Thursday, September 11, 2025

"It’s a Good Day to Be a Teacher: 52 Devotions to Equip and Encourage Educators" by Gretchen Huesmann

About the Book

Book: It’s a Good Day to Be a Teacher: 52 Devotions to Equip and Encourage Educators

Author: Gretchen Huesmann

Genre: Devotional

Release Date: Febuary 25, 2025

Refresh and Refocus Your Teaching Heart

Today’s educators face unprecedented challenges in and out of the classroom. Teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and special education teams need more than a few words of encouragement and a pat on the back.

Divided into four terms—fall, winter, spring, and summer—It’s a Good Day to Be a Teacher targets the trials and joys educators encounter year-round. The weekly devotions provide:

Spiritual insights and inspiration
Courage to continue the calling
Practical steps for application
Additional suggestions for deeper study

Teachers who use the tools of God’s Word and prayer will be encouraged and empowered as they witness God at work in their students, classrooms, and schools. This book helps educators teach from a place of purpose and peace and provides hope and strength to teach another day.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

This is the perfect devotional for teachers. It has 52 devotions that are divided into four sections: Fall term, Winter term, Spring term, and Summer term. So you can do one devotion a week for the whole year. Each devotion starts with a Bible passage to read, followed by the devotional. Then there is a written out prayer for you to pray as well as a section to on how to "live the lesson" and "extra credit". I found the book to be encouraging.

About the Author

Gretchen Huesmann comes from a long line of educators, including both parents and grandparents. Her three-decade teaching career, in private and public schools, spanned seven states. Today, Gretchen enjoys mentoring and encouraging educators, ministry workers, and women’s groups. She is also a tutor and substitute teacher. An award-winning author, Gretchen is a member of Word Weavers International and serves as president of the Pensacola chapter. Her e-book, Teachers’ Prayer Companion: Prayer Guides for Education Teams, can be found at GretchenHuesmann.com. Gretchen and her pastor husband have raised four children, three of whom are teachers. Their empty nest sits near the gulf shores of north-west Florida.

More from Gretchen

Before I wrote the devotional for teachers, the focus of my writing had been for children. As a semiretired teacher and empty-nester, I’d hoped to fulfill my dream of writing picture books by investing in webinars, workshops, and resources to hone my craft. Then I was called back into teaching.

Three years and a pandemic separated my time in the classroom. The discrepancies in children’s abilities and behaviors appalled me. I experienced firsthand the added pressures I’d heard from colleagues. Three of my adult children, also teachers, shared similar struggles. Now I faced those challenges, too, so I sought the Bible for help and support.

Looking back over my teaching career, spanning more than thirty years in and out of the classroom, I discovered God was with me through every challenge. I wrote out a few of my experiences and applied Bible verses to those scenarios, uncovering valuable lessons.

As I compiled the devotions, common subjects emerged, such as staff relationships, pupil concerns, and dealing with parents. Yet, when I organized the book, I felt uneasy emphasizing the negative issues. Laying out three quarters of the printed devotions on my dining table, I prayed over the topics and asked God to reveal the structure that would attract and encourage educators. The answer was revealed as I recognized a progression through the school year, thus determining the structure of the book: Fall Term, Winter Term, Spring Term, and Summer Term. Each section includes relevant topics for the school year, including the all-important recovery during the summer season.

I hope teachers, administrators, and special educators will be not only encouraged by the devotions geared especially for them but also empowered to teach another day.

Blog Stops

Its Mama Safe, September 4

Barb Howe, September 4

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 5

Simple Harvest Reads, September 6 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 7

Texas Book-aholic, September 8

She Lives To Read, September 9

Artistic Nobody, September 10 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, September 10

Blossoms and Blessings, September 11

Guild Master, September 12 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, September 13

Fiction Book Lover, September 14 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 15

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 16

For the Love of Literature, September 17 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

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

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54291

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

"Resolution Room" by Courtney Lyman -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: Resolution Room

Author: Courtney Lyman

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Release Date: January 15, 2016

Carol loved celebrating holidays, so when she had the opportunity she opened a bed-and-breakfast where each room focused on a different one. Her early guests included Willa Newman and her roommates who came to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Carol’s handyman, Owen Coburn, was instantly attracted to Willa, but soon found himself in the “friend zone”. Several years later, as Willa sees her friends find love, she makes a New Year’s resolution that next year she won’t be alone. Seeing his opportunity, Owen invents a friend for Willa to meet, hoping that eventually she would see that the friend was really him. Will his lie tear them apart or will Willa see past his disguise and recognize the man who loves her?

