Friday, September 12, 2025

The Day After His Crucifixion Tour & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: The Day After His Crucifixion

Author: Merikay McLeod

Genre: Christian Fiction, Christian Women’s Fiction, Biblical Novella

Release Date: April 7, 2025

Women who followed Yeshua the Nazarene gather the day after his crucifixion to comfort one another with personal, heart-felt stories of how the Promised One changed their lives forever.

Eavesdrop on their inspiring conversations and learn behind-the-scenes details of Yeshua’s baptism, the Cana wedding feast, and other New Testament events, and discover afresh the power of His love.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Merikay McLeod’s stories, articles and essays have appeared in Sunday Digest, Unity Magazine, Insight, Straight and other religious publications. Her freelance work has been published in many newspapers and magazines including Good Housekeeping, MS, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. Her walk with Jesus, originally known as Yeshua, is best expressed by Psalm 23. She has long pondered Jesus’ respectful treatment of women despite the surrounding cultural view that women were inferior. The Day After His Crucifixion is her first fiction book.

More from Merikay

Why I wrote “The Day After His Crucifixion.”

In researching the culture and traditions of first century Palestinian Jews, I was deeply dismayed by the attitudes regarding girls and women.

They were considered inferior. Because it was assumed that education was wasted on girls, most women were illiterate.

Women were seen as unreliable or incompetent witnesses and could not testify in court, even in cases that involved themselves.

And there were strict rules regarding interactions of men and women. Women were to be shunned or ignored in public. Men were specifically prohibited from speaking to women in public.

There is even a prayer that men traditionally offered which included the sentence, “Thank you, God, that I am not a Gentile, a woman, or a slave.”

Hobbled by such assumptions, can you imagine how women and girls must have thought or felt about themselves?

And yet, Jesus, something like a rock star with huge crowds following wherever he went, totally ignored the rules. He freely interacted with women, taught them, and welcomed them as his followers.

What must it have been like to have him, a famous prophet and teacher, gaze at them with respect rather than ridicule, listen to them, teach them as he taught his male disciples?

A woman was the first to whom Jesus confided that he was the Messiah. And a woman was the first to see him after his resurrection. Despite the fact that women’s testimony was considered invalid, he chose a woman to bear witness to the greatest event of his earthly life — his resurrection.

Considering such a patriarchal society, it is astonishing that within the gospels there is no preaching on the status of women. Yet there are several stories of Jesus’ public encounters with them.

Encounters in which he treats them with dignity, concern, and compassion. He relates to women as human beings rather than sexual objects. He is interested in them as persons.

The more I researched the amazing interactions of Jesus and women, the more I knew I had to write about them.

I decided to introduce Jesus through his experiences with women. There would be no religious jargon in my book. I wouldn’t even use the name “Jesus,” but rather his birth name, the name by which everyone in his life knew him — Yeshua.

My book would not be a theological study. It would be a collection of stories. Women’s stories.

Where to start? Well, nothing draws friends and colleagues together to talk and remember, to laugh and cry, like the death of someone they love.

So I started with Yeshua’s crucifixion, and let the women take it from there.

MY REVIEW

The opening pages bring readers back to the day that Jesus was crucified. The details are graphic but real. The author gives us a glimpse into what it may have been for some the day after this tragic event. Waking up the next day as the events come back, a woman wonders what is to happen next. The memory of Yeshua washing the feet of the disciples is still vivid in her memory. Will His promises still be true?

We get an insight into the people that encountered Jesus and how their life was changed. I liked how the author brings to life the thoughts of these people we recognize from the Bible. The young boy who didn’t think he had enough to feed a crowd or the woman who was accused of adultery. That story has always been a favorite because it shows that we all have sinned.

This book would be a good tool to use as a Bible study with questions at the end of the book to prompt discussion. It is a short book but one that gives us much to think about.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 2

Simple Harvest Reads, September 3 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 4

Artistic Nobody, September 5 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 6

Guild Master, September 7 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 8

Fiction Book Lover, September 9 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, September 9

Vicky Sluiter, September 10 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, September 11

Texas Book-aholic, September 12

For the Love of Literature, September 13 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 13

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, September 14

Tell Tale Book Reviews, September 15 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

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

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

https://sweepwidget.com/c/92721-b12ph8jx

Thursday, September 11, 2025

A Busy Mom’s Prayer Journal Tour & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: A Busy Mom’s Prayer Journal: 7 Minutes to Connect with Jesus

Author: Christa Joy Spaeth

Genre: Reflective/Devotional/ Guided/Prompt-Based

Release Date: October 29, 2023

As a busy mom you want to grow closer to Jesus, but it’s so hard to make the time. And when you do, it’s hard to know where to start. Let this guided journal help you to set aside seven minutes daily to reflect powerfully on the goodness of Jesus.

