This is definitely one of my favorite books that I have ever read. I loved Fanny and love that she finds her happiness and freedom after years of servitude. It was fun to learn about Walter and his daughter Annaliese. The parts with Sloan and how he evolves throughout the story is fantastic. I did not want to put the story down. I love the emotion and the romance and the bits of suspense. I received a copy of this book from Waterbrook and Multnomah for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
Her voice made her a riverboat’s darling—and its prisoner. Now she’s singing her way to freedom in this powerful novel from the bestselling author of The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow.
“[An] enjoyable faith-filled adventure . . . Sawyer’s episodic narrative and rich assortment of characters fighting for freedom provide the story with many twists and unexpected side-plots.”—Publishers Weekly
Indentured servant Fanny Beck has been forced to sing for riverboat passengers since she was a girl. All she wants is to live a quiet, humble life with her family as soon as her seven-year contract is over. So when she discovers that the captain has no intention of releasing her, she seizes a sudden opportunity to escape—an impulse that leads Fanny to a group of enslaved people who are on their own dangerous quest for liberty. . . .
Widower Walter Kuhn is overwhelmed by his responsibilities to his farm and young daughter, and now his mail-order bride hasn’t arrived. Could a beautiful stranger seeking work be the answer to his prayers? . . .
After the star performer of the River Peacock is presumed drowned, Sloan Kirkpatrick, the riverboat’s captain, sets off to find her replacement. However, his journey will bring him face to face with his own past—and a deeper understanding of what it truly means to be free. . . .
Uplifting, inspiring, and grounded in biblical truth, Freedom’s Song is a story for every reader who has longed for physical, emotional, or spiritual delivery.
This is a nice romance with just a bit of intrigue. I like how Wilson and Traesa learn to like each other as they learn what love is. This has a bit of danger and there are some twists and turns and this shows how we should try to get along with family and learn forgiveness. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a four out of five stars.
About the Book
Book: A Heart’s Forever Home
Author: Lena Nelson Dooley
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release date: August 17, 2021
A single lawyer whose clients think he needs a wife.
A woman who needs a forever home…or a forever family…or a forever love.
Although Traesa Killdare is a grown woman now, the discovery that her adoption wasn’t finalized sends her reeling. Especially when her beloved grandmother dies and the only siblings she’s ever known exile her from the family property without a penny to her name.
Wilson Pollard works hard for the best interest of his law clients, even those who think a marriage would make him more “suitable” in his career. And when the beloved granddaughter of a recently deceased client comes to him for help, he knows he must do whatever necessary to make her situation better.
As each of their circumstances worsen, a marriage of convenience seems the only answer for both. Traesa can’t help but fall for her new husband—the man who’s given her both his home and his name. But what will it take for Wilson to realize he loves her? Will a not-so-natural disaster open his eyes and heart?
Lena Nelson Dooley has been an author for 36 years. Her 51st book released in June 2020. Raised in Arkansas, she married a Texan 56 years ago. They have lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for decades. She is an active member of ACFW and one of the founding members the DFW local chapter. She’s often been a speaker for other writers’ groups and conferences, both as a keynote speaker and a workshop teacher. Her fans love reading her books filled with characters who grip your heart.
More from Lena
I’ve been a lover of history for decades. In college and graduate school, all my elective courses were history. Of course, I chose the countries and eras I wanted to learn about. When I began writing novels, my first one was a contemporary story. After that at least 75% or more of my novels have been historical, all the way from 1805 through the early 20th century.
One of the hallmarks of my historical novels is the authenticity I write into the stories. Because of the amount of research I’ve done over the years, I’m kind of an expert in 19th century history. My characters and their stories are completely fictional, but the other things in the book are mostly true. I search until I find what I need to know or until I reach a complete dead end.
The history of the orphan trains has interested me since I first learned about them. One of them ended in Fort Worth where a pastor and his wife helped find the last orphans a home. A few didn’t get a home, so they took them in. In the 20th century that became an orphanage, then a home for unwed mothers.
A Heart’s Forever Home has three settings—Fort Worth, Texas; Waco, Texas; and New York City. It’s a Marriage of Convenience story and much more. This is another type of story I like to read and I like to write. Finding a different reason for the necessity of the marriage is interesting.
