Tuesday, September 5, 2023

My Thoughts and More on The Starlet Spy by Rachel Scott McDaniel

About the Book

Book: The Starlet Spy

Authors: Rachel Scott McDaniel

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

Release Date: August, 2023

Hollywood Star Turns Spy

In 1943, movie producer Henrik Zoltan approaches Amelie Blake under the guise of offering the Hollywood star a leading part in his upcoming film, but he has a more meaningful role in mind. Amelie’s homeland of Sweden declared neutrality in the war, but Stockholm has become the “Casablanca of the North.” When top-secret atomic research goes missing in Sweden, the Allied forces scramble to recover the files before they fall into Nazi hands.

The United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS) needs someone who’s subtle enough to spy on the Swedish elite without triggering suspicion. Who better than the “all beauty, no brains” Scandinavian starlet? Fluent in three languages and possessing a brilliant memory, Amelie loathes being labeled witless but uses the misconception as her disguise. She’s tasked with searching for the crucial files, but Fynn Ristaffason keeps getting in her way. Is the charming shipping magnate after the missing research? Or does he have other reasons for showing up at her every turn?

With the Gestapo on her heels, Amelie must rely on her smarts in addition to her acting skills to survive a world of deadly spies and counterspies.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This was a fun story, that was full of suspense and espionage. Amelia Blake is a Hollywood star, but she is also from Sweden, which has decided to stay neutral during WW2. However, that does not mean that the spy network on either side of the war is not actively working there. So, she is approached to do just that. Become a spy and help the Allies recover a very important set of files they don't want to fall into the wrong hands.

Why is Amelia Blake the best one for this job? Well, her Hollywood persona shows her as a not too smart of a woman, when in reality that is quite the opposite. She actually has a very rare gift that will be quite handy during this mission.

Coming back home to see her mother is a bonus. Spying on wealthy and handsome Finn Ristaffason, head of a shipping business is quite another. Also, there is the very handsome co spy, Axel, who seems only to want to protect her. Amelia loves her country, will do anything to help it, and help the Allies win the war. She just did not foresee that her heart would also be on the line. The author notes on this one, are especially informative.

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

Rachel Scott McDaniel is an award-winning author of historical romance. Winner of the ACFW Genesis Award and the RWA Touched By Love award, Rachel infuses faith and heart into each story. Rachel can be found online at www.RachelScottMcDaniel.com and on all social media platforms. Her work is represented by Julie Gwinn of the Seymour Agency. Rachel resides in Ohio with her husband and two children.

More from Rachel

Setting The Starlet Spy in Sweden

Hej! If you’ve ever been to Ikea, then you know that’s the Swedish greeting for Hello! Prior to writing The Starlet Spy, my knowledge of the Swedish culture was limited. It seemed I wasn’t alone. Early last year, I held a poll on my social media asking if anyone had ever read a book set in Sweden. A sweeping majority said no.

Since all of my previous books are set in the United States, this is my first novel with an international setting. So I immersed myself into research. I read books about the country, watched videos, followed Swedish Instagrammers to learn more about the language. And let me tell you, I totally fell in love with this Scandinavian world. It is now on my bucket list to visit because it’s just that gorgeous. I wrote The Starlet Spy with a romantic adventure vibe. I wanted to take the reader on a tour of this amazing country, from the classically beautiful Stockholm, to the quaint fishermen city of Malmo, to the ancient streets of Sigtuna—one of Sweden’s oldest villages—to the brilliant Northern Lights in the Lapland region.

Not only did I want to paint the scene of these various places, but I also wanted to introduce the Swedish culture. Tucked within the pages of The Starlet Spy, the reader will find traces of Scandinavian folklore and legends, which was super fun to explore. But to be honest, my favorite inclusion of Swedish culture was incorporating a traditional dance—the Hambo! It’s such an interesting and unique dance, and I may have been trying to coax my husband into trying it with me for an Instagram Reel, but so far, no such luck! Though I have no problem getting him to enjoy Fika with me. Fika, my friends, is a coffee break, or simply coffee. Just as the British favor their tea, the Swedes are adamant about their fika. So I can most definitely relate.