With 50 days of prompts designed specifically for moms just like you, this journal will lead you into fellowship with Jesus, our Perfect Parent, helping you to lean on Him to be encouraged and grow in godly wisdom.

A Busy Mom’s Prayer Journal is divided into five sections, each exploring one aspect of moms’ hearts for their children, so you can journal straight through or skip to a section that speaks to your heart’s need that day.

This journal contains:

Daily inspirational verse to meditate and journal on.
Daily prompts to connect these biblical truths to your life as a women and as a mom, many of which include “thought starters” to help get you started journaling.
Space to document your daily “mom win” to provide positivity and help encourage you.
Guided prayers to be used as a starting point for your personal prayer.
Ample space for writing what you are thankful for daily.

A Busy Mom’s Prayer Journal will help you glimpse the awe-inspiring love Jesus has for you, both as a person and specifically as a mom, in only seven minutes a day.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Christa Joy Spaeth is a devoted wife, mother, and passionate follower of Jesus who understands the beautiful chaos of raising a family while trying to stay anchored in faith. With a deep love for prayer and the Word of God, she created this journal to help busy moms connect with the Lord in meaningful, manageable ways—no matter how full the day gets.

Through her podcast Praying Daily and her devotional writing, she encourages women to pursue God’s presence with confidence, joy, and authenticity. Her mission is to help moms cultivate a thriving prayer life, experience daily renewal, and walk in the peace and power of God’s promises.

Christa is greatly enjoying going back to her roots of teaching! As a dietitian and foodie, she loves to share her passion for simple cooking and wholesome living.

More from Christa

I’m a mom of two young men, a registered dietitian with a love for fresh milled bread, and gardening, and someone who believes that food, faith, and family are deeply connected. Most days you’ll find me in the kitchen with flour on my shirt, sharing laughs and recipes with my family. My kitchen is usually a little messy!

As a dietitian, I’m passionate about real food and simple meals that bring people together but as a mom, I know how hard it can be to slow down and spend time with the Lord. That’s why I created A Busy Mom’s Prayer Journal: 7 minutes to Connect with Jesus. It’s not just a devotional; it’s a mom win. It’s your permission to breathe, connect with Jesus in the middle of the sometimes-messy chaos, and remember that your prayers don’t have to be perfect or long.

You’ll find quick prayers for hectic mornings, space to scribble your thoughts while the kids nap (or don’t!), and even a few “praise break” prompts for when the laundry is endless.

If you’ve ever whispered a prayer while reheating dinner or felt like you’re doing a million things but still falling short, you’re not alone. I’ve been there, and I wrote this book with you in mind. Let’s walk this journey together — one prayer, one meal, one grace-filled moment at a time.

MY REVIEW

I am an empty nester but I remember the days of taking caring of my three children, working full time and being a wife. Each day was a new challenge with unexpected appointments, activities and everyday chores. I would not change one moment I had as my children grew up, but there were days that I was just wanted five minutes to myself.

This book is one that will be encouraging for mom’s as they seek a deeper relationship with God. Each chapter has a scripture to study as well as words to encourage you. I love that the book is a journal that can be used to write down your thoughts. The book has different subjects that mother’s may struggle with. I found the book to show grace and lead readers to know that they are called as a mother for a purpose. It can be lonely at times when you feel like you aren’t doing a good job, but God says that “I have equipped you for such a time as this.”

