Wednesday, January 15, 2025

About the Book

Book: The Stranger

Author: Joy Margetts

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release date: November 22, 2024

What do you do when your life’s work lies in ashes at your feet? When your heart and body are broken and your faith shattered?

Disillusioned, grief-stricken and feeling abandoned by the God he once trusted, Brother Silas runs. He sets out on a lonely journey, not knowing where the path will take him, determined to distance himself from his painful past.

But Silas cannot escape the Love that will not let him go. Through the unexpected kindness of strangers, and a series of inexplicable events, Silas’ heart begins to heal. Then an unlikely reunion puts him back on the path to rediscovering who he really is.

Will Silas find where he truly belongs or will he remain a stranger forever?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Joy combines a life- long love of history and a deep passion for the Word of God to write stories, inspired by her own faith journey. She lives on the beautiful North Wales coast, amidst abbey ruins and ancient pilgrim paths.

More from Joy

I live in a most beautiful area of the UK, on the coast of Wales, surrounded by a stunning landscape of mountains, forests and sea. This is an area that is not only stunning in its natural beauty but also rich with history; castles, abbeys, old churches, and ancient pilgrimage routes. These things inspire my writing, which is why my books are set in medieval Wales, and feature abbeys, monks, knights and maidens. No dragons though! And no murders!

Some years ago now my life was forever changed when I became unexpectedly ill, from what was later diagnosed as Chronic Fatigue. Months of being able to do very little turned into years. Years where I lost much including my job and career, experiences with my children which I will never get back, and my role in ministry. Through this time I questioned all that I had known of God. I had followed Jesus all my life but when things got really tough it felt like He had abandoned me. I didn’t know if I could trust Him any more, if He really cared, if all that I had once believed was actually true. Over time God pursued me, revealing His love for me in unexpected ways, using others to display Himself, helping me to rediscover my faith and choose to trust Him again.

In writing my books I wanted to tell my own story, but through the fictional lives of characters living centuries ago. The Healing, my first novel, told my story of healing and redemption, and no-one was more surprised than I when the book was published. But God had given me a gift to write and He wasn’t finished with one book. The Stranger is actually my fourth novel and the most personal in many ways. The central character has to navigate what it feels like to question his faith in the face of devastating disappointment. I think this is something that many Christians can equate with. The story follows him as he tries to turn his back on his God, and discovers that God does not give up the pursuit of those He loves. It is my story. God pursued me and would not let me go. He is the lover of my soul and has proved faithful. I want my books to carry hope, and to glorify Him.

I love the Word of God. It has been my place of comfort and strength through tough times. My books are littered with scriptural truth, and I make no apologies for that. It is the truth, and believing in the truth, that sets us free.

MY REVIEW

Silas is broken when everything is destroyed by fire. He tells the others to get what they can and leave with him. Silas wonders where God is and feels alone. Is this the end for Silas? Has he given up on God? I couldn’t wait to see where his journey would take him. He no longer has fight in him. It reminded me of how we sometimes want to give up and walk away. We can’t run away from our problem. Silas will experience more than he expected as he encounters people along the way.

I loved the scriptures the author uses throughout the book. Silas seems weary about his faith, but there is hope as he begins to receive shelter and a fresh start. When he encounters Lord Abbot the harshness of his failure is spoken with contempt. Did Silas become prideful which caused him to fail his mission? Pride can bring down the strongest of us and the consequences can be hard. Now Silas must deal with his decisions.

As Silas meets different people on his journey, each one pours into his life. They each have a purpose and it was interesting to see what he would learn next. The Stranger is gifted with passages from the Bible as well as lessons of faith and trust. I was intrigued by how Silas started soaking in God’s love for him. He had thought he had lost his faith, but really it was always with him. What he needed was an awakening of God’s power and mercy.

