"The Song of Sourwood Mountain" by Ann H. Gabhart

 About the Book

While the century began with such promise, it is 1910 when Mira Dean's hopes of being a wife and mother are dashed to pieces. Her fiancé dead from tuberculosis, Mira resigns herself to being a spinster schoolteacher--until Gordon Covington shows up.
 
No longer the boy she knew from school, Gordon is now a preacher who is full of surprises. First, he asks Mira to come to Sourwood in eastern Kentucky to teach at his mission school. Second, he asks her to marry him. Just like that. And all at once the doors that had seemed firmly shut begin to open, just a crack.
 
With much trepidation, Mira steps out in faith into a life she never imagined, in a place filled with its own special challenges, to serve a people who will end up becoming the family she always dreamed of.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed reading this book. I love the setting and the characters. I found myself starting to talk like the mountain folk! I liked the resilience of Mira and Ada June and I liked watching them interact. There was a biblical faith thread woven through the book and lessons were learned. I look forward to reading more books by Ann H. Gabhart in the future. 

About the Author

Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of many novels, including In the Shadow of the River, When the Meadow Blooms, Along a Storied Trail, An Appalachian Summer, River to Redemption, These Healing Hills, and Angel Sister. She and her husband live on a farm a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky. Ann enjoys discovering the everyday wonders of nature while hiking in her farm's fields and woods with her grandchildren and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. Learn more at AnnHGabhart.com.

"The Song of Sourwood Mountains" is available in paperback:

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (May 7, 2024)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0800741730
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0800741730
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.7 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 1 x 8.25 inches

and in Kindle edition: 

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CTKQY4PQ
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (May 7, 2024)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 7, 2024
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 8792 KB

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.

"Embers in the London Sky" by Sarah Sundin

 About the Book

As the German army invades the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens escapes to London to wait out the Occupation. Separated from her three-year-old son, Theo, in the process, the young widow desperately searches for her little boy even as she works for an agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside.

When German bombs set London ablaze, BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood reports on the Blitz, eager to boost morale while walking the fine line between truth and censorship. But the Germans are not the only ones Londoners have to fear as a series of murders flame up amid the ashes.

The deaths hit close to home for Hugh, and Aleida needs his help to locate her missing son. As they work together, they grow closer and closer, both to each other and the answers they seek. But with bombs falling and continued killings, they may be running out of time.

My Thoughts

I found this book to be well written and easy to read. I didn't want to put it down. I liked the characters and found them to be realistic and believable. There is a nice biblical faith thread woven through the story and the characters grew and changed from the beginning of the book to the end. There was a bit of mystery in the story and I did make out part of the answer. This story fleshed out my knowledge of what happened in London during the Blitz of WWII. I look forward to reading more books by Sarah Sundin.

About the Author

Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of Embers in the London Sky (February 2024), The Sound of Light (2023), Until Leaves Fall in Paris (2022), When Twilight Breaks (2021), and several World War II series.

Sarah's novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. Until Leaves Fall in Paris received the 2022 Christy Award and was a semi-finalist for the 2023 Carol Award, The Sound of Light, When Twilight Breaks, and The Land Beneath Us were finalists for the Christy Award, and The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award.

A mother of three, Sundin lives in Southern California and enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers' groups. Sarah serves as Co-Director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.

"Embers in the London Sky" is available in paperback:

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (February 6, 2024)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0800741854
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0800741853
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.5 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.7 x 1.7 x 7 inches

and in Kindle edition:

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C9S42JLP
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (February 6, 2024)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 6, 2024
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 8447 KB

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.

"The Seamstress of Acadie" by Laura Frantz

 About the Book

As 1754 is drawing to a close, tensions between the French and the British on Canada's Acadian shore are reaching a fever pitch. Seamstress Sylvie Galant and her family--French-speaking Acadians wishing to remain neutral--are caught in the middle, their land positioned between two forts flying rival flags. Amid preparations for the celebration of Noël, the talk is of unrest, coming war, and William Blackburn, the British Army Ranger raising havoc across North America's borderlands.

As summer takes hold in 1755 and British ships appear on the horizon, Sylvie encounters Blackburn, who warns her of the coming invasion. Rather than participate in the forced removal of the Acadians from their land, he resigns his commission. But that cannot save Sylvie or her kin. Relocated on a ramshackle ship to Virginia, Sylvie struggles to pick up the pieces of her life. When her path crosses once more with William's, they must work through the complex tangle of their shared, shattered past to navigate the present and forge an enduring future.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book. I found the book to be well written and interesting. I was not aware of what happened to the people of Acadie and this was an eye opener for sure. There is a good biblical faith thread throughout the book and the characters grew and matured in their faith. I liked the characters and wondered how they would end up together based on their first encounters. It was fun to see familiar characters from A Heart Adrift. I look forward to reading more books by Laura Frantz.

About the Author

Bestselling, award-winning author, Laura Frantz, has been writing stories since age seven. She is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century and her novels often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Proud of her heritage, she is also a Daughter of the American Revolution. Though she will always consider Kentucky home, she and her husband live in Washington State.

