Sunday, August 31, 2025

"The Engineered Engagement" by Erica Vetsch

About the Book

Book: The Engineered Engagement

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

A hidden genius, an ambitious shipbuilder, and a daring deception—can she prove her worth without losing her heart?

Eli Kennebrae plans to revolutionize cargo transportation on the Great Lakes. But his grandfather’s meddling obligates him to an arranged engagement. Though Josie Zahn is kindhearted and strikes his interest, Eli needs an engineer for his ship, not a fiancée.

Josie has admired Eli for years, but to him, she’s just “one of the Zahn girls.” Worse, society expects her to marry, not pursue her passion for mathematics and engineering. If she could only get Eli’s attention, she could help him achieve his goals.

Then “Professor Josephson,” a brilliant mathematical mind, provides the analyses to make Eli’s ship design a reality. As Eli finds unexpected kinship in the professor’s work, he remains unaware of the truth—Josie is the genius behind the numbers. When deception and ambition collide, will Eli see Josie for who she truly is before it’s too late?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

After meeting the Kennebreas in the previous two books, it was fun to get Eli's story. It is best to read the books in the correct order so you get the full story. I found the book to be well written and easy to read. I liked how the characters grew and changed. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

About the Author

Best-selling, award-winning author of The Debutante’s Code, first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series, Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum.

More from Erica

One of the most frequently asked questions an author gets is “Where do your ideas come from?” The truth is…all over! But for me, the main place that story ideas start is in a museum. I see an artifact or object or hear a story as I wander a museum, and I begin to wonder about the people who used the object or survived the events that led to their story being in a museum.

The Engineered Engagement was inspired by a tour of the Great Lakes cargo ship the Meteor. The Meteor is a whaleback and is on display in Superior, WI, just across the harbor from Duluth, MN where the story is set.

I first toured the Meteor when I was eleven years old…awhile ago now. But many years later my husband and I took our kids to tour this amazing piece of engineering. The design, which is characterized by low rounded hulls, decks, and deckhouses looks decidedly odd and different from other ships. This design minimized the wind and water resistance encountered in more traditional hull shapes. The creator/design engineer of the whaleback was a Scotsman named Alexander McDougall who was a ship master and seaman on the Great Lakes.

The first whaleback hit the lakes in 1887, and over the next 11 years, 43 more joined her. One of the largest whalebacks was the steamer named the Frank Rockefeller. This ship was later renamed the SS Meteor. The Meteor hauled iron ore and sand for much of her career, and she is the only whaleback that remains.

As I toured the ship, learning nautical terms and all but feeling the rolling of the deck beneath my feet, I couldn’t help but admire Alexander McDougall for ignoring the critics, the snide remarks, and the jeers that always accompany a design pioneer and creating anyway. Looking for a better way to make something or do a task should be admired. He was tenacious, and I wanted to imbue my characters, Eli Kennebrae and Josie Zahn, with that same tenacity.

The Engineered Engagement involves ship building and hydrodynamics. Now, I know nothing about either of these disciplines, but I did glean some information, hopefully enough to make my characters, Eli and Josie, sound like they do. Ah, the joys of writing fiction! And while Eli and Josie are loaded with brains and tenacity, I also wanted them to have real emotions, to care about each other. One of the joys of writing fiction is getting to live through the eyes/hearts of your characters and feel what they feel. The Engineered Engagement was a joy to write.

If you are interested in Great Lakes shipping, I highly recommend the Duluth Canal Camera, https://www.duluthharborcam.com/p/canal-park-cams.html

And if you are interested in learning more about the SS Meteor, I recommend this site: https://superiorpublicmuseums.org/ss-meteor/

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 20

Worthy2Read, August 20

Melissa’s Bookshelf, August 21

Texas Book-aholic, August 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 22

Devoted To Hope, August 22

Artistic Nobody, August 23 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Simple Harvest Reads, August 23 (Guest Review from Mindy)

For Him and My Family, August 24

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 24

Inkwell Inspirations, August 25

Pens Pages & Pulses, August 25

Stories By Gina, August 26 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 26

She Lives To Read, August 27

Inklings and notions, August 27

Bizwings Book Blog, August 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 28

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, August 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 29

An Author’s Take, August 30

Books Less Travelled, August 30

Book Looks by Lisa, August 31

Blossoms and Blessings, August 31

Holly’s Book Corner, September 1

Pause for Tales, September 1

Devoted Steps, September 2

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Erica is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54282

Friday, August 22, 2025

"A Spinster for the Viscount" by Jackie Killelea

About the Book

Book: A Spinster for the Viscount

Author: Jackie Killelea

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: August 5, 2025

A guarded wallflower. A charming viscount with a past. Can their fragile bond withstand a treasure hunt filled with secrets and a cunning rival’s schemes?