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 9

Simple Harvest Reads, September 10 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 11

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academ, September 12

Artistic Nobody, September 13 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 14

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 15

Guild Master, September 16 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, September 16

Lots of Helpers, September 17

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 18

Fiction Book Lover, September 19 (Author Interview)

BarbHowe.org, September 19

Because I said so – adventures in parenting, September 20

Cover Lover Book Review, September 21

The Sacred Line, September 22

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Christa is giving away the grand prize of a $25 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/00adcf54295

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Noble Tour & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Noble (King David’s Brides Book Two)

Author: Mesu Andrews

Genre: Biblical fiction

Release Date: August 19, 2025

Princess Maakah of Geshur is duty-bound to create a political alliance for her father through marriage. The cancelation by King Saul of her betrothal to his fourth-born son compels Maakah’s father to send her to the rebel David ben Jesse, a shepherd-warrior anointed years earlier as Israel’s future king, to propose a marriage between them. Taken aback by stories of David’s ferocity and lowly birth, Maakah considers the match a degrading fate but obeys her father’s wishes out of duty as her nation’s only heir.

To her relief, David rejects the offer of marriage, but circumstances make it impossible for Maakah to return home, and she must stay with David’s people until it is safe for her to travel again. Facing prejudice and suspicion from the Israelites, Maakah navigates the delicate balance between her noble heritage and her growing respect for David’s faith and leadership. In a land torn by war and divided loyalties, she must choose where her allegiance lies: with her Geshurite people, or with an extraordinary destiny alongside David that beckons her from within.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Mesu Andrews is a Christy Award-winning, bestselling author of biblical novels and devotional studies, whose deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the Bible alive for readers. Her heritage as a “spiritual mutt” has given her a strong yearning to both understand and communicate biblical truths in powerful stories that touch the heart, challenge the mind, and transform lives. Mesu lives in Indiana with her husband, Roy, where she stays connected with her readers through newsy emails, blog posts, and social media.

More from Mesu

Can you please provide a brief summary of your novel, Noble?

Princess Maakah, the only child of Geshur’s King Talmai, and the only heir to his throne, must shrewdly marry to strengthen her nation’s political future. When King Saul cancels the betrothal contract he and Talmai had arranged for Saul’s fourth-born son, King Talmai reacts swiftly to secure a betrothal with the legendary rebel David ben Jesse. She obeys her abba’s wishes and travels south from Geshur, where her escort is attacked by Amalekite bandits. While captive to the Amalekites, Maakah is befriended by David ben Jesse’s two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail. When David rescues his family, he encounters Geshur’s arrogant pagan princess—having no idea Talmai had sent a betrothal contract with a Geshurite messenger. Though neither David nor Maakah wish to pursue a betrothal, David vows to keep Maakah safe, even though danger abounds at every turn. How did David and Maakah ever reach a truce and marry? How did they perhaps even come to love each other—so that Maakah could become the mother of David’s third-born son (2 Sam.

3:3b)?

How do you approach writing fiction about biblical characters while staying true to Scripture?

The Bible tells us that Maakah became David’s wife in Hebron and bore his third-born son, Absalom. It gives no other details about David and Maakah’s relationship; however, 2 Samuel 13– 15 does mention that Absalom killed his brother Amnon (because Amnon raped Absalom’s sister, Tamar). After Absalom committed murder, he fled to . . . Geshur, where his grandfather, King Talmai, sheltered him. These later Scriptures tell me some things about the character of King Talmai and the environment in which Maakah would have been raised as a young princess. Using the knowledge I’ve gained during my twenty years of research and writing biblical fiction, I can know that if Talmai had any other heir to Geshur’s throne, he likely wouldn’t have been so welcoming to a grandson who could have posed a threat to a Geshurite prince. Later, Absalom leaves Geshur—rather abruptly—and is suddenly willing to face death in Jerusalem (at David’s hand) than remain in Geshur (2 Sam. 14:32). These aren’t Truth explicitly stated in Scripture, but because I’ve visited Israel twice and studied the ancient culture under the guidance of wonderful Bible scholars, I hope the Truth of Scripture, historical data, and a God-directed imagination blend together in a story that pulls readers into the ancient world of David and his brides.

How do you approach writing about King David, such a well-known biblical figure, from a fresh perspective?

When most folks think of David, they remember chunks of his life: a shepherd boy whom Samuel anointed king; the youth who killed Goliath; the inexperienced warrior befriended by King Saul’s firstborn, Prince Jonathan; the victim of King Saul’s mania who was lowered from a bedroom window by his first wife, Michal (King Saul’s daughter); the warrior who escapes

Saul in the desert, spares the enemy king’s life, and rescues Abigail from her lousy husband. Yet for some reason, we minimize the time David spent in that wilderness—likely, seven years or more. Then we skip right over his seven years in Hebron when six sons were born to him by six wives. SIX WIVES, y’all!