If all this intrigues you, I welcome you to read The Starlet Spy. It’s set in 1943, which was a pivotal time for Sweden during World War II. If you’ve read my previous stories, you know how much I love to weave as much true history into the chapters. This book has by far the most!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 29

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 29

lakesidelivingsite, August 29

Lily’s Book Reviews, August 30

Where Faith and Books Meet, August 30

Melissa’s Bookshelf, August 31

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 31

Back Porch Reads, September 1

annette_reads_daily, September 1

Texas Book-aholic, September 2

Cathe Swanson, September 2

Book Looks by Lisa, September 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 3

Christina’s Corner, September 3

Connie’s History Classroom, September 4

Kristina Hall, September 4

The Book Club Network, September 5

Pause for Tales, September 5

Happily Managing A Household of Boys, September 5

Cover Lover Book Review, September 6

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 6

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, September 7 (Author Interview)

The Book Nook, September 7

Betti Mace, September 8

Labor Not in Vain, September 8

Just Your Average reviews, September 8

Simple Harvest Reads, September 9 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, September 9

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, September 9

Blogging With Carol, September 10

For Him and My Family, September 10

Holly’s Book Corner, September 11

Lights in a Dark World, September 11

Books I’ve Read, September 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon eGift card and a print copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/278bf/the-starlet-spy-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, August 31, 2023

My Thoughts and More on Death in High Places by Sara L. Jameson

About the Book

Book: Death in High Places

Author: Sara L. Jameson

Genre: Mystery /Suspense/Romance

Release Date: February 28, 2023

An Interpol agent with a deadline he can’t miss.

Urgent intel warns of terrorist cells planning coordinated attacks throughout Europe. Special Agent Jacob Coulter of Brussels Interpol is assigned to find the terrorist financiers supporting these groups and shut down their funding operations.

An opera singer’s life and career hang in the balance.

The Queen of the Night’s vocal pyrotechnics have launched many a soprano’s international career. But Riley Williams, Jacob’s fiancée, is terrified of heights, and her Antwerp Opera debut as the evil queen requires her to sing from a hydraulic lift forty feet above the orchestra pit. When newspapers cite Riley’s recent unmasking of an international terrorist plot and the lift malfunctions, Jacob suspects terrorist sabotage.

He encourages Riley to accept her BFF’s invitation to stay the Savoy Hotel in London where she’ll be out of danger. Or so he thinks …

A series of murders connected to a notorious terrorist financier known as the Priest leads Jacob across Europe. When the victims’ deaths point to London, his Interpol partner convinces him London is a haven for terrorist financiers.

But the clock is ticking, and what Jacob uncovers is more devastating than anything he could have imagined.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Engaged couple Jacob Coulter and Riley Williams have a lot on their plates. Jacob is an Interpol special agent and Riley is an upcoming soprano singer, who wants to make it big in Europe. However, a stage mishap that nearly costs Riley's life may just be connected to terrorists that Jacob is hunting down.

Trying to find quality time to spend with one another, Riley and Jacob seem to only either be apart or are together when Riley needs protection or when she has just survived a near death experience. Jacob is bound and determined to keep his boss happy and to see that Riley will remain safe. He can't imagine life without her.

Riley is dealing with her fear of heights and her worries that Jacob may prove to be too much like her father. However, their adventures keep them on their toes more than is comfortable, and they really need to discuss their future, as Jacob is ready to marry, Riley not as much.

This was the first I had been introduced to this couple. I did not read the first book, but their adventure was intense and made for an enjoyable read. I look forward to more of their adventures and I am rooting for them to get married soon.

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.

About the Author

Sara L. Jameson won Scrivenings Press’s grand prize publishing contract in 2020. They released her debut romantic suspense novel, Cruise to Death, in June 2021. Death in High Places, (Book 2 in the Troubled Waters series), releases February 28, 2023, to be followed by Vengeance in Vienna, December 17, 2023.

Sara is the pseudonym of a multi-published former university professor who writes non-fiction under her real name. She also writes WWII historical novels. When not writing, she enjoys reading, swimming, cooking, and dog-sitting.