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

Blog Stops

Girls in White Dresses, January 10

Vicky Sluiter, January 11 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 12

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 13 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, January 14 (Author Interview)

For the Love of Literature, January 15 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, January 16

Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 17 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 18

Blossoms and Blessings, January 19 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 20

Artistic Nobody, January 21 (Author Interview)

Stories By Gina, January 22 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, January 22

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, January 23 (Author Interview)

Leslie’s Library Escape, January 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Joy is giving away the grand prize of a $35 Amazon gift card and a paperback 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/00adcf54128

Monday, January 13, 2025

About the Book

Book: Honeymoon’s Over

Author: Carol McClain

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction

Release date: September 27, 2023

Honeymoon’s Over

For better or worse.

Easy vows for newlyweds Chantel and Charlie. Having been widowed, they knew the worst of love was years away. Furthermore, at fifty, they wouldn’t live long enough for the bad to blossom.

Then they came home from their honeymoon.

Chantel’s pregnant daughter Sissy, living with them during her husband’s deployment, must remain on bed rest. Histrionic and bored, she’s a … challenge.

Chantel’s vegetarian son Graham moves in for a few weeks to help with his sister, but something doesn’t seem right. He never got along with his military-loving, meat-eating sibling. He didn’t have ulterior motives for coming to help, did he?

Charlie’s married daughter, Margo, could certainly enumerate the issues these adult children her father’s new wife had. On top of everything, how could her father have chosen that woman?

Then there’s Charlie’s father—lost in old-age absentmindedness. Certainly, he was only forgetful.

Thank heavens for jobs they love that get them out of the house. Except …

Should they have vowed for worse or better?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Carol McClain is the award-winning author of five novels dealing with real people facing real problems. She is a consummate encourager, and no matter what your faith might look like, you will find compassion, humor and wisdom in her complexly layered, but ultimately readable work.

Aside from writing, she’s a skilled glass artist who has just made a foray into creating high-end jewelry. She’s also an avid hiker. She teaches Bible studies and mentors teens.

She lives in East Tennessee with her husband and too many animals to mention.

More from Carol

Disclaimer #1: Beware.

If we get to know each other, the humor of your life is liable to become fodder for my work. (Of course, with permission. Occasionally!) But don’t worry. I don’t write suspense, so you’ll never be in danger.

Background:

My brother married a widow when they were in their fifties.

He was a meatatarian. “Vegetables have rights,” he’d declare as he reached for a second round of bacon. He’d then heap on fried potatoes. The tubers were his nod to vegetables.

His wife was gluten intolerant and a health food lover of all foods green.

When he moved in with his wife, so did his vegan son who lived on gluten (and very few veggies). Gluten found its way onto her countertops, her refrigerator shelves, and dishes he didn’t wash.

Her son lived with her as well and came arrayed with the eccentricities my nephew lacked. The two sons made a complete, chaotic pair.

Add to them a diabetic mother who was starting dementia and my bet was on the fact this marriage was doomed.

Fortunately, I’m not prophetic. They remained happily married—despite my brother’s eating predilection. However, their situation made me laugh and became the fodder for Honeymoon’s Over.

Disclaimer #2: no HIPPA rules or privacy issues or personal matter have been disclosed. Names have been changed to protect the guilty (just don’t read the dedication, then the name change is mute.)

Disclaimer #3: If you’re expecting a sad, tearjerker, you’ll be disappointed. Oh, you will cry—tears of laughter. You’ll chortle throughout Honeymoon.

MY REVIEW

What a fun book to read. The title says it all in this story that features several standout characters. Having just been married, Chantel and Charlie have visions of a quiet life with everyday filled with laughter, peace and joy. Well maybe they didn’t both think that but oh boy are they in for an adventure they will never forget.

Chantel is a take charge kind of person who likes things in order. When her pregnant daughter comes to stay with them chaos breaks out with schedules changing and Chantel trying to juggle too much. I loved how she goes from being in control to almost giving up.

Charlie seems to be levelheaded and excited about being married. With his dad grieving to adult children barging in on what was supposed to be the beginning of a new season, he has his hands full. Trying to maintain a somewhat normal adjustment to married life seems like the honeymoon never really had a chance.