After five failed seasons and one humiliating heartbreak, Jane Talbot has accepted her fate as a spinster. She agrees to attend Lord Sperrin’s country house party to escape society’s scrutiny, but the promise of discovering the legendary jewel of Parcathia adds unexpected intrigue and draws her into the path of the far too charming Henry Lendin, Viscount Harroway.

Henry wears a smiling mask for society while grieving his father and bearing the burden of his duty. As the hunt for the jewel unfolds and he finds himself repeatedly in the company of the overlooked Miss Talbot, her quiet wit and warmth begin to break through his defenses. Could he finally have found a woman who sees beyond his title?

As they unravel clues amidst whispered secrets and lies, a rival emerges with both the jewel and Jane in his sights. With danger looming and love on the line, will Jane and Henry find the courage to claim the greatest treasure of all?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be well written and easy to read. I liked Jane's personality and watching her interact with Henry. Trying to solve the clues about the jewel was fun. I look forward to reading more books by Jackie Killelea.

About the Author

Jackie Killelea is a born and raised small-town girl from Connecticut with a degree in English and Creative Writing. She started off her writing journey with poetry, soon shifting into novels and becoming hooked. On days when she’s not busy with her nose in a book, she can be found typing away with a cup of tea at her side.

More from Jackie

Hi all! I want to thank you so much for your interest in my book. Since reading it, perhaps you’ve wondered about a few things. Maybe one of those things is if I have a penchant for strawberries. After all, they come up in the novel often enough and are Henry’s favorite fruit. I must confess, dear reader, that they are mine, as well…
My mouth was watering when I was writing the strawberry-picking scene and I simply love the idea of a good strawberry tart. Therefore, I decided to take the basics for one and bend them to my preferences. And Henry’s. I do hope you’ll like them as much as I do! Note: The recipe is OLD FASHIONED. I MEAN IT. BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ODD TASTE.
*Recipe for Henry’s Strawberry Tarts*
Ingredients
*Crust:*
– 1/2 Pound Butter(Cold)
– 1/2 Cup Ice Water/Cold Water
– 1/2 Tbsp. Salt
– 3 Cups Flour
Before beginning, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. This is important, I tell you! At least, if you like to save time, like me.
In a medium/large bowl, add flour and salt. Stir. Cut cold butter into small cubes, then add to flour mixture, cutting the cubes in with a pastry cutter until fine crumbs form. Once this has occurred, add water one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each tablespoon. After all water is
incorporated, if the mixture is too sticky to roll, add more flour until it can be. If the mixture is too dry and won’t form into a ball, add one teaspoon of white vinegar and knead the dough(only a little). If still too dry, continue to add water by the tablespoon until the dough forms into a ball.
Once the dough is formed into a ball in the bowl and doesn’t stick to your hands when touched, set it out on a floured surface and roll it with a rolling pin to about a quarter of an inch in thickness. From here, it can be cut into circles and each circle can be placed into a mini tart pan. You can crimp the edges, if you’re feeling especially fancy. If you don’t have a tart pan on hand, you can use a cupcake pan and line the bottom half of each reservoir with pastry dough. The edges won’t be as pretty, but it will work in a pinch. Conversely, a full-sized tart pan will do just fine.
It is at this point, once your dough is in its pans, that you can place it in the preheated oven to let it cook for about 10-15 minutes in order to set. Make sure it doesn’t overcook, though. This setting process will prevent the bottom of the pastry from getting soggy from the filling, later
on. Just like with babies, soggy bottoms on pies and tarts are a big downer.
While that’s cooking, it’s time to make the filling.