More from Sara

God never wastes our life experiences. I never suspected my love of travel and years as a professional classical singer in Europe would lead to a romantic-suspense series. Schlepping a suitcase of opera and art-song scores on cross-country trains kept me trimmer than a gym. A few encounters with they-shall-remain-unnamed international security agencies created fodder for the Troubled Waters series. And a lead character who’s far gutsier than I.

My personal experiences often generate story events. Sigh. Even some of the embarrassing moments soprano Riley Williams endures in Cruise to Death and Death in High Places. Sadly, the blue-eyed hunk, Special Agent Jacob Coulter of Brussels Interpol, is pure fiction. Whenever possible, I visit or have lived in my novels’ locales.

Cruise to Death launches Riley’s attempts as a musical theater singer, a romance she never saw coming, and tracking terrorists. In 2019, I revisited each stop of the riverboat cruise that inspired the book.

Trips to London and stays with a friend in Sussex inspired the unsettling events in Death in High

Places, which released February 28, 2023. I’m indebted to my friend for help verifying details in key scenes. When I travel, I don’t necessarily expect a day sightseeing to morph into a life-and-death moment in a book someday. Well, not until now. Naturally, Antwerp and Burie’s Chocolatier, my favorite Belgian chocolate shop, had to feature in this story too.

I’m excited to announce Vengeance in Vienna releases December 19, 2023. The book draws on my years in Austria and a disturbing criminal element now active there, which I was made aware of in 2019.

And ideas are already flowing for book 4!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 22

Book Looks by Lisa, August 22

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, August 23 (Author Interview)

Melissa’s Bookshelf, August 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 24

Holly’s Book Corner, August 24

Betti Mace, August 25

Texas Book-aholic, August 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 27

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 28

Exploring the Written Word, August 28

Cover Lover Book Review, August 29

The Book Club Network, August 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 31

Pause for Tales, August 31

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 1

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 2

Blogging With Carol, September 3

Lights in a Dark World, September 3

For Him and My Family, September 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sara is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon Gift card and a copy of Death in High Places in paperback!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/27734/death-in-high-places-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

My Thoughts and More on Bold and Brave by K.A. Cummins

About the Book

Book: Bold and Brave

Author: K.A. Cummins

Genre: Picture Book

Release Date: August 31, 2023

Sometimes courage is loud like an elephant, and sometimes it’s quiet like a llama.

Lily, a young autistic girl with a vivid imagination, wants to sing the solo in the school’s choir show. However, the thought of standing at center stage turns her heart a gloomy grey. School is overwhelming enough when no one is watching. Now all eyes will be on her. Will she overcome her fear and be bold and brave?

Bold and Brave is a whimsical picture book showcasing the heartwarming bond of family while visually drawing readers into Lily’s experience and inspiring them to be bold and brave. It’s aimed at readers aged 3 to 8.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This is a story of a little girl named Lily who is going to be singing a solo in her school's choir. She is very scared. She is also autistic and seems to relate her feelings in colors. Her sadness makes her heart grey, but red, especially red polka dots make her very brave. I liked that in just a few words and pictures the author portrays what it is like in Lily's head as she hears the everyday noises of life.

She really would like to wear her special shirt, but her parents remind her she needs to wear the appropriate costume. When it comes time to sing, she is not sure she is up to it until she sees her very supportive parents wearing the special red polka dot socks on their hands to encourage her. Sometimes, like Lily, we forget that we have those who support and love us very much, all the time. Even in less than circumstances.

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

About the Author

K.A. Cummins is an author and an artist. She explores storytelling in a variety of mediums, blending the wonders of science with the possibilities of what if. When not crafting stories, Cummins loves spending time with her family, collecting fun socks, and venturing outside her comfort zone to try new things—at least once!

Connect with her through her website at https://authorkacummins.com, where you can sign up for emails about upcoming releases.

More from K.A. Cummins

“Bold and Brave” is about a young autistic girl who wants to sing a solo in the school’s choir show. While a colorful pair of socks initially inspired the fiction story, it was my personal experiences as a woman and as a mother that most influenced it.

Stories often use words to draw readers into what a character experiences, but I wanted to do something different for this story. I wanted the illustrations to show readers the parts of the young girl’s experience that are often harder to explain.

For some, the smallest actions can take effort and courage, and their boldness and bravery doesn’t always show on the outside.