I’d found an event that occurred north of Waco in 1896. It was so bizarre I wanted to include it in a book. It was a perfect fit for this story and became an important catalyst in the story.
I’m what’s called in the industry a seat-of-the-pants author, more or less. I do have the complete outline of the story in my head. When I sit down to write, I know where I’m going, but I don’t have every single scene plotted out as some authors do. And I pray… a lot. During the time I’m writing a book, God drops ideas into my thought processes. Not just while I’m writing, but other times, too. That’s the exciting thing about writing. This keeps it fresh for me.
When you’ve finished reading this story, I hope you’ll let me know what you think of it. I really like getting reader feedback.
I always love coming back to Normal, Ky. The Laundry Club Ladies are wonderful and as always they were great again. Hank is back but is there a problem. This one has lots of laughs and I love the descriptions of Mammoth Caves. The Halloween party they go to is great and their costumes are perfect. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
Let me be the first person to welcome you to Normal, Kentucky located in the heart of the Daniel Boone National Forest. I’m Mae West the owner of Happy Trails Campground.
Fall at the campground is my favorite time of the year. The bursts of orange, yellow, green, and red pop on the falling leaves, creating a colorful path along the trails for all of my guests at my campground is a real life picture that could never be captured by a camera.
Days are warm and at night you need a light sweater to enjoy the campfire or snuggle up in a cozy blanket. The campground is full and the campers are excited to participate in Normal’s annual Pumpkin Carving Carnival. It’s a little spooky seeing the hundreds jack-o-lantern faces all light up with toothless or toothy smiles. It’s the dead body among them that chills me to the bone.
I am so sorry with myself that I have not taken the time to read any of the other books by this author. I will be remedying that soon. This was the twenty fourth book in this series with Andy Carpenter but I did not need to read the other books to get who the characters were. I love the wry humor that is used throughout. These are great characters. This is a definite read for any one. I received a copy of this book from Minotaur for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
Christmas has come early to the town of Paterson, New Jersey, in the form of a snowstorm that dumps two feet of snow on the ground. Lawyer Andy Carpenter likes snow—white Christmas and all that—but it can cause problems for the walks he takes his dogs on every day.
When Andy’s golden retriever, Tara, goes to play in the snow and instead discovers a body, Andy ends up on the phone with the local newspaper editor. The murder victim is Mayor Alex Oliva, who had an infamous relationship with the newspaper. Last year a young reporter published an expose, and Oliva had him fired for libel. Now, the young reporter—and prime suspect —is in need of a lawyer.
Andy agrees to take the case, though it’s not looking good this holiday season. The evidence is piling up faster than the snow in Best in Snow, the next Christmas mystery in the bestselling Andy Carpenter series from David Rosenfelt.
Just looking at the pictures of the baked goods and reading the ingredients makes my mouth water. I look forward to trying many of these recipes. I love the little anecdotes throughout also. I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
Delightful Baked Goods from Dozens of Amish Kitchens
Fresh-baked buns or cookies waiting for a child&;s after-school snack is a delight many of us remember from our own mothers&; and grandmothers&; kitchens. You can now share the joy of baking for and with your own family through dozens of recipes provided by Amish bakers. Ideas for breads, rolls, cakes, cookies, and more will keep you busy taste testing and sharing all the goodies. Also included are step-by-step instructions, baking tips, and anecdotes from Amish bakers. Encased in a lay-flat binding and presented in full color, home bakers of all ages will be delighted to add this cookbook to their collections.
This is a must-have cookbook for anyone with a soft spot for baked goods, from New York Times bestselling author of Amish fiction, Wanda E. Brunstetter.
This is one of the first books that I have read by this author and I know it will not be my last. I really like Meg and her family. This is a great family. The mystery was wonderful and there were a lot of twists and turns that had me wondering who the killer was. Even though this is the 30th book in the series I was able to figure out the main characters without a problem. I received a copy of this book from Minotaur for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
Meg and Michael’s annual holiday celebration is well underway, with a throng of out-of-town relatives staying at their house. Hosting these festivities is a little harder than usual—they have to relocate all the events normally held in their library, currently occupied by Roderick Castlemayne, the irascible wildlife artist who’s creating twelve paintings of birds to illustrate Meg’s grandfather’s latest nature book.