Then, most folks remember King David as the conquering king of Jerusalem. But that King David is very different than the David who roamed the wilderness and the thirty-year-old David who was learning how to reign in Hebron. Why do I say that? Look at the psalms David wrote. You can tell which were written in the wilderness and which were written after conquering Jerusalem. It proves what I’ve suspected for most of my life: When God really wants to test us, He blesses us beyond our imagination. When David ruled from his cedar palace in Jerusalem, too many times the wealth and blessings shoved God off the throne of his heart. I didn’t want to write about that David. In the KING DAVID’S BRIDES series, you’ll meet raw David—the David who says, “God is all I need because He’s all I have.”

Tell us about your research process for understanding the political climate of ancient Israel and Geshur.

I’m so grateful for the various places we’ve lived and my husband’s occupational journey since 2000. He began his doctoral work at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (in Chicago), which gave me access to his scholarly library on campus. I muddled through those first few years of research—partly appalled at what I discovered about ancient cultures and partly mesmerized at how much more deeply I understood the Scripture when I grasped the ancient cultures (both Israel’s and the pagan nations around them). After seven years, he completed his PhD in Education and took a job at Multnomah University (Portland, OR), where I had even more access to their library, and I quickly made friends with the research librarian. She helped me immensely in delving even deeper into theses and dissertations that were more specific (like hair products of seventh-century BC Assyrians). After nine years, we moved to the other coast—Boone, NC—where Appalachian State University allowed me to purchase a “community card” for $10 lifetime access. Their “religious” research books were amazing, so I had access at home or on campus to lots of the pagan nations’ intricate rites as well as Jewish historical writings that I’d never seen before. We lived there for eight years before moving back to our roots in Indiana. At each stop along our way, I’ve picked up used books on Amazon or at these libraries (or from Roy’s professor friends) that have helped build my personal library at home. In 2020, Hubby and I were so blessed to take a group of readers to Israel and actually visit the ancient ruins of Geshur! When we have an open heart, God can use every circumstance to teach and bless!

How do you balance historical accuracy with creating relatable characters for modern readers?

Speaking of our 2020 journey to Israel . . . When we arrived at the Old Testament site of Geshur, I was intrigued that the New Testament city of Bethsaida had been built directly on top of it! This is common practice in archaeological sites. Sometimes as many as three or four cities are found in the different “strata” (or layers) of a hill (called tel in Hebrew). Our wonderful guide, Hedva, took us to the edge of the city, where we sat beneath a canopy as a protection from the glaring sun. Looking southeast, we watched the sparkling rays glimmer off the Sea of Galilee. It was one of the most beautiful sights I saw in the Land on that trip.

Realizing, however, that the Bible specifically describes the Geshurite villages David destroyed as “in the land extending to Shur and Egypt” (1 Sam. 27:8), I knew this city that was way north of the Galilee couldn’t be the same place David had destroyed. I asked the guide, “What about the southern villages of Geshur—in the south, closer to Ziklag, that David and his men would have destroyed along with the Amalekites and Girzites?” She looked at me as if I had two heads and said the Bible got that one wrong. There were no southern villages belonging to Geshur. Hmm. Well, that would definitely be a problem for both me and my Bible-believing readers! In order to write this story according to God’s Truth of Scripture, I created a fictional explanation for the villages “in the land extending to Shur and Egypt.” Am I contradicting historical accuracy? Nope. I’m just giving a plausible explanation until some very smart archaeologists catch up with God’s Truth and find proof of the Geshurite villages David destroyed in Philistine territory.

Your protagonist struggles with pride and duty. How does this reflect broader themes in Scripture?

With duty comes responsibility, but responsibility may or may not come with authority. Maakah thought she had both duty and authority, which bred arrogance (pride) that was doomed for destruction. In God’s economy, that’s a good thing. Since God hates pride, the best thing He can do for us is find ways—however gently we’ll allow it—to crush the pride that keeps us from turning to Him for help. The greater our call to duty, the more tempted we are to carry that duty on our own shoulders. It’s a tendency as old as the Garden. Didn’t Eve want to eat that forbidden fruit when the serpent said she would “be like God” if she ate it? Don’t we all stretch for more responsibility, more authority, because we want to do it our way? The more we get our way, the more we become proud of our successes and the more we want the authority to make more decisions—for ourselves. It’s really the theme of every story in the Bible and in life. “It’s up to me, and I’ll get it done.” But God’s way says, “Obey me, and we’ll do it together.”