I hope “Bold and Brave” inspires readers, and provides an accessible insight into one autistic experience.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 19

Texas Book-aholic, August 20

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 22

The Book Club Network, August 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 24

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 25

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 26

A Reader’s Brain, August 27 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 27

For Him and My Family, August 28

Vicky Sluiter, August 29 (Author Interview)

Raining Butterfly Kisses, August 29

Pause for Tales, August 30

JESUS in the EVERYDAY, August 31

Cover Lover Book Review, September 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, K.A. is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2716e/bold-and-brave-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, August 28, 2023

Cover Reveal: Riddle of Hearts by Rosie Grymm

And finally, it is here, the last cover reveal for The Classic Retold series based on Alice in Wonderland. The title is Riddle of Hearts, and it has a very moody atmosphere going on. I am so looking forward to every single one of these stories!

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Coming November 10th

About:

Bad bargains have bad consequences.

As royal scribe for the Queen of Hearts, Alice Bishop has two duties: record the proceedings of the court and don’t ask questions. But if chronic tardiness and a constantly wandering mind didn’t make things hard enough, now a Madness has seized the court, turning normal gatherings into heated debates and gossip into whispered threats. Unsettling dreams plague Alice’s sleep and follow her into the waking world; white roses and a familiar clearing she’s sure she’s never seen before.

Finding answers becomes a matter of life and death after Alice uncovers the Queen’s terrible secret. Along with a mysterious and strangely familiar man, a heartless little boy, and her own relentless curiosity, Alice embarks on a quest through the Madness corrupted forests in search of the truth. But as each step reveals more of her hidden past, her search for answers becomes the discovery of a long forgotten question. One only she can answer…or Wonderland will be lost forever.

In this imaginative retelling of Alice in Wonderland, Rosie Grymm tackles denial, regret, and responsibility with a (big) helping of classic Wonderland madness.

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/168290630-riddle-of-hearts

AUTHOR WEBSITE: https://www.aclassicretold.com/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGM64HL4?tag=namespacebran320-20&asc_campaign=548f2dfe78f33417f96c0b1c8b824017&asc_source=01GRXJEDJ827CJHX3R3R7DB4DN&linkCode=ogi

AUTHOR BIO: Rosie Grymm is a young Christian writer who grew up traveling the world as a military kid. She developed her love of fairytales and mythology while taking family field trips to German castles and exploring Korean folk villages. Storytelling has always been prominent of her life. And when not writing she can be found reading her ever-growing pile of books or planning her next travel adventure. She currently lives in northern Illinois with her family and dog Cinder(ella).

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

My Thoughts and More on A Promise of Home by Kathryn Spurgeon

About the Book

Book: A Promise of Home: A WW2 Family Saga

Author: Kathryn Spurgeon

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: November 21, 2022

What did WW11 look like for those who remained in the U.S? As the war heats up, hundreds of young men from Fremont’s hometown of Shawnee, Oklahoma, enlist, or get drafted. Word filters in about the wounded, the missing in action, and those who have died overseas.

Fremont Pope has not been drafted, but to do his part, he finds a job at an ammunition plant in Colorado Springs. His wife, Sibyl, hopes to teach women at a new church. They’re glad to get away from their cantankerous family, and then their family follows them to Colorado!

When the plant begins to close down, Fremont’s boss offers an amazing promotion back east. Their other choice is to move to New Mexico for mission work. Which will it be? Plunge ahead to a lucrative corporate job or help a small new church grow?

Ultimately, they yearn to go home, but where is home? Are they willing to give up their dreams and begin again?

As the couple stays in touch with people in their hometown, they learn of numerous war-time tragedies. Their return to Shawnee coincides with soldiers returning home. Based on a true story, footnotes and author’s notes are included.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This novel continues the family saga of Fremont and Sybil Pope. This especially follows Sybil and her doubts and her feelings of uselessness as her world and the world at large is at war with itself.

Very pregnant Sybil, Fremont, and their three children have packed up and moved from their hometown in Oklahoma to a new place in the state of Colorado. Sybil is feeling the stress and at times the depression that would come along with that scenario. Not to mention the fact of the loss of a baby and their house and everything they owned in Oklahoma burned to the ground. Sybil looks forward to the new start, yet she can't help missing family, even if that family can sometimes be more trouble for her.