Still, the celebrations continue—and the entire family rejoices to learn that Meg’s brother Rob and his longtime fiancée Delaney have finally decided to tie the knot. Unfortunately, they decide to do this in the middle of Meg and Michael’s annual New Year’s bash, dashing their mothers’ hopes of planning the wedding to end all weddings.
Delaney’s mother sneaks into town so she and Meg’s mother can secretly plot a way to talk the happy couple into having a big bash. Hiding her only adds to Meg’s holiday stress—it’s almost a full-time job fending off all the visitors who want to confront Castlemayne—reporters, bill collectors, process servers, and several ex-wives in search of unpaid alimony.
Then someone murders Castlemayne in the middle of a blizzard and sets loose the birds he was painting. Can Meg help the police crack the case before the killer strikes again? Can she keep Christmas merry in spite of the body in the library? Can she negotiate a compromise between Rob and Delaney and their disappointed mothers? And can she recapture the twelve escaped jays before they begin nesting in the Christmas tree?
This intrigue-filled Christmas mystery takes readers home to Caerphilly to join in Meg’s family’s holiday celebration—including, of course, another baffling mystery.
This is a story with romance and family dynamics. Diana goes with her friend to visit her friends family right before Christmas. Diana does not know what she really wants in life and finds herself while in Amish Country. In this story you will learn some about the Amish and the Mennonites. This will make you laugh and cry. I really love the characters. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
What starts as a getaway to Amish Country could turn into the Christmas that changes Diana’s life forever, if only she opens her heart.
Diana can’t face another lonely Christmas in her Manhattan apartment. When a coworker invites her on a last-minute trip to visit her Mennonite family in Lancaster County, Diana jumps at the chance.
Arriving in Amish Country in the middle of a snowstorm, Diana discovers a world that couldn’t be more different from her life on the Upper East Side. She is fascinated by the sprawling farms and buggies on the roads, but what she really notices are the welcoming families, cozy kitchens filled with home-cooked meals…and the two handsome men who may or may not be vying for her attention.
But every community has its secrets. Jesse, the rakish young Amish farmer, is hiding more than just a forbidden cell phone. And then there’s handsome Brett, the guarded Mennonite craftsman who harbors a dark secret of his own.
This was a wonderful way to end this series. You do not need to read the first four books in the series but you would be missing some really good romantic suspense stories. I really like Sally and Dillon and enjoyed their story. This novella had the makings of a full length story if the author had wanted. There was intrigue and romance and a bit of action. This kept you on your toes by not knowing if it was over. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
About the Book
Book: Personal Threat
Author: Kimberly Rose Johnson
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Christmas
Release date: September 21, 2021
Bodyguard Sally Wilson has become the target. Can she save her own life as well as her daughter’s?
Christmas is supposed to be the happiest time of the year, but when Sally’s young daughter, Emma, becomes the target of child traffickers, and the little girl’s biological father wants Sally dead, the Christmas season takes a dark turn.
Police officer, Dillon Brady, responds to a call for help at the home of his friend and Protection Inc. bodyguard, Sally Wilson. When their relationship tips beyond friendship, Dillon is determined no one will hurt Sally or her daughter again. Will his resolve be enough?
Sally is drawn to Dillon. He’s a natural with Emma and appears to care about both of them. Sally’s been fooled before by a man she believed loved her, but what if it’s an act? Can Sally learn to trust again and follow her heart, or will Dillon get relegated to the friend zone?
Award winning author Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance and romantic mystery and suspense with a heart.
Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.
Every year since I signed the contract for my debut novel, a book set at Christmastime, I have made it a goal to write a Christmas book, usually a novella. This year, Personal Threat is that book.
I wrapped up the series with Personal Threat. My husband came up with the title for this one because the threat in this book is very personal for one of the Protection Inc. team members.
We first met Sally in book two of the series and it seemed only fitting she starred in a book of her own. We also get to know Dillon better in this book which for me was super fun to write. He’s played an important and growing role as the series has progressed and is one of my favorite characters in the series.