*The Filling:*

– 1 1/2 Cups of strawberries, rinsed and dried.
– 1/3 Cup White Granulated Sugar
– 4 Eggs + 1 Yolk
– Unseasoned Breadcrumbs (Optional)

Take your strawberries and remove their tops. Attempt to keep as much of the red fruit as you can. We want as much of the good stuff as we can get. In a medium/large bowl, crush them(a potato masher can come in handy for this part, or even pop them in the blender. We want them super crushed) and set aside. The mixture will be liquidy (yes, I’m aware liquidy is not a
word).
In a separate bowl, whisk your eggs and the extra yolk. Once they’re well-beaten and a light yellow color, add the egg mixture a little at a time to the strawberry liquid, stirring after each addition. It is at this point that you may also add breadcrumbs and stir them in. They’ll make the consistency of the tarts a bit thicker. If you do choose to add them, I recommend adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup. Make sure they’re unseasoned! No one wants Italian-spice-flavored strawberry tarts. I don’t imagine so, anyway.

TAKE OUT YOUR CRUST BEFORE IT BURNS. THOSE TART CRUSTS ARE GETTING TAN IN
THERE. Ok, now that you’ve read that reminder, let’s continue.

You may spoon, ladle, pour, etc., your tart filling into your tarts, now. Make sure only to fill them 3/4 of the way to the top, for you don’t want to spill that goodness over the edge. Once your crust/crusts is/are filled, you can shove them into the oven. They’ll have to cook for twenty minutes. If you have a full-sized tart, it will likely have to cook for more. Examine it for doneness like you would a pumpkin pie; When you wiggle the pan, the middle should only jiggle a very little bit, not like there’s a bunch of liquid beneath. More like a jello wiggle. Not a water balloon. Add more time or take time away, depending on how the filling moves when you wiggle it.

Jello Wiggle = Yes
Water Balloon Wiggle = No

Once the tarts are done, take them out and let them cool for a while. The filling needs to set a bit more. Put the pan in the fridge, even, once it’s cool enough, if that’s what you’d like to do. When the tarts are sufficiently cooled(they can still be a little warm), you can remove them from their pans and decorate them with sweetened whipped cream and cut strawberries/fruits. Or leave them plain. Your choice.
They’ll look very cute, regardless of what you cooked them in. A fair warning before you try them, however: This recipe is a very old one that I’ve only changed a little. Therefore, don’t be surprised if the results are not what you’re expecting. This dessert is certainly not like those artificial, too-sweet, abominations we have today. Neither is it like the refined, well-spiced, classic treats we’ve come to love.
Bake at your own risk…And tag me on social media if you decide to make them. I’d love to see what you think!

Love to all and happy baking,

Jackie Killelea

Blog Stops

Madi’s Musings, August 19

Pens Pages & Pulses, August 19

She Lives to Read, August 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 21

Texas Book-aholic, August 22

Blossoms and Blessings, August 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 23

Book Looks by Lisa, August 24

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 25

For Him and My Family, August 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 27

Pause for Tales, August 27

Stories By Gina, August 28 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 28

Devoted To Hope, August 29

Devoted Steps, August 30

Jodie Wolfe, August 30

Simple Harvest Reads, August 31 (Guest Review from Donna)

Holly’s Book Corner, September 1

Romances of the Cross, September 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jackie is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54281

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.

Thursday, August 21, 2025

"The Marriage Masquerade" by Erica Vetsch

About the Book

Book: The Marriage Masquerade

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

A disgraced captain and a runaway heiress—hiding from the past and bound by fate—will their marriage masquerade lead to true love?

Noah Kennebrae, disgraced ship captain, has escaped to a remote lighthouse to avoid his grandfather’s schemes and the ghosts that haunt him. Taking a job under an assumed name, he’s determined to start over—until he meets Annie Fairfax. The feisty housekeeper’s warmth and spirit captivate him, and he falls for her despite his best efforts. But he’s keeping secrets that could destroy her trust…and his chance at redemption.

Desperate to escape the calculating grasp of her father, Anastasia “Annie” Michaels flees home to become the unlikely housekeeper on an isolated island. Working incognito at the lighthouse, she finds solace in her newfound independence and unexpected friendship with Nick. However, as their relationship deepens, Annie’s fear of abandonment resurfaces when she learns the truth Nick has been hiding.

Caught in a marriage masquerade of their own making, Noah and Annie must navigate secrets, lies, and painful pasts in hopes of a future together.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

It was fun to get Noah's story after having met him in The Bartered Bride. It is best to read the books in the order of the series so that you get the full experience of what Noah was running away from. There are food biblical truths in the book and the characters discovered who they were and that they could trust God. I look forward to reading Eli's story next.