According to Publishers Weekly, "Frantz has done her historical homework." With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California. Foreign language editions include French, Dutch, Spanish, Slovakian, German & Polish.

Readers can find Laura Frantz at www.laurafrantz.net

"The Seamstress of Acadie" is available in paperback:

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (January 9, 2024)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0800740688
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0800740689
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.5 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.04 x 8.5 inches

and in Kindle edition:

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C9RLWP5Y
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (January 9, 2024)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 9, 2024
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 11694 KB

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. 

"Lost and Found" by Suzanne Woods Fisher

About the Book

Trudy Yoder shares a passion for birding with Micah Weaver--and she has an even greater passion for Micah. Their friendship is finally turning romantic when Micah abruptly grows cold. Worse still, he wants to leave Stoney Ridge.

Micah Weaver thought he was over Trudy's older sister. A year and a half ago, Shelley had broken his heart when she ran away from Stoney Ridge to pursue a singing career in Nashville. Then, out of the blue, she's started to leave distressing phone messages for him.

When the bishop asks for volunteers to scout out a possible church relocation in Tennessee, Micah is the first to raise his hand. Despite scant details, he's confident he can find Shelley. After all, his reputation as a field guide is based on finding birds that don't want to be found.

What Micah doesn't know is that what you're looking for isn't always what you find.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book and being back in Stoney Ridge with the Amish community there. I found the book to be well written and easy to read. There is a nice biblical faith thread and the characters grew and learned from their experiences. I liked the characters and found them to be believable and realistic in their reactions to events and things going on around them. I look forward to reading more books by Suzanne Woods Fisher

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the award-winning, bestselling author of more than 30 books, including The Moonlight School, Anything but Plain, The Sweet Life,and The Secret to Happiness, as well as the Three Sisters Island, Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop's Family, The Deacon's Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher. 

"Lost and Found" is available in paperback:

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (September 26, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0800739523
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0800739522
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.47 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches

and in Kindle edition:

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BW1373WH
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (September 26, 2023)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 26, 2023
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 7942 KB

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.

"Countdown" by Lynette Eason

 About the Book

A stalker who wants to finish what he started. A US Marshal who's vowed to protect his charge. And one woman who is determined to put the past in the past.


Flight paramedic Raina Price has been running so long it's hard to stop. To escape a dangerous stalker, she changed her name and disappeared, building a new life with the help of a friend from her time in juvie. It feels good to put her energies into saving people's lives, but because her stalker was never found, she's never stopped looking over her shoulder. And one can only run so far before the past finally catches up.

US Marshal Vincent Corelli's job is to hunt down fugitives and protect those who are assigned to him. When Raina is almost killed right in front of him, he vows to protect her at all costs--whether it's his job or not. Together they work to solve the mystery of Raina's past. But someone is out to make sure Raina doesn't live long enough to do it.

Countdown is the breathless conclusion to USA Today bestselling author Lynette Eason's thrilling Extreme Measures series.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book and getting Raina's story. It was fun to see the characters we've gotten to know from the other books in the series. I found the book to be well written and easy to read. There were unexpected twists and I did figure out some of Raina's past before it was revealed. I liked the characters and their interactions with each other. I look forward to reading more books by Lynette Eason.

About the Author

Award-winning, best-selling author, Lynette Eason writes for Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense line and for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her books have hit the Publisher's Weekly, CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won numerous awards such as the prestigious Carol Award, the Selah, the Daphne, the IRCC award and more. Lynette is married, has two children, and lives in Greenville, SC.

"Countdown" is available in paperback:

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (August 1, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0800737369
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0800737368
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.47 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.76 x 8.5 inches

and in Kindle edition:

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BLW8NVBG
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (August 1, 2023)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 1, 2023
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 9881 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled

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.

"In the Shadow of the River" by Ann H. Gabhart

About the Book

If all the world's a stage, Jacci will play her part.

She only hopes her story does not turn out to be a tragedy.

In 1881, Jacci Reed is only five years old when a man attempts to kidnap her from the steamboat her mother, Irena, works on. Badly wounded during the confrontation, Irena takes Jacci aboard the Kingston Floating Palace, a showboat tied up beside them. There, Jacci's actor grandfather tends to her mother and Jacci gets a first taste of the life she will come to lead.

Fifteen years later, Jacci is an actress aboard the Kingston Floating Palace, and largely contented with her adopted family of actors, singers, and dancers. Especially Gabe, who has always supported her, and the gruff grandfather she has come to know and love. Jacci's mother has been gone for years, but the memory of the altercation that ultimately took her life--and the cryptic things Jacci has overheard about her past--is always there, lurking in the back of her mind.

When someone on the showboat tries to kill Jacci, it's clear her questions demand answers. But secrets have a way of staying in the shadows, and the answers she craves will not come easily. Gabe only hopes they come in time for him and Jacci to have a future together.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book and found it to be well written. I found the setting on the showboat to be interesting and wished I could go aboard and watch one of their shows. I liked the characters and thought that they were realistic and believable. There was a biblical faith thread woven through the story. There were some twists that kept me guessing and I had some ideas of who could be behind the danger to Jacci. I didn't know the motivation, but I turned out to be right about who was behind it. I look forward to reading more books by Ann H. Gabhart.