The characters are relatable and show how life can sometimes become overwhelming. Each day is a challenge with grown children invading their honeymoon phase. I laughed so hard reading this book while seeing myself in the characters. Chantel worrying about her pregnant daughter was very understanding. I’m one of those mothers who will worry about my children no matter how old they get. Charlie must help his dad adjust to life after a loss.

I really like how the author shows that life has its ups and downs. The good news is we don’t have to face it alone. I liked that the author illustrates a second chance at love with older adults. There are a few topics like dementia that many can relate to. In the end faith, love and patience resonates throughout the book.

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

Blog Stops

Girls in White Dresses, January 8

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 9

Stories By Gina, January 10 (Author Interview)

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, January 11 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 11

Artistic Nobody, January 12 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, January 13

Guild Master, January 14 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Acdemy, January 15

A Reader’s Brain, January 16 (Author Interview)

Back Porch Reads, January 17 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, January 17

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, January 18 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 19

Fiction Book Lover, January 20 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, January 21 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carol 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/00adcf54126

Saturday, January 11, 2025

About the Book

Book: What I Left for You (Echoes of the Past Book Three)

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release date: December 1, 2024

A Family’s Ties Were Broken in Poland of 1939

1939
Helena Kostyszak is an oddity—an educated female ethnic minority lecturing at a university in Krakow at the outbreak of WWII. When the Germans close the university and force Jews into the ghetto, she spirits out a friend’s infant daughter and flees to her small village in the southern hills. Helena does everything in her power to protect her family, but it may not be enough. It will take all of her strength and God’s intervention for both of them to survive the war and the ethnic cleansing to come.

2023
Recently unengaged social worker McKenna Muir is dealt an awful blow when a two-year-old she’s been working with is murdered. It’s all too much to take, so her friend suggests she dive into her family’s past like she’s always wanted. Putting distance between herself and her problems might help her heal, so she and her friend head on Sabbatical to Poland. But what McKenna discovers about her family shocks everyone, including one long-lost family member.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping.

More from Liz

I stared at my computer screen in front of me. For years, I had been searching for my great-grandmother, Anna. I got no good information. Census records in the US weren’t helpful. Some listed her birthplace as Czechoslovakia, while others had it as Austria. I had heard before that she might have been born in Czechoslovakia before, but never Austria. There were no records that I had come across that listed the city or town where she was born.

Until that one day. While searching for my great-grandmother, I ran across a passport application recorded in Warsaw, Poland, for an Anna with the same last name, though spelled differently. Her birthday was listed as 1903, which matched the birth year I knew for my great-grandmother’s niece. As I read through the application, my heart was pounding. This Anna was born in the United States but went to Dubne, Poland, with her family in 1906. It was now 1923, and she wanted to return to the US, and she would be living with…

I started to cry when I saw who her sponsor was. My great-grandfather. The name and address were correct. There could be no doubt about it. It had taken me years, but I finally made the jump to Europe and discovered that my great-grandmother was not born in Czechoslovakia but in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire and is now Poland.

Of course, good little researcher that I am, I had to find out all I could about Dubne, the town they were from. That’s when I first came across the term Lemko. What on earth was that?

Lemkos are a Slavic people that settled in the Carpathian Mountains of Southern Poland, Northern Slovakia, and Western Ukraine. They are also known as Lemko Rusyns, Rusyns (especially those born in Slovakia, like my great-grandfather), and Carptho-Rusyns. The mountains kept the world at bay, and they developed their own language, customs, and form of Christianity. For the most part, they were very poor, many of them eking out a living from the rocky ground.

They lived in “black houses,” called that because the poorest people couldn’t afford to have a chimney built. The smoke from the cooking and heating fires stayed inside the house and covered the walls with black tar. If you look at the cemetery records from Dubne, you would be old if you lived into your fifties. Conditions were brutal.

The most the average Lemko could afford was one sheep or one pig. Since this was their most prized possession, they couldn’t take the chance of a wild animal or a neighbor taking it away, so it lived in the house with them.