This is the type of historical fiction that takes history and tweeks some of it. Audrey is forced by Queen Elizabeth l to go to Scotland to spy for her. Audrey is a tough woman that has a hard time holding her tongue around Gavin, the Laird. I loved the intrigue and the romance. These are wonderful characters and I like how Queen Elizabeth l is woven into the story. I recommend reading the first book in the series to get a better idea about some of the things going on in this one. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
About the Book
Book: A Life Redeemed
Author: Olivia Rae
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release date: June 16, 2021
Everyone has a secret, who can a queen trust?
Upon Queen Elizabeth’s order, Audrey Hayes travels to the borderlands of Scotland to learn where the fierce Laird Armstrong’s loyalties lie. Is he aligned with his mother’s English roots in support of the queen, or does he hold with the beliefs of his father, who wishes to see Mary of Scots on the English throne? The fate of Audrey’s family rests on her success in finding the answer.
After losing his lands in a wager and being betrayed by his kin, Gavin Armstrong entered a loveless marriage to obtain the funds to buy back his family home, Warring Tower. Now a widower, struggling against countless border wars, he is on the verge of losing his home and lands again. With few resources, he reluctantly makes another risky wager, one he cannot hope to win without trusting the secretive Audrey Hayes, a woman he suspects is an English spy.
As the two work together to save Warring Tower, their attraction to one another grows. But when Audrey finally gains the information she seeks for Queen Elizabeth, she realizes that the only way she can save her family is to betray the man she loves.
Olivia Rae is an award-winning author of historical and contemporary inspirational romance. She spent her school days dreaming of knights, princesses and far away kingdoms; it made those long, boring days in the classroom go by much faster. Nobody was more shocked than her when she decided to become a teacher. Besides getting her Master’s degree, marrying her own prince, and raising a couple of kids, Olivia decided to breathe a little more life into her childhood stories by adding in what she’s learned as an adult living in a small town on the edge of a big city. When not writing, she loves to travel, dragging her family to old castles and forts all across the world.
Olivia is the winner of the Angel Award, Book Buyers Best Award, Golden Quill Award, New England Readers’ Choice Award, Southern Magic Contest, and the American Fiction Award. She is an Illumination Award Gold and Bronze medalist. She has also been a finalist in many other contests such as the National Readers’ Choice Awards, and the National Romance Fiction Awards. She is currently hard at work on her next novel.
More from Olivia
My novel, A Life Redeemed takes place in 16th Century England and Scotland. A very popular dish at the time was the meat pie. Back then making such a dish took a lot of time. My Grandmother made a similar dish with modern day ingredients that you can whip together in no time. Cheesy meat pie is a real family pleaser and a delicious bit of history.
Medieval Cheesy Meat Pie
1 pound ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
1 – 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
¼ cup parsley
1 – 3oz. can chopped mushrooms (drained)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
2 packages (8 rolls) crescent rolls
3 eggs
Shredded cheese (mixed cheddar and mozzarella)
In skillet, brown beef, onion (drain). Stir in tomato sauce, parsley, mushrooms, pepper and oregano, then set aside. Unroll one package of crescent rolls, forming 12×6 inch rectangle. Seal edges and perforations together. Roll to fit in 9-inch pie plate, trim. Separate one egg and set aside the yoke. Beat egg white with remaining two eggs. Spread over half the dough. Spoon meat into shell, arranging cheese on top. Pour remaining egg mixture over cheese. Roll out second package of crescent rolls, sealing on top of pie. Beat remaining egg yoke and a tablespoon of water, brush on top of dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. If pastry gets too brown, cover with foil. Let stand for 10 minutes.
When I first started to read this book I was not sure how I would like it because I usually like books with suspense and romance. This one has heart. I laughed and I cried. I had not heard of giving out prayer shawls before but now I think it is a fantastic idea. Some books like this can be sappy but this one is not it is just a beautiful story. I received a copy of this book from Read with Audra for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
Debut author gives readers an inspirational story that will encourage them to leave their comfort zone
Grand Rapids, MI — It’s easy to fall into a routine that’s easy and comfortable because it’s what has always been done. But sometimes we need to get pushed out of our comfort zones in order to do the work God really calls us to do. That’s what happens to the members of the Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry in Sharon J. Mondragón’s debut novel, The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady (Kregel Publications/September 21, 2021/ISBN: 9780825447020/$15.99).