About the Author

Ann H. Gabhart caught the writing bug at the age of ten and has been writing ever since. An award winning author, she's published many books for both adults and young adults. Her books cover several genres from historical to small town family stories to cozy mysteries (mysteries published with author name A.H. Gabhart). Her ideas are sparked by events in Kentucky history and by experiences in her own family. Her first Shaker novel, The Outsider, was a finalist for the ECPA Christian Fiction Book of the Year. Love Comes Home won the Selah Book of the Year award, and These Healing Hills was the Faith, Hope & Love Readers' Choice Women's Fiction Book of the Year.

Ann lives on a Kentucky farm not far from where she was born. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. Ann enjoys hiking on her farm with her grandkids and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. See more about her books at www.annhgabhart.com or join the conversation on her Facebook page,

"In the Shadow of the River" is available in paperback:

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (May 9, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0800741722
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0800741723
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.53 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.88 x 8.5 inches

and in Kindle edition:

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BLW6BY5P
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (May 9, 2023)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 9, 2023
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 7779 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled

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.

"The Maid of Ballymacool" by Jennifer Deibel

About the Book

Brianna Kelly was abandoned at Ballymacool House and Boarding School as an infant. She has worked there since she was a wee girl and will likely die there. Despite a sense that she was made for something more, Brianna feels powerless to change her situation, so she consoles herself by exploring the Ballymacool grounds, looking for hidden treasures to add to the secret trove beneath the floorboards of her room.

When Michael Wray, the son of local gentry, is sent to Ballymacool to deal with his unruly cousin, he finds himself drawn to Brianna, immediately and inescapably. There is something about her that feels so . . . familiar. When Brianna finds a piece of silver in the woods, she commits to learning its origins, with the help of Michael. What they discover may change everything.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading
this book and found it to be well written. I loved being immersed in Irish culture and wanted to step into the book and walk around. I raged with Michael and the injustice done to Brianna and tried to figure out the clues to were she had come from. I did figure out the majority of the mystery, there were pieces that I didn't put together. I liked seeing Brianna grow and stand up for herself. I look forward to reading more books by Jennifer Deibel.

About the Author

Jennifer Deibel is the author of A Dance in Donegal (winner of the Kipp Award for Historical Romance) and The Lady of Galway Manor (a Parable Group bestseller). Her work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic magazine, and in other publications. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona with her husband and their three children

"The Maid of Ballymacool" is avaliable in paperback:

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (February 21, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0800741749
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0800741747
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.79 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.88 x 8.5 inches

and in Kindle edition:

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B6Q1FHXY
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (February 21, 2023)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 21, 2023
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 8067 KB

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.

"Cold Light of Day" by Elizabeth Goddard

 

Police Chief Autumn Long is fighting to keep her job in the quiet Alaska town of Shadow Gap when an unexpected string of criminal activity leaves her with a wounded officer, unexplained murders, and even an attack on her own father. Despite her mistrust of outsiders, she turns to Grier Brenner, a newcomer who seems to have the skills and training Autumn needs to face this threat to her community.   Grier is in Alaska for the same reason so many others are–to disappear–when Chief Long enlists his help. He emerges from the shadows and proves his mettle, but his presence in her life could be a deadly trap for them both. If his secret is exposed, all will be lost. And he’s not sure even Autumn could save him.   As the stakes rise and the dangers increase, Autumn and Grier must rely on each other to extinguish the deadly threats. My Thoughts Starting from the very first page, you are pulled into the adventure and you keep turning pages to find where it was going to lead. I found the book to be well written with a great biblical faith thread. There is mystery and suspense and romance. I liked Autumn and Grier and their interactions. There were twists I did not expect and I was kept guessing as to how everything was tied together. I look forward to reading more books in the Missing in Alaska series as well as other books from Elizabeth Goddard. About the Author With over one million books sold, Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today and Publisher's Weekly bestselling, award-winning author of over fifty romance novels and counting, including the romantic mystery, THE CAMERA NEVER LIES--a 2011 Carol Award winner. Four of her six Mountain Cove books have been contest finalists. Buried, Backfire and Deception are finalists in the Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, and Submerged is a Carol Award finalist. A 7th generation Texan, Elizabeth graduated from North Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and worked in high-level software sales for several years before retiring to home school her children and fulfill her dreams of writing full-time. To get book news sign up for her newsletter at her website: http://elizabethgoddard.com Follow her on Bookbub! https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elizabeth-goddard You can connect with Elizabeth on Facebook: http://facebook.com/elizabethgoddardauthor or Twitter: http://twitter.com/bethgoddard "Cold Light of Day" is available in paperback: Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (February 7, 2023) Language ‏ : ‎ English Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0800742044 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0800742041 Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.7 pounds Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.84 x 8.5 inches and in Kindle edition: ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B6Q6PXBQ Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (February 7, 2023) Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 7, 2023 Language ‏ : ‎ English File size ‏ : ‎ 8836 KB 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.