With all of them. Up to eleven people would live in a two-room house. When I mentioned that in What I Left for You, my editor questioned if I had made a mistake. No, I didn’t. I have no idea how they fit all those people in there, but they did. As I was tracking one branch of our family tree, I kept coming up with people living in house 43. Over and over and over. They stuffed that house full. Grandparents, parents, and children all lived together. They may not have had much, but that forged the Lemkos into strong and resilient people.

I’m proud to be Lemko-Rusyn, and I’m thrilled to share this story with you. I infused Helena, the historical heroine, with as much of the Lemko spunk and spirit as I could. Last October, my daughter and I had the privilege to travel to Poland and Slovakia and see the Lemko homeland for ourselves. It helped me to write a better, richer story because I now understand where they came from and who they were. Enjoy Helena’s story and her journey during WWII and beyond. I hope you come to understand and appreciate the Lemko people as much as I have.

MY REVIEW

This book has been an emotional rollercoaster for me. I absolutely love a dual timeline story. I have read many books about the war that took so many lives where the focus was mainly on Jewish people. What a nice surprise to see this book’s journey with Polish heritage. As I read the dual timeline I witnessed the cruelty that these people suffered.

We travel back in time to 1939 where we meet Helena. What an exceptional character she is. Her bravery to save a friend’s baby is nothing short of heroic. I loved how she kept her promise to her friend whose wish was for Helena to raise the baby as her own. Being unmarried she wasn’t sure how she would explain the baby but God always has a way even when we aren’t quite sure what to do.

Being introduced to the term Lemko intrigued me. I have never heard this term but the author does an amazing job of giving us historical facts which definitely helped the story become realistic. During this time period they were very poor but their strength to survive was evident. After finishing this book I did do a little research of my own to understand these people more.

As we move forward to 2023 we get acquainted with McKenna. Her job as a social worker is demanding and emotionally stressful. When she needs a break she along with a friend journey to Poland to research McKenna’s family. Oh my was this fun to read. I felt like I was beside her each step as new information about ancestors came to light.

What McKenna uncovers bridges the gap between past and present. McKenna was at times not sure she could uncover everything about her past ancestors but it was fun to see how much research was needed . I think at times she may not have been fully invested because of the tragedy she left behind due to her job.

There are several other characters in the book that add to this wonderful story. I have decided not to mention them because I want readers to discover them. They are important to the storyline and even show how God protected them in danger. The tragic events were described in a way that illustrated how survival came at a cost.

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

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 7

lakesidelivingsite, January 7

Lots of Helpers, January 8

Pens Pages & Pulses, January 8

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 9

Life on Chickadee Lane, January 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 10

Texas Book-aholic, January 11

Connie’s History Classroom , January 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 13

For Him and My Family, January 13

Stories By Gina, January 14 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, January 14

Holly’s Book Corner, January 15

Betti Mace, January 16

Jeanette’s Thoughts, January 16

Bigreadersite, January 17

Blossoms and Blessings, January 17

Pause for Tales, January 18

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, January 18

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, January 19

Lights in a Dark World, January 19

Cover Lover Book Review, January 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-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.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54125

Thursday, January 9, 2025

About the Book

Book: A Stolen Kiss (The Heart of the Amish Book 7)

Author: Mindy Steele

Genre: Amish/Christian Fiction

Release date: December, 2024

Who Kissed Who First?

Full of faith, hope, and romance, the series takes you into the Heart of Amish Country.

LeEtta Miller has never done anything spontaneous before, but when a girl is the last one at everything, sometimes she has to take the reins into her own hands. What harm could come from kissing a stranger she’ll never see again?

Benuel Ropp isn’t sure he can ever forgive his father for giving away his inheritance. Taking work far from home, Ben hopes to earn enough to build his future, but nowhere in his plans did he predict being kissed by a beautiful stranger – or having to marry her. To save both their reputations he has little choice but to accept the elder’s demands. Well. . .if LeEtta thought he’d flinch, letting her boldness ruin the future he had all mapped out, she was mistaken. He has a dream to work for, and if he has to make sacrifices to reach them, so will she.

Who kissed who first? He couldn’t even remember anymore.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Mindy Steele is the award-winning author and bestselling author of over a dozen novels and novellas in Christian fiction. Raised in Kentucky timber country, Steele has been writing since she could hold a crayon on the wall and lives in northeastern Kentucky—where many of her stories are set.