Sybil has trouble acclimating to her new home and church. Wanting to be useful in ministry, the church they attend has no place for her. Not only that but Fremont is working, at times, crazy hours. This story also takes place during WW2 and the very real threat of Fremont getting drafted is a fear that lays on her heart continuously. Not to mention all the fear for their family and friends who are already affected by the war.

This is Sybil's story, her trials at home, with family, and the concerns of finances, and war. A story that shows the same concerns we have today. There is a great deal of history packed in and it is based on a true story.

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

About the Author

Kathryn Spurgeon, an inspirational biographical writer. She’s won many awards including an Illumination Book Award. Publishing over a hundred stories, articles, and poems, she’s also published four novels. She grew up on an Oklahoma farm before moving to South Korea, where she adopted two children. She and her husband, Bill, now live in Oklahoma and have six children and fourteen beautiful grandchildren.

More from Kathryn

Researching the 1930s and 40s was almost more fun than writing the book!

Some reviewers’ remarks about this series:

“I could have learned a lot more in history class if we would have had stories like these.”

“Wow, reading this was like being there as it was happening. Cannot wait for more books by Ms. Spurgeon.”

Blog Stops

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, August 11 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 11

Texas Book-aholic, August 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 13

She Lives to Read, August 14

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 14

Cover Lover Book Review, August 15

lakesidelivingsite, August 16

Connie’s History Classroom, August 17

Betti Mace, August 18

The Book Club Network, August 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 20

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 21

For Him and my Family, August 22

Pause for Tales, August 23

Lights in a Dark World, August 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathryn is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-gift card and a copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/27166/a-promise-of-home-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

My Thoughts on Letters from my Sister by Valerie Fraser Luesse

About:

Two sisters. One mystery. A family changed forever.

At the turn of the twentieth century, sisters Emmy and Callie Bullock are living a privileged life when their well-ordered Alabama household gets turned upside down by the arrival of Lily McGee. Arrestingly beautiful, Lily quickly--and innocently--draws the wrong kind of attention.

After Lily has a baby, Callie witnesses something she was never meant to see--or did she? Her memory is a haze, just an image in her mind of Emmy standing on a darkened riverbank and cradling Lily's baby girl. Only when the sisters are separated does the truth slowly come to light--including a revelation that will shape the rest of Callie's life.

My Thoughts:

For some reason, when I first started reading this book, I thought it was going to be more about the letters. It was not. It was about two sisters, Emmy and Callie, their family, and the family that served them for years. Taking place in Alabama in the early 1900s, we see how fiercely protective these two families are of one another.

Callie is a young woman who is adventurous and doesn't let the rigid rules set by her mother slow her down. This story is told through Callie's eyes, but the rest of the characters are well-fleshed out, and we get to know them too. This story pulled me into this tightly-knit group of people just farming and living life, falling in love, and dreaming of a better future for all.

Then, all of a sudden, something happens. And the story changes into a mystery that seems to alter everything. However, after I closed the last page, I began to think that what happened in the first chapter was what really changed everything for this family.

This story pulled me into its atmosphere of love, mystery, and a little bit of the spiritual and wouldn't let me go. I have been pondering it since. It is bittersweet as it deals with tragedies I was not expecting. In fact, I feel I was just as shocked and grieved as the characters when certain things happened. Author Luesse really knows how to pull the reader into her stories, and she does well in getting us to know all her characters.

I was provided a copy of this novel from Revell Publishing through Interviews & Reviews. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Valerie Fraser Luesse is the bestselling author of Missing Isaac, Almost Home, The Key to Everything, and Under the Bayou Moon. She is an award-winning magazine writer best known for her feature stories and essays in Southern Living, where she recently retired as senior travel editor. Specializing in stories about unique pockets of Southern culture, Luesse received the 2009 Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society for her editorial section on Hurricane Katrina recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana. A graduate of Auburn University and Baylor University, she lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband, Dave.

Monday, August 21, 2023

My Thoughts and More on Healing the Mountain Man's Heart by Misty M. Beller

About the Book

Book: Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: August 15, 2023

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, loyalty…and a hidden fortune.

