Book Review of 'Rediscovering Christmas' by Mindy Obenhaus

Hello Bookworms!

Well, we've officially made it to the holiday season.  Thanksgiving kicks off the season in my house and this year when you're reading this, I will be headed out of town to spend the week with my in-laws and enjoy some much-needed rest and relaxation.  It's been a very trying week for me, so I am looking forward to this trip so much.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and I want to say a special thank you to every single person that takes the time to visit my blog.  It means the world to me that you choose to hear my thoughts, and I never take your views and comments for granted.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

With that, I bid you adieu with the perfect novel to kick off this festive season.  I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this Christian Contemporary Romance and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours!

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Rediscovering Christmas by Mindy Obenhaus hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Rediscovering Christmas
Series: Hope Crossing #6 
Author: Mindy Obenhaus 
Publisher: Love Inspired 
Release Date: November 26, 2024 
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance 

She feels she’s lost everything… 

Will love give her hope? 

When a wildfire destroys her home, widowed schoolteacher Tori Stallings finds herself unexpectedly living with her mother- and brother-in-law—and struggling with her faith. With everything Tori owns consumed by the blaze, Micah vows to help his late brother’s wife and son rebuild their lives. The two of them have always been friends, but living under the same roof has their friendship turning into something more. Can love bloom amid tragic loss and shaken beliefs, and give them a fresh start for Christmas?

6

Book Review of 'Investigation of a Journalist' by Danielle Grandinetti

Happy Saturday Bookworms!

I hope you are all doing well and am so excited you're here!  Today I am featuring the final novel of one of my all-time favorite series and to be honest it's bittersweet.  I've enjoyed this series so much and hate that it's ending but I've loved every moment that I've spend in Crow's Nest.

I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this Christian Historical Romance and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours!

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Investigation of a Journalist by Danielle Grandinetti, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Investigation of a Journalist
Series: Harbored in Crow's Nest #6
Author: Danielle Grandinetti
Publisher: Hearth Spot Press
Release Date: November 19, 2024
Genre: Christian Historical Romance/Suspense

A second chance to set the record straight, and rekindle a lost love. 

Wisconsin, 1931—Buck Wilson refuses to accept failure as his reward for all he has sacrificed, but he’s kept secrets for too long to be believed. With his freedom on the line, there’s only one person he trusts to mine for the true story: the woman he left one month before their wedding. 

All investigative journalist Caroline Wagoneer wants is to shine a light on the truth wherever darkness threatens to obscure it. Which is the only reason she agrees to help her ex-fiance when he begs for her to go undercover in Crow’s Nest. What she discovers paints Buck in a whole new light. 

With lies and rumor hemming them in, Buck and Caroline realize their love may be doomed on the altar of altruism. 

Unless love can truly conquer all. 

Welcome to Crow’s Nest, where danger and romance meet at the water’s edge.

1

Book Review of 'The Darkness Deepens' by Sara Davison

Hello Bookworms!

How is your week going?  I've been taking more and more time offline to spend with family and care for my physical and mental health, and it's been great.  This time of year is always a time of reflection for me and I needed to slow down, be mindful, and be thankful.  Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.  I'm still voraciously reading and have some wonderful reviews coming in the next few weeks, including the one I'm featuring today.

This novel...wow... It hits so hard.  I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this Dystopian Romantic Suspense and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours.

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Darkness Deepens by Sara Davison, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Darkness Deepens
Series: The Day Draws Near #2
Author: Sara Davison
Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink
Release Date: November 15, 2024
Genre: Dystopian Romantic Suspense

Their secrets protect them... but secrets are hard to keep. 

No one in the army can find out that Captain Jesse Christensen has become a believer. He and bookstore owner Meryn O’Reilly are forced to meet in secret, facing imprisonment—or worse—if they are found together. 

As their relationship deepens, so does Lieutenant Gallagher’s hatred for the Christians in their city, putting all believers, especially Jesse, in extreme danger. 

Meryn wants to give her heart to Jesse fully, but her past holds her back. Although circumstances conspire to keep her silent, she needs to tell him her secret so nothing will stand between them anymore. 

But when he finds out what she has been keeping from him, nothing will ever be the same.

5

Book Review of 'When the Mountains Wept' by Kendy Pearson

Hello Bookworms!