More from Mindy

The Story Behind the Story with Mindy Steele

A Stolen Kiss

I’m always seeking the not-so-ordinary plot for one of my stories. So, when our youngest son and his intended traded a look one evening, something struck a cord in my always moving imagination. Mind you, Blake told me when he was ten, riding a new bus to a new school, that he met the girl that he was going to marry. So cute, yet, they married in May, eleven years later. A Stolen Kiss is not love at first sight. It’s not even love over-the-years, but that one moment birthed a new character. LeEtta Miller. Not all love stories are as beautiful as our son’s, but all love stories are worth telling.

I’m an author of romance, love inspired stories weaving through rural landscapes where characters unveil themselves into realistic people most of us are glad to know. Romantic fiction gives readers what no other genre seems to offer. It’s an escape, a hope. Hope across illness, loss, despair, and uncertainty. Its community, knowledge, a gathering of friends, unity, while representing comfort.

We all want to add more love to our lives. After all, it is the greatest gift God has given us. Gentle or fast moving, we are sucked in to reach those glorious chapters of a first kiss and a promising tomorrow.

But, what if the kiss came sooner? What if love isn’t fast moving, but something earned and quietly obtained through slow familiarity.

LeEtta Miller is quite the rule follower and people pleaser. I’ve shaken my head at her quite often as I got to know her. LeEtta also feels as if life is passing her by. How many times have we’ve been in those pair of shoes? In one bold moment, she’ll through caution to the wind, and act, impulsively. Thus we get introduced to Benuel Ropp, who’s visiting his grandparents, hoping to earn enough money to buy his own land, back in Ohio. As events escalate, from a chance meeting to an binding union, these two young characters are thrown into new roles neither of them intended. I’ve never laughed more writing LeEtta and Ben’s story, and hope it brings joy, hope, and a wiliness to accept that the mistakes we make in life, are only rocky paths leading us to where we belong.

May you never stop making mistakes and following love’s calling,

Mindy

MY REVIEW

This book is filled with so much wisdom for couples that I started writing down in my journals things to remember. It starts with an innocent kiss that explodes into rumors and life changes. LeEtta is a great character who wants to be married. She has a bit of insecurity which makes others seem to withdraw from her. I loved her dedication to her father and how she wants to make him proud of her. She does have a suitor that is quite younger than her. LeEtta does try many times to let this young man know she is not interested. Jealousy rears its ugly head when an innocent encounter brings LeEtta shame in the community.

Benuel has come to the community to work so he can save for his own farm. He is hurt when his dreams are shattered by something that is interpreted wrong. I did like how he is an honorable man and steps up to save someone’s reputation. Benuel had a hard childhood and hopes to overcome his past.

LeEtta and Benuel get some great advice such as “ when something is afraid, it never functions as it should. Fear and doubt are the devil’s best tools.” For Benuel it’s the fear of not being loved. LeEtta is afraid of failing as a wife. With both having doubts about themselves it is easy for the enemy to sneak in and try to destroy their marriage. Benuel is angry at God and blames him for the life he has now. Have you ever been mad at God? It is easy to blame others but we must remember that sometimes God has us go through things to grow us spiritually .

LeEtta is bold when she tells Benuel that “ she prayed to not be in fear anymore, not be seen as different and feeling alone.” Her prayers helped her overcome all these things and softened her heart. Benuel needs to stop being bitter about his life and thank God for loving him just the way he is. LeEtta also has things to work on. She has this need to please others. In her mind if she pleases others, they will accept her. Her insecurity does hold her back from sharing her thoughts and feelings.

The story illustrates how not trusting others can lead to loneliness and bitterness. Forgiveness is important so you can move forward. The author does a great job of showing problems that may occur in a marriage. Faith, trust, forgiveness and communication are the keys to a successful marriage. I think this story is filled with so much wisdom about marriage that I would recommend couples read it.

“Those we care for the most are often the ones we are hardest on.”

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