About the Author

More from Erica

I love a hidden identity story! And in the case of The Marriage Masquerade, both the hero AND the heroine are hiding their true identities.

The Marriage Masquerade features Noah, who is running from the guilt of a mistake he feels he made that lost both a Great Lakes ship and several lives. Anastasia Michaels is running away from an arranged marriage.

They both flee to a remote lighthouse on the North Shore of Lake Superior, he as an assistant lighthouse keeper and she as a housekeeper and cook.

The lighthouse in The Marriage Masquerade is based directly upon the Split Rock Lighthouse, one of my favorite places to visit along the North Shore. Situated on a cliff high above the lake, Split Rock is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world.

When I first visited this exquisite place, I fell in love. And when I fall in love with an historical site, I need to know as much of the history of the place as I can. Several of the incidents that occur at the fictional lighthouse in the story come directly from the history of Split Rock.

Filtering liquid mercury, polishing the Fresnel lens, hiding dishes in the oven when the inspector comes, and other happenings in The Marriage Masquerade actually happened in the real lives of the lightkeepers at Split Rock.

Noah and Anastasia’s story is a forced proximity romance, with a dash of hidden identity, redemption, and learning to stand on your own two feet. I hope you’ll enjoy their journey from fearful, guilt-ridden characters to healed through love, confident, and ready to embark on a lifelong journey together.

If you would like to learn more about Split Rock and see glorious photos of this picturesque site, check out: https://www.mnhs.org/splitrock

Blog Stops

Pens Pages & Pulses, August 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 12

She Lives To Read, August 13

Fiction Book Lover, August 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Devoted Steps, August 14

Melissa’s Bookshelf, August 14

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 15

Texas Book-aholic, August 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 17

Devoted To Hope, August 17

For Him and My Family, August 18

Simple Harvest Reads, August 18 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 19

Inklingsandnotions, August 19

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 20

Inkwell Inspirations, August 20

Artistic Nobody, August 21 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Blossoms and Blessings, August 21

Little Homeschool on the prairie, August 22

Vicky Sluiter, August 22

An Author’s Take, August 23

Books Less Travelled, August 23

Holly’s Book Corner, August 24

Pause for Tales, August 24

Jeanette’s Thoughts , August 25

Jodie Wolfe, August 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Erica is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54276

Thursday, August 14, 2025

"Love's True Measure" by Lori DeJong -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: Love’s True Measure

Author: Lori DeJong

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: June 10, 2025

Shannon Trent has dedicated her life to ministering to teens, even as she hides secrets that haunt her past. Born into privilege, she’s built a simpler life away from the expectations of her influential family. She’s content on her own, believing that to open her heart would mean unearthing her deepest shame. But when her charming neighbor stirs feelings she’s never allowed herself to entertain, his lack of faith provides the perfect excuse to keep her distance.

Hunter Kavanaugh has spent years chasing his dream career. But when his mother’s sudden death leaves him the sole guardian of his teenage sister, his carefully curated world begins to crumble. Struggling with grief, anger at God, and the demands of his job, Hunter is surprised when Shannon’s unwavering faith begins to resonate with him—and her ability to connect with his sister draws him closer.

As Hunter and Shannon navigate their growing bond, unexpected challenges force them to confront their fears and priorities. Both must either choose to trust God’s plan is far greater than their own, or risk losing the love of a lifetime.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?
 A hybrid, I guess, but leaning more toward a pantser. I do a huge amount of character
development, and from that my plot tends to take shape. Then I identify the five main
plot points of the book and start writing scenes by the seat of my pants from one plot
point to the next. But knowing my characters inside and out is what makes that work.
Otherwise, I would have no idea where to go because I wouldn’t know how they would
react to certain things, what they want to do with their lives, what their fears are, what
their hopes are. I need to know all of that and so much more in order to have any
direction for the story.

What is your favorite part about writing?
 Apart from actually writing the story, it’s the character development I do for each book.
I take weeks and study up on Enneagram types, birth order, love language, and
personality tests to determine how my characters react to the world around them. I
know their goals, their hopes, their fears, their upbringing. I know their favorite color,
favorite food, what kind of car they drive, where they live, what kind of clothes they
wear, their hobbies, their careers. I know their faith story and whether they’re walking
with the Lord or in a crisis of faith. I live with these “people” day in and day out for
awhile before I ever start telling their story. And it’s a blast.