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1. Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?
I am definitely a pantser. I’ll have a rough idea of what will happen from months or years
of daydreaming, but my stories can still surprise me once I get them out on paper. I love
not knowing exactly what’s going to happen.

2. What is your favorite part about writing?
My favorite part about writing is seeing God take me down paths I didn’t expect, speak to
me through my characters, and hopefully speak to others when they read my books.

3. What is your least favorite part about writing?
Marketing. I’m terrible at hyping myself. It feels so awkward. I have people who have
known me for years and only recently learned I’m an author – that’s how bad I am at it.
My husband very lovingly says that I’m a good writer and a terrible marketer.

4. When did you become a writer?
My youth leader’s wife became a dear friend of mine. and we would often share the
books we were reading. One day she suggested that we write our own books. I took the
suggestion and started writing, not really expecting it to go anywhere. One day, I had my
sister look over what I had written, but I told her to stop at a certain place. It seemed to
take her forever, so I went to see where she was only to find that she had passed the
place where I had told her to stop. When I mentioned it, she said, “I couldn’t stop! It was
too good!” That made me think that maybe I could actually write a book that people
would enjoy reading, and so I kept going.

5. Where do you get your ideas for your books?
I often have random thoughts that cross my mind. and they can develop into stories. The
Holliday Hotel series came from wondering what it would be like to own a bed-and-
breakfast that had room names instead of numbers and the rooms were decorated for the
theme. I thought that I might like that until I remembered that I’m not a morning person
and would hate waking up early to prepare breakfast for the guests. I could create a
character who loved being an early bird and serving her guests though! Since I love
holidays, I thought it would be interesting to create rooms for different holidays and come
up with stories that went with the holidays. New Years would be about a resolution,
Valentines about what God’s love looks like, and so on. It was so much fun to connect a
story to each holiday!

About the Author

Courtney Lyman lives in Tucson, Arizona with her husband, their three children, and two cats. She is the author of the KW Consulting series, the Holliday Hotel series, as well as several Christmas novellas. She stays busy with her family’s activities, her ministries at church, and in whatever time is left, knitting, singing, and playing games.

More from Courtney

Hello, Readers! I’ve dreamed of many businesses that I thought would be fun to own – things like a food truck, a book store, and a bed-and-breakfast were considered. I loved the idea of decorating and planning the theme of a b-and-b, but since I’m not a morning person, the whole preparing breakfast part seemed less exciting. Thankfully, as an author, I can put my imagination to work and experience being an inn owner in my books.

As someone who loves to decorate for the different seasons and holidays throughout the year, I wondered what it would be like to have a b-and-b where each room had a different holiday theme. Enter Carol Holliday and the Holliday Hotel. Carol was born on Christmas and dearly loves all holidays. When her husband unexpectedly dies, she decides to pursue her dream and open the Holliday Hotel which would not only have holiday themed rooms, but would offer celebrations throughout the year for her hometown to enjoy.

In Resolution Room, I wanted to explore the tendency we have to push our timelines and agendas ahead of God’s timing. By making a resolution to not be single by the following New Year’s Eve, Willa makes her desires and timing the focus of the year. How often do I do the same thing? I say I want God’s will, but I push ahead with what I want even when He is saying ‘no’ or ‘wait’.

I hope you fall in love with Holliday Hotel as much as I did and that you come back to visit for the other holidays! See how God’s love is very different from worldly love in Sweetheart Suite. Celebrate the power of the resurrection in Resurrection Rest. Explore the peace of reconciliation in Mama’s Morning Room. Embrace God’s fatherly love for us in Daddy’s Den. Freedom in Christ and forgiveness are the themes of Independence Hall while God’s power over darkness takes the stage in Harvest Hollow. Gratitude and its relationship to love is the focus of Pilgrim Passage. Finally, celebrate Christmas with a second chance romance in Christmas Chamber.

Thank you so much for visiting me! God bless and happy reading!