Margaret, Rose, Jane, and Fran had a good thing going: every week they meet in the quiet of their church’s peaceful chapel and knit prayer shawls to give to members of the community who are having a hard time. Nothing frivolous, just ministry. That is, until their pastor boots them out of the church in his last-ditch effort to revive the dwindling congregation.
However, uptight Margaret isn’t having it. She is used to having things a certain way—her way. Knitting prayer shawls where people can watch is the most ridiculous idea she’s ever heard of, and she’s heard plenty. Prayer belongs in the quietness and peace of church, not out among the masses in public. How are they supposed to knit holiness into these shawls if they’re constantly distracted by holiday shoppers and mall employees?
With no choice, the other women embrace the challenge and decide to make the best of the situation. They pack their knitting bags and drag Margaret—grumbling the whole way—to the mall with them. She can’t wait to prove them all wrong when this new venture fails miserably and show the pastor that she always knows best.
However, Margaret, the church “dragon lady” herself, is in for a surprise. “Through one of the prayer requests at the mall, Margaret comes face-to-face with a situation which hits uncannily close to home, a situation from which she has been running for over two decades. This trauma has been at the bottom of her steely and desperate need to control. She is finally moved toward change and healing when she decides to try to save someone else from the regrets that have haunted her for over twenty-five years,” the author explains.
Without the familiar mold the group has been stuck in, their own losses, pain, and struggles rise to the surface. And the people and situations the knitters encounter every time they try to sit quietly and knit are taking them a lot further out of their comfort zone than they ever imagined. Can they find the courage to tackle the increasing number of knotty issues they learn about in the community—or will the tangle be too much to unravel?
“The spiritual theme of The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is going ‘Beyond the Building,’” Mondragón shares. “I want readers to be inspired to step out of their comfort zones of church ministry to reach those outside of church with the love and care of God.”
Much of The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady was inspired by own experience in a prayer shawl group. “Due to a military move, I was the new girl once again, and I joined my first prayer shawl group in hopes of making friends, but it turned out to be so much more,” she recalls. “The ministry met in the café of a local health food store. The pastor wanted us to ply our needles in public, not hidden away in the church building. People often stopped by our table to ask what we were making or to tell us about someone they loved who also knitted or crocheted. We were a warm and comforting presence in that space every week.” After her husband’s retirement, they moved again, and she is now the facilitator of her current church’s prayer shawl ministry that means weekly at a local coffee shop.
Mondragón’s debut is warm and delightful, full of real laughter, grief, and personality. It beautifully illustrates the power of women across generations to reach people for Christ.
To read an excerpt of The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady click here.
Advance Praise
“The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is a delight! With scenes as vivid and lively as a cozy PBS drama and characters so real they feel more like neighbors than anything else, this book was a joy every moment I spent with it. More than once, I found myself so absorbed in the story that I completely forgot I was reading. Laced with mercy, encouragement, and hope, this novel is a brilliant and lovingly written debut.”
~ Susie Finkbeiner, author of The Nature of Small Birds and the Pearl Spence novels
“I love this book. Extraordinary things happen when ordinary knitters reluctantly move a congregation’s prayer shawl ministry from a quiet chapel to a busy mall. Their encounters with people they would not normally meet made me chuckle, occasionally weep, and finish the story feeling a gentle nudge from the author to ‘go and do likewise.’”
~ Patricia Sprinkle, author of Hold Up the Sky
About the Author
Sharon J. Mondragón writes about the place where kindness and courage meet. Her debut novel, The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady (originally titled The Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry) was the 2017 winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis award in the Short Novel Category, and she has also been recognized by The Saturday Evening Post where her short story, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” was an Honorable Mention Awardee in the 2014 their Great American Fiction Contest.
Mondragón has been active in prayer shawl ministry since 2008 and currently serves as facilitator for the prayer shawl ministry at her church, St. Paul Episcopal in Waxahachie, TX. She also knits with the Circle of Healing at Red Oak United Methodist Church. She is a Level 2 Certified Knitting Instructor through the Craft Yarn Council and teaches beginning knitting at a local yarn store.
Mondragón is the mother of five grown children and has four grandchildren. After 26 years as an Army wife, she has settled in Midlothian, TX with her hero/husband, her laptop, and her yarn stash.