Wow, do I have a treat for you today!  This year I've been discovering more and more authors that are new to me and the novel that I am featuring today is another one that has found itself a new admirer.  I don't normally gravitate to war stories, especially the Civil War, but this particular novel was intriguing, and I was blown away with how much it won me over.

I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this Christian Historical Fiction and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours.

Welcome to the Blog Tour for When the Mountains Wept by Kendy Pearson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: When the Mountains Wept
Series: West Virginia: Born of Rebellion's Storm #1
Author: Kendy Pearson
Publisher: Pear Blossom Books
Release Date: April 8, 2024
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

CAPTIVATING CIVIL WAR FICTION INSPIRED BY HISTORICAL EVENTS 

Amid talk of war, Augusta Dabney tends her younger siblings and dying father. But when hatred sparks tragedy, peace is but a shattered memory. Heartbroken and desperate, Augusta searches for a way to protect all she holds dear. 

Defying family and friends, Dr. James Hill declines a prestigious commission in the Confederate Army to join the Union cause as a Regimental Surgeon. When the Dabney farm becomes a crossroads of colliding forces, Major Hill commandeers their barn for a hospital. 

He is running from his legacy, seeking penance for his past. 

She is desperate to preserve hers, at any cost. 

As a wise, former slave nurtures James’s battered faith, cynicism crumbles, and James discovers grace and belonging with Augusta and her family unlike any he’s ever known, even as he must face the horrors of war and the evil it breeds. 

But when James comes face to face with his past, secrets unravel until deception ends in disaster, leaving Augusta with only one option. 

And it is unthinkable.  

3

Book Review of 'The Paris Portrait' by Heidi Eljarbo

Happy Tuesday Bookworms!

I am so excited to you are joining me today!  November is just flying by, but I am living for it!  This month is full of amazing new releases as we barrel towards the holidays and today, I am featuring a new release from one of my favorite series to date.

I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this Historical Mystery and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours.

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Paris Portrait by Heidi Eljarbo, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Paris Portrait
Series: A Fabiola Bennett Mystery #3
Author: Heidi Eljarbo
Publisher: Independently published
Release Date: November 12, 2024
Genre: Historical Mystery, Dual Timeline, Fiction

Fabiola stumbles upon a clue that indicates a royal portrait went missing almost two hundred years ago. Is this true, or is there substance to the rumor?  

Paris, France, 1973. 
After an enjoyable but dusty road trip, Fabiola and her friends, Pippa and Cary, arrive in a small village on the outskirts of Paris to spend a few days with Fabiola’s brother Eivind and his family. 

On their first evening there, Eivind shows Fabiola an ancient recipe book he bought at an auction. The book is filled with old writing, and he asks Fabiola to decipher the pages. After the others have gone to bed, she spends hours reading and is gripped by the last pages that have nothing to do with recipes for baked goods and stews. Certain the author was a famous portrait artist at the time of the French Revolution, Fabiola and her friends set out on a treacherous investigation, dodging murderers and thieves to learn the truth.  

Versailles, France, 1789.
Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun— portraitist and close friend of the extravagant queen of France, Marie Antoinette—has already painted thirty portraits of the queen. Her contemporaries compare her to the old Dutch masters, calling her one of the greatest portrait painters of her time. 

But outside on the streets, Paris is becoming more perilous with every day that passes. Madame Le Brun would be a fool to think the rumors of a revolution will pass, and aristocratic life will continue as before. 

Amid the turmoil, she paints one final portrait of Marie Antoinette, knowing well her association with the queen could cause her to be arrested or executed. As chaos and riots in Paris turn to violence, Madame Le Brun flees with her young daughter, hoping her royal friend and the portrait will be safe.  

5

Book Review of 'A Path to Healing' by Lisa M. James

Happy Wednesday Bookworms!

This year has been the year I've been dipping my toes into genres that are outside my norm, and I am finding that fantasy has been quickly becoming a favorite.  The novel I am featuring today is a unique fantasy that was so immersive and powerful that it has stuck with me since I've finished reading.

I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this Christian Fantasy Romance and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours.

Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Path to Healing by Lisa M. James, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: A Path to Healing
Series: The Prodigal Woman Series #3
Author: Lisa James
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: November 1, 2024
Genre: Christian Fantasy/Romance

Scarred. Blemished. Unwanted. These were all words that could describe Bethany. Since an accident disfigured the right side of her face, severing the betrothal to the man she loved, Bethany knew that no one would ever find her beautiful. When her mother insists she marries the only man willing to take her as a wife, Bethany begrudgingly agrees. Yet, the more she discovers about her new husband, the more she realizes that some scars are hidden deep within. 

After becoming a champion gladiator to purchase his mother’s freedom, Ezra wished to live a quiet life as a shepherd. When he hires a troubled woman with a veiled face to assist him with his flock, he’s surprised to find himself drawn to discover the woman beneath the mask. After a hasty marriage, Ezra vows to do everything he must to spare his wife from harm. But will her thirst for revenge against the dark forces that plague their homeland and his desperate need to protect his family tear them apart? 

Discover the story of a blemished woman in A Path to Healing. 

This Christian Fantasy novel can be read as a stand-alone novel or as part of The Prodigal Woman Series.

3

Book Review of 'An Ode to Poison' by Lisa E. Betz

Happy Monday Bookworms!

I hope everyone had a great weekend. I got to spend some time with my youngest son as well as some alone time while my husband was out with friends all weekend. It was nice but I felt a bit lonely, as I'm sure we all do when our partners aren't with us. That's what I love about books, they're always there, and they make you feel like you've got a friend when you're fighting loneliness.

One book that I was able to get lost in was the novel I'm featuring today. I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this Historical Mystery and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours!

Welcome to the Blog Tour for An Ode to Poison by Lisa E. Betz, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: An Ode to Poison
Series: Livia Aemilia Mysteries #3
Author: Lisa E. Betz
Publisher: Breakthrough Christian Publishing
Release Date: October 21, 2024
Genre: Historical Mystery

What do death by poison, a ruthless senator, and a poetry party have in common? 

They combine to draw Livia Aemilia into her most dangerous investigation yet. She must risk setting foot in the house of her worst enemy, Senator Tiberius Gracchus, to investigate the death of his wife. (Don’t worry, she has a plan.) 

The victim’s sister is convinced Gracchus is the killer. If so, proving his guilt in Rome’s law courts could put a stop to his nefarious threats forever. 

Livia is sure this investigation is God’s plan to protect her family from their malicious enemy. And maybe it will finally convince her husband Avitus that God is real. 

The more Livia and Avitus dig, the more it looks like they will finally bring Gracchus to justice. Until another victim is poisoned, and everything they think they know is turned upside down. 

6

Book Review of 'I'll Be Home' by Sara Davison, Darlene L. Turner, Helena Smrcek, and Melanie Stevenson

Happy November Bookworms!

I can't believe the holiday season has officially begun!  I hope that everyone had a safe and happy Halloween yesterday.  Our family tradition is to stay home, watch movies, and eat candy, which is exactly what we did, and it was wonderful!  I'm fighting a pretty bad cold, so it was exactly what I needed.  To me, as soon as Halloween is over is when the holiday season kicks off.  I decorate even more for fall and this kicks off my holiday reading for the season, so get ready for more holiday goodness!

To kick of the festivities, I have another Christmas anthology to feature so I hope you enjoy this Contemporary Christmas Anthology and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours!

Welcome to the Blog Tour for I'll Be Home by Sara Davison, Darlene L. Turner, Helena Smrcek, and Melanie Stevenson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: I'll Be Home
Authors: Sara Davison, Darlene L. Turner, Helena Smrcek, & Melanie Stevenson
Publisher: Independent (Fab Four Press)
Release Date: October 29, 2024
Genre: Contemporary Christmas anthology

With chaos and confusion all around them, can they find their way home this Christmas? 

The people in these four stories are all searching for something—an escaped convict, a job promotion from a love interest, connection to a lost parent, answers across time. 

Christmas should be a time of wonder and celebration, but the obstacles each faces seem insurmountable. Even, at times, life-threatening. 

Perhaps they will find what they are seeking during this season of miracles and hope. Or maybe, with God’s help, they will discover that the longing of their hearts takes them to places—and people—they didn’t even know they’d been searching for.  

I’ll Be Home is a collection of four stories of faith, hope, love, (and trains) that will warm your heart, encourage your soul, and draw you home this Christmas.

4