What is your least favorite part about writing?
 Probably all the business stuff that goes with it. I’m not great at social media, and I
struggle with what to put in a newsletter that I think would interest folks. Marketing is
not my strong suit, especially when I’d rather be writing. But as much as we would
rather consider ourselves creatives putting our stories out into the world, the reality is it
is still a business. Even as Christian writers. I’m not under the impression I’ll ever get rich
as an author. Precious few actually do. But if I don’t market my books, the message God
gave me to tell through that story won’t end up in the hands of someone who really
needs to see it. Someone who needs to know the redemptive love of God, that they can
put their hope and their future in His hands. That they can truly know peace in the midst
of turmoil. That’s why it’s important to do it, even though it’s not exactly in my
wheelhouse.

What is your writing space like?
 Depends on the day. Even the hour. I usually write in a chair or on the couch in our
family room, or sitting up against pillows on the bed. But in our new house, we actually
have a room I’m making into my writing area. It has a little desk, bookcases, and also a
day bed. So, I’ll write sometimes in the family room, then move to my writing room and
either work at my desk or sitting amidst all the cushions on the day bed. I also love to
write other places other than home. Coffee shops or the library. That’s actually very
productive for me to get away from the house to write.

When did you become a writer?
 I’d been interested in pursuing it for a long time before I started writing on my own back
in the late 1990’s. After completing several manuscripts, I decided to join a national
writers’ organization in 2002, and that’s when I realized that writing is a craft that has to
be honed and practiced. I committed myself to learning all I could and went to
conferences, took writing classes, and read more craft books than I can remember.
Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, my family went through a
season of hardship starting in 2009, and I didn’t write for about eleven years, finally
coming back to it in 2020. I wish I hadn’t lost that decade, but it’s been such a joy
rediscovering my love for writing over the last five years. So, I guess the answer to that
question would be I became a writer pursuing publication in 2002, and I became a
published writer in 2023.

About the Author

Lori DeJong (pronounced DeeYung) is an award-winning contemporary Christian romance author who enjoys penning stories full of grace and the redemptive power of God’s love that inspire others to hope regardless of circumstance, find joy in the moment, and grow in their faith.

Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Lori arrived in Texas in 2005 and dug those roots right in. She currently resides in beautiful Georgetown, north of Austin, with her husband of thirty-plus years. Other than their two fur-babies, their nest is empty, as their daughter graduated from college and settled in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area with her husband, and the sweetest grand-dog ever.

Lori loves to write about love and romance and all that fun stuff, with a firm foundation of faith. Clean but sassy, sparkly, and even goose-bumpy romance, with God in the middle and characters seeking and learning and changing, couldn’t be more heartwarming or spine-tingly.

Lori’s debut novel, “Love’s True Calling”, Book One of her True Calling Series, was the 2020 winner of the Scrivenings Press Novel Starts Contest, winner of the 2022 ACFW Genesis Award for Romance, 2023 Scrivenings Press Contemporary Book of the Year, and a doubl-finalist in the 2024 Selah Awards. “Love’s True Home” was released in 2024 and is a 2025 Selah Awards finalist.

More from Lori

As soon as Shannon Trent showed up in chapter one of my debut novel, Love’s True Calling, I knew she had a story. That there was something underneath all that joy and spunk that haunted her. That she felt she had to hide.

Although born to a life of privilege, she doesn’t want her name to be the measure of her worth. Determined to live a simpler life, she dials in to her faith, only wanting to be and do whatever God says she should be and do.

Hunter Kavanaugh, on the other hand, has overcome the instability of his teenage years to forge his own path. He’s made something of himself by his own grit and determination, and he measures his worth in terms of his success and the things it provides him.

When these two literally run into each other outside their building, his grumpy disposition, and obvious high-powered job, leave Shannon unimpressed. No matter how handsome he might be, she has no intention of getting to know this neighbor any better.

But God …

When these two meet up again, a friendship blossoms. Her heart threatens to take her somewhere she’s never been before, but his unbelief gives her the perfect reason to keep her emotional distance.

When God gave me this story concept, I was a little intimidated. Would I be able to convey the heart of a good man who didn’t have faith? Would I be able to flesh out a woman who had an abundance of faith yet still harbored shame from her past?

But as I started writing this story, I fell in love with these two and their journey to discover the true measure of their worth … and the true measure of love.