Your novel deals with themes of prejudice and tribal loyalties. What parallels do you see for modern readers?

When David and Maakah focused on the ways they were different or the barriers that would come between them, their future together seemed hopeless. When they focused on the miracles God worked to bring them together and their united passion for that same God, their future together seemed inevitable.

The relationship between faith and heritage is central to your story. What inspired this theme?

I try hard not to begin the story with a designated theme. I get to know the Truth of Scripture with the historical data I discover during research and then do a lot of prayer-guided imagining of how characters would feel, think, and act. The faith and heritage theme was already there from Scripture. I couldn’t imagine that David, as a man after God’s own heart, would ever marry a pagan—no matter what the political benefit to his new reign. And from what I knew of the Aramean family of nations (Geshur was one of five), Talmai would lie, cheat, kill, or steal to find a beneficial match for his daughter. The rest of the story was just imagining all the bad stuff that could happen in a two-week time span that might break down both David’s and Maakah’s defenses and open their hearts to God’s chess game of the heart.

What message do you hope readers take away from Maakah’s story?

I want them to believe that no one is too far gone for Yahweh to reach. My husband and I weren’t believers all the way through high school. God used a lot of key people, hard experiences, and patient grace to draw us into His family. (See my personal testimony at: https://mesuandrews.com/meet-mesu/personal-testimony/.) If He can reach me, He can reach anyone.

What are you working on next?

I’ve already started Loyal: The Story of Haggith. Again, we know nothing about Haggith’s true identity from Scripture, so through supplemental Truth, historical data, and my imagination, I’ve imagined David’s fourth wife as the daughter of Hebron’s chief priest. When some of David’s home tribe of Judah discover his marriage to Princess Maakah, they imagine the worst and accuse him of marrying a Gentile pagan. Joab, David’s oldest nephew and general of his troops, convinces David he must marry quickly and marry a woman who proves his undying commitment to Yahweh and His Law. Who better than Haggith, daughter of Judah’s most revered chief priest, and the woman who is David’s most vehement critic?

MY REVIEW

WOW! I have read many historical fiction books based on Bible characters , but this particular book really stands out. Not only does the author stay close to Biblical truth but brings readers directly into the story. I know very little about Maakah until this story opened my eyes.

Even though this is a fictional account I still feel it parallels nicely with the Bible. Some liberties were taken but is necessary to explore what may have happened in this time period. As we get to know Maakah better I see how strong she was. Yes she wanted to feel that someone cared for her but did not compromise her belief.

David has always been intriguing to me. He desired to follow God but had stumbled along the way. It is known that he had many wives yet he still craved God’s unconditional love. The author depicts his life in a beautiful way as we witness how he might have felt during his journey.

This is a worthy read that will have you hunger for more of the Bible. I found myself digging into scriptures as I finished this book in order to understand David better. Through the creative writing of the author we get an idea of what Maakah’s life was like as she became one of David’s wives.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 6

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 7

Inspired by Fiction, September 8

She Lives to Read, September 9

Texas Book-aholic, September 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 11

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 12

Leslie’s Library Escape, September 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 13

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 14

Stories By Gina, September 15

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 16

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

Mary Hake, September 17

Holly’s Book Corner, September 18

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, September 19

Cover Lover Book Review, September 19

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mesu is giving away the grand prize of a $20 Baker Book House gift card and a copy of both Brave and Noble!!

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/00adcf54293

Monday, September 8, 2025

It’s a Good Day to Be a Teacher Tour & Giveaway

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!

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.

MY REVIEW

I have a great appreciation for teachers. Their dedication to students is priceless. Everyday they face challenges as they teach students subjects that will help them in life. I use to work at a school and saw firsthand how much teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors and principals worked hard to make sure each student received the best from them.

As I read this book I found encouragement, peace and inspiration. I liked how the book shows teachers that each student placed in their classroom is there for a reason. There may be challenges whether it be a student or parent but God is there to help you. After each chapter is a prayer, and Bible reading. This would be a great gift to give to teachers as they navigate what God has called them to. Thank you to everyone one makes a difference in each student they encounter.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

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

Sunday, September 7, 2025

Mutiny of the Heart Tour & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Mutiny of the Heart

Author: Vickie McDonough

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: August 19, 2025

A proud Loyalist and a jaded patriot are bound by a child and a shared loss—but as sparks fly, they must decide if love is worth trusting the enemy.