Courtney Lyman

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 28

Pause for Tales, August 29

She Lives To Read, August 30

Simple Harvest Reads, August 31 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, August 31

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 1

Artistic Nobody, September 2 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 3

Guild Master, September 4 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 5

Fiction Book Lover, September 6 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 7

Book Looks by Lisa, September 8

Tell Tale Book Reviews, September 9 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, September 10 (Author Interview)

For Him and my Family, September 10

Giveaway

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

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54287

Sunday, September 7, 2025

"Fire Mountain" by Dana Mentink

About the Book

Book: Fire Mountain (Elements of Danger Series)

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Release Date: July 1, 2025

In the shadow of a threatening volcano, long-haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her crashed big rig, unable to recall what happened or why she’s suddenly in possession of someone’s baby. Fiercely independent, she has to admit that perhaps this time she could use a little help.

As the threat of eruption grows, former cop Cullen Landry refuses to leave his cabin in the evacuation area, which is why he’s the only one left who can help Kit escape the crumpled cab of her truck. He doesn’t want to get tangled up in the mystery of the beautiful woman with an abandoned infant, but when he sees the bullet hole in the windshield and the bloody handprint on the interior, he realizes that he’s in this thing, like it or not.

When two armed men with ill intent approach, the race is on to stay alive, discover the truth, and find the baby’s missing mother–all while a deadly mountain rains fire from above.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

If a book is written by Dana Mentink, I know I will enjoy it. This book was no exception to that. Once I started reading, I didn't want to put it down. It was well written and had good description. I felt like I was there. I liked the biblical faith element woven into the story. It kept me turning pages to see what was going to happen next. I look forward to reading more books by Dana Mentink.

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and a Holt Medallion winner. She is the author of over fifty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Revell and Poisoned Pen Press.

More from Dana

Hello, dear readers! Are you ready to leap into the world of a woman trapped near an erupting volcano? I know. Dropping that character into circumstances where the very earth under their feet is unreliable, where they are cut off from their technology, their transportation, civilization itself with no way to summon help, feels almost cruel. Imagine you’re in a volcano eruption zone with no way out. Now add in a stranger’s baby, a vulnerable infant, , and you are their only hope to stay alive. Why am I so compelled by those scenarios? Me, the woman who loses her backpack in the airport. I believe it’s because in those difficult, stressful moments when we accept our own helplessness that the grace of God shines brightest. Real people and fictional ones survive. Wells of strength are discovered. Hidden rivers of resilience surface. Big cities, island roads, overpasses, in the shadows of volcanoes… in the darkest moments we realize we’re never truly without His help.

Blog Stops

Devoted To Hope, September 5

Texas Book-aholic, September 6

EmpowerMoms, September 6

Blossoms and Blessings, September 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 8

Labor Not in Vain , September 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 9

The Sacred Line, September 10

The Avid Reader, September 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 11

Cover Lover Book Review, September 12

For Him and My Family, September 12

Lights in a Dark World, September 13

Tell Tale Book Reviews, September 14

Holly’s Book Corner, September 14

Blogging With Carol, September 15

Lily’s Corner, September 16

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, September 16

Simple Harvest Reads, September 17 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 18

Pause for Tales, September 18

Giveaway

To celebrte her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize of a $100 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.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54292

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Friday, September 5, 2025

"A Scheming in Parliament" by Erica Vetsch

About the Book

Title: A Scheming in Parliament

Series: Of Cloaks & Daggers #2

Author: Erica Vetsch

Publisher: Kregel Publications

Release Date: August 26, 2025

Genre: Regency Mystery Romance

Evil is masquerading in the halls of Parliament, and Sir Bertrand Thorndike is tasked with investigating from the inside. With his new position as a member of the House of Commons, he has access to the power brokers of English government. His tactic is to listen and learn, careful not to reveal his true motives, and he's quickly inducted into the mysterious Theban Club.

Miss Philippa Cashel's mission, the Princess Charlotte Eleos School for Women in Need, is thriving with donations, and the students are learning skills to help them earn their livings in honorable ways. But when a dear friend's past is revealed by blackmail, Philippa must wrestle with the question, Is it ever right to do the wrong thing?

Bertie's and Philippa's missions collide when Bertie uncovers a dangerous plot involving vulnerable women. He and Philippa join forces against the corruption threatening to topple England's government, all while navigating their outward reputations and inward feelings for each other.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Kregel Publications | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub

"The Undercover Heiress of Brockton" by Kelly J. Goshorn

About the Book

Book: The Undercover Heiress of Brockton

Author: Kelly J. Goshorn

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release Date: August 1, 2025

A Socialite in Disguise Seeks Truth and Justice

Henrietta “Etta” Maxwell is a hard-hitting investigative reporter for The Enterprise Daily. The catch? Etta must pen her columns under the nom de plume, Henry Mason—a fact that routinely puts a knot in her knickerbockers.