Jericho Coulter, the eldest of six fiercely devoted brothers, is entrusted with safeguarding his family and the secret that binds them together: the Sapphire mine. To keep tragedy from striking again, he allows no outsiders on their land. When two women stumble upon their ranch, claiming Jericho himself sent for one of them as a mail-order bride, he aims to send them straight back where they came from.

Dinah Wyatt, a talented and determined doctor, wasn’t about to let her twin sister travel to Montana alone and marry a stranger. Dinah’s skills are immediately put to the test when one of the younger Coulter brothers is gravely injured, forcing the family to trust his life to her.As Dinah and her sister become entwined in the Coulter family’s life, sparks fly between the enigmatic Jericho and the captivating doctor. In a world where trust is hard to come by and secrets hold the power to change lives, Jericho and Dinah must learn that sometimes, the most precious secrets are those buried within our own hearts.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain family saga filled with a mail-order bride, hidden treasure, and love that heals wounded hearts.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Jericho Coulter is the oldest brother and caretaker and protector of his family and ranch. After the death of his parents and sister, he is bound and determined to keep his family safe and their livelihood a secret from all outsiders. He was doing what he thought a good job of it too, until one day twin sisters show up looking for him to marry one of them.

Dinah and Naomi Wyatt have traveled far from Virginia to start a new life after Naomi decided to become a mail order bride to one Jericho Coulter. Dinah is a doctor, and she was not about to let her pregnant sister travel a treacherous way without her and marry a stranger. But when they get to the end of their travels, they find out Jericho never placed that add. Reluctantly and due to his brother's injury, he lets the ladies stay with them.

Jericho and Dinah begin to get to know each other, Jericho the protector and Dinah the healer, and feelings develop. They face many trials together and their love for one another grows stronger. However, Jericho is set in his ways about protecting the family and ranch even against some of his brothers' suggestions and their wishes. Dinah will not give up her profession as a doctor no matter what the cost. Can these two realize how much they need one another and can be stronger together?

What a great start to a new series. I am looking forward to seeing all of the brothers meet their matches, and that is quite possible when the truth comes out about who sent in the advertisement for a mail order bride for older brother Jericho.

This was a beautiful romantic adventure story of two people falling in love against their own wishes. 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

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

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

Sapphires in Montana? Are you sure?

When I was brainstorming ideas for my new series, I knew I wanted the stories to be set on a ranch amidst the breathtaking beauty of the Montana mountains. But I wanted something a little more unusual than that. I know, what could be more special than a ranch in the Rockies?

So I brought the conundrum to some writer friends and asked for help brainstorming. There’s nothing quite so fascinating as a group of writers in full brainstorming mode. Since the series is set during the mining boom in Montana, we discussed the idea of some kind of mine on the ranch, but not gold or silver. Or even copper. The remarkable Sarah Erredge (who writes as S.E. Warren) suggested Sapphires.

That thought immediately grabbed hold of me (especially since the Sapphire is the birthstone for my month of September). But I’d never heard of Sapphires being discovered in Montana. That seemed impossible… Right?

Until some quick research showed there are three well-known pockets of Sapphires in the state! Rock Creek is one of those locations, and is positioned perfectly for where I wanted to set my story—west of Helena and about a half day’s ride from the Mullan Road.

The timing of Sapphire discoveries in the state is perfect for my series as well. Early prospectors searching for gold in the gravel of the Missouri River repeatedly discarded the annoying blue pebbles that continually clogged their sluices without much thought to what they may be. It wasn’t discovered that these “pebbles” were Sapphires until 1895 when a man named Ed Coulter forwarded samples of these stones to Tiffany & Co. When Tiffany purchased the lot for $3,750 (approximately $110,300 as of 2018) and declared that the stones were “sapphires of unusual quality,” a small-scale sapphire rush began.

This rush is exactly what the Coulter brothers in the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch series are trying to avoid. That’s why they keep the Sapphire mine on their property secret during this first book in the series, Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart.

I pray you love book 1 in this new series and fall as deeply in love with this ranch in the Rockies as I have, especially with the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch. 

Blessings!

Misty