Heather has no reason to like Lucas Reed. He is an American, who’s fight for liberty from England led to Heather’s family’s financial ruin and the death of her father. But her cousin’s dying wish was that Heather take little Jamie to his father in Charleston, and she’s determined to honor that wish, even if it breaks her heart to do so.

Lucas Reed knows the boy at his door cannot possibly be his, but there’s no denying that Jamie has the trademark Reed blue eyes, black hair, and dimples. Still, Lucas is ready to close the door to the boy and his escort until Miss Hawthorne presents him with a letter. He instantly recognizes the writing he thought he’d never see again. The contents of the letter shatter his resolve, forcing him to open his door—and his carefully guarded heart—to the boy and his steadfast guardian.

As Heather and Lucas work together to create a new life for Jamie, can they resist their growing attraction? Or will mutinous hearts finally admit their love when an enemy’s desperate plot threatens their lives?

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About the Author

Vickie McDonough is the CBA, EPCA and Amazon best-selling author of 54 books and novellas. Vickie grew up wanting to marry a rancher, but instead, she married a computer geek who is scared of horses. She now lives out her dreams penning romance stories about ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and others living in the Old West. Vickie’s books have won numerous awards including the Booksellers Best, OWFI Best Fiction Novel Award, the Inspirational Readers’ Choice awards. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, making cards, gardening, and traveling.

More from Vickie

Most of my writing career I’ve been an author of western historical fiction set in the late 1800’s, but a visit to Charleston and Savannah while on vacation, stirred up a desire to write in a different time period. I was born and raised in Oklahoma, a state that is only 117 years old. I was quickly enchanted by Charleston’s rich history and fell in love with the centuries-old homes and cobblestone streets.

I had also recently read a friend’s book series that featured pirates and felt challenged to create a pirate story of my own. After a lot of research and brainstorming with my critique group, Mutiny of the Heart was birthed.

1788, the time period of my story, was a time of turmoil for Charleston. The city was still recovering from the American Revolution. It had been captured by the British in 1780 and held for two and a half years. Finally, the British hevacuated Charleston in December 1782. The decade after the war saw industries beginning to bring the city and its inhabitants back to renewed vitality and population growth. It’s during this busy time that my English-born heroine comes to Charleson.

Heather Hawthorne is tasked with a near impossible job—deliver Jamie, the young boy she has come to love as her own, to the boy’s wealthy father in Charleston. Heather despises America as her English father lost his wealth and life in his fight against the American war for independence. But Deborah, Heather’s ailing cousin, pleaded with her to take Jamie to his wealthy father, Lucas Reed, owner of Reed Shipping. Though her heart is breaking, Heather honors Deborah’s death wish.

Lucas Reed knows the boy at his door cannot possibly be his, but there’s no denying that Jamie has the trademark Reed blue eyes, black hair and dimples. Still, Lucas is ready to close the door to the boy and his escort until Miss Hawthorne presents him with a letter. He instantly recognizes the writing he thought he’d never see again. The contents of said letter will change his life, bring both joy and heartache.

Enjoy the first episode in the Reed family saga, Mutiny of the Heart.

MY REVIEW

From the breathtaking time period to the wonderful characters , this story brings readers a fascinating story. I loved how dedicated Heather is to Jamie. It has taken her several years to save money to bring Jamie to her father. Her promise to Jamie’s mother brings Heather on an adventure that will change her life forever.

Lucas is well known and quite wealthy. He is very humble and always tries to help others. It was such a shock to see Jamie at his doorstep. When he reads a letter from the boy’s mother he can’t deny that Jamie is family. The resemblance is astonishing but Lucas knows he is not the boys father. I love how he keeps a secret that could hurt Jamie and welcomes him to the family with no regrets.

Heather does have a little disdain for Lucas. She can’t understand why he never tried to find Jamie or marry Jamie’s mother. Even though Heather may have doubts about Lucas’s intentions toward Jamie, she starts to see a kind man. They both have Jamie’s best interest at heart and work together to make the transition smooth.

The story does have conflict, danger and most of all forgiveness. I love how a relationship with God helps one character realize that they are not alone. Family is fractured when the past meets present in this unforgettable story of love, restoration and faith.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.