Leo Eriksson is a second-generation firefighter with a passion for rendering aid to those in need. When Leo discovers that Henry Mason is really Henrietta Maxwell, the fire department’s wealthy benefactress, he agrees to keep her identity secret. After a sudden blast rocks the Grover Shoe Factory, Leo and Etta team up to determine if the explosion is related to a series of suspicious fires in the area.

When an unnamed source reveals Etta’s secret identity to a rival reporter, she falsely accuses Leo of being the informant. As the truth comes to light, Etta must persuade Leo to give her a second chance or lose the only man she’s ever loved.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

I thought this book was well written and easy to read. There were a few times that I thought that they used a word in a way that didn't fit the circumstance, but over all not bad. I like that there was a strong biblical faith element and turning to God was the first thing that Etta did over everything. I did question how she passed so easily for Henry. It never mentioned anything about her disguising her voice, just hiding her hands. I liked her personality and watching her interactions as both Etta and Henry.

About the Author

Kelly J. Goshorn weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into uplifting stories of love, faith, and family set in nineteenth century America. Her debut novel, A Love Restored, won the Director’s Choice Award for Adult/YA fiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference in 2019, and earned recognition as both a Selah Award finalist in the Historical Romance category and as a Maggie Award Finalist for Inspirational Fiction. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys spending time with her young adult children, binge-watching BBC period dramas, board gaming with her husband, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Levi.

More from Kelly

A Little Swedish Flavor

Beginning in 1844, Swedish immigrants began arriving in Brockton, Massachusetts. By 1920, Swedes accounted for approximately 30% of the city’s population. Their long-lasting impact on Brockton’s character remains evident today with annual cultural celebrations and religious festivals.

The Undercover Heiress of Brockton is set in the Swedish neighborhood of Campello. My hero Leo Eriksson’s favorite meal is Kalops, a savory beef stew that is traditionally served with boiled potatoes and pickled beets. For Leo, a bachelor who takes most of his meals at The Drake Tavern, the dish recalls happy childhood memories of his mother’s cooking.

Kalops contains typical stew ingredients like carrots, celery, onions, and garlic, but what makes this dish unique is the addition of allspice. Allspice adds a warm spicey flavor to the recipe that makes it perfect for a chilly winter day.

I had the opportunity to taste test this recipe, and while I would never brag about my own cooking skills, I have to say that it turned out quite well. I’d love to hear from you if you decide to give this traditional Swedish dish a try.

Kalops (Swedish Beef Stew)

Recipe courtesy of Skandibaking.

SERVINGS: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

2.4 lbs chuck roast (or other beef cut suited for stews)

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

3 large carrots

1 stalk celery

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp ground allspice (or more to taste!)

2-3 bay leaves

3 cups beef stock (can also use water and bouillon)

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

SERVED WITH: 7 large potatoes

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep the beef by cutting into 1 inch cubes. Season well with salt.
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil when preheated and add beef in one layer, searing on all sides. If you need to sear the meat in batches, you can remove one batch before adding the next to ensure that it browns well.
Dice your onion and celery while the beef is cooking (or prep ahead of time). Finely mince the garlic cloves.
Once the meat is browned on all sides, add in the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until just softened.
Chop your carrots into bite sized pieces. You can either add the carrots now if you like them super soft or add them with about 45 minutes left of cooking if you prefer them to have more of a bite.
Add one tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Once melted, add in three tablespoons of flour and stir until everything is coated. Add in ground allspice.
Pour in beef stock, stirring while adding to dissolve the flour coating. Once all of it has mixed in, add in 2-3 bay leaves. Now is a good time to taste for initial seasoning – add in salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Let the stew simmer for about an hour and 15 minutes; add more water or stock if needed! Now is also the time to add the carrots if you want them to be less soft.
Simmer for an additional 45 minutes or until the beef is very tender – in the meantime, prepare the potatoes for serving.
Prep potatoes by peeling and cutting in half. Place in a pot with cold water and add salt. Heat over medium-high heat with the lid on until it boils. Remove the lid and boil for about 15 minutes or until a knife poked into the center of a potato releases easily (you can also just taste for doneness!). Drain and set aside until ready to serve.
Remove bay leaves. Check for final seasoning (add more salt if needed). Add stew to bowls and serve with boiled potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley if you would like. Enjoy!