; she won't go down without a fight. She will join the resistance and help out as much as she is able. This is her journey to faith.

I appreciated this story and its atmospheric location of Norway. I haven't read too many novels with that location concerning WW2. The sea is a very important component, and I could almost imagine the waves crashing. A good story of faith through very hard times.

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

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she explores the history of this great state, immerses herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors, and drinks copious amounts of tea.

More from Linda

Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago of about one hundred islands, with fewer than twenty being inhabited. Originally a base for Norwegian Vikings, Shetland came under Scottish rule when King Christian I pledged the island as part of his daughter’s dowry when she was betrothed to James III of Scotland. The island continues to feature an intriguing mix of Norwegian and Scottish heritage in customs, language, and celebrations. Interestingly, Shetland is geographically closer to Norway than Scotland.

The Shetland Bus is the nickname for a World War II clandestine operation during which fishermen smuggled supplies, weapons, radio operators, and agents into occupied Norway and ferried refugees out of Norway to Shetland and England. From 1941-1945, two hundred missions were carried in winter because of the nearly twenty-four hours of darkness that occurred during those months, but that meant crossing in rough, unforgiving seas. Additionally, the risk of being caught by German aircraft or patrol boats was high, and forty-four members lost their lives.

Authors get their ideas and inspiration from many sources, and I learned about the Shetland Bus from an episode of Shetland, a modern-day BBC mystery show that featured a fictional cold case associated with the “bus.” I was able to read multiple memoirs and autobiographies and watch oral history interviews with Shetland Bus participants. It is my hope that Shetland Sunset honors the brave ordinary men who did extraordinary things.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 13

Texas Book-aholic, August 14

Holly’s Book Corner, August 14

Artistic Nobody, August 15 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 17

lakesidelivingsite, August 18

Fiction Book Lover, August 19 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 20

Devoted to Hope, August 21

The Bookish Ledger, August 22 (Author Interview)

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 23

Pause for Tales, August 24

The Bookish Pilgrim, August 24

Leslie’s Library Escape, August 25

Guild Master, August 26 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Visa 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/pjJS9/shetland-sunset-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, August 20, 2026

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.