Wednesday, July 2, 2025

To Love a Beast Tour by Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: To Love a Beast (One Upon a Time in Texas Book One)

Author: Karen Witemeyer

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: June 10, 2025

Beauty & the Beast in 1800’s Texas.

Once known among New York’s elite as the American Adonis, Everett Griffin now lives as a recluse in the wilds of Texas. The treachery of a former admirer left his face and his spirit riddled with scars, so he hides himself away, his only companions a trio of trusted servants and an oversized dog. Locals whisper of the beastly man who lives in the gloomy manor outside of town and his tendency to attack anyone who dares approach. Everett relishes his fearsome reputation and uses it as a shield to guard his privacy. Until a young woman as stubborn as she is beautiful infiltrates his sanctum and lays siege to his defenses.

When an injury to her father jeopardizes the family’s book binding business, Callista Rosenfeld determines to fulfill the contract herself, and no insufferable client or woman-eating dog will deter her. Finding unlikely allies among Mr. Griffin’s staff, Callista secures her position and sets to work transforming the manor’s remarkable library. Her employer transforms as well, his ill-tempered growls subsiding to reveal a considerate, intellectual nature. Affection blooms as Callista and Everett discover hidden depths in each other, but the evil schemes of a vengeful hunter threaten to leave their love and their lives in tatters.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Voted #1 Readers’ Favorite Christian Historical Author of 2023 by Family Fiction Magazine, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Karen’s books have won numerous awards, including the prestigious Christy Award, Carol Award, and National Reader’s Choice Award. Karen is an avid cross-stitcher, and makes her home in Abilene, Texas with her husband. Learn more about Karen and her books at her website.

More from Karen

Having Fun with Character Names

I was a college student when the Disney animated adaptation of Beauty and the Beastreleased, and it instantly became my favorite fairy tale of all time. As a bookish young woman myself, I found Belle so relatable, and the rest of the cast delighted me as well. Throughout my Texas Ever After series and continuing with this new Once Upon a Time in Texas series, I’ve enjoyed paying homage to the Disney characters who inspired my western retellings. To Love a Beast is no different.

Let’s start with our beastly hero, Everett Griffin. The name Everett means “wild boar” and a griffin is a mythological beast with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. Quite fitting for our Beast. Next is the lovely Callista Rosenfeld, a book binder and novel lover. Callista means “most beautiful,” perfect for our Beauty. Rosenfeld references the enchanted rose that plays such a key role in the fairy tale plot.

Next, we have our supporting cast. Mrs. Potter is our motherly housekeeper who invites Callista to tea on a regular basis. Our stuffy butler playing the role of Cogsworth is Mr. Timens. Notice the TIME in his name that pays homage to the clock-faced Disney character. Everett’s valet and best friend is Ray Lightfoot, who’s name plays with the candlestick image with both his first and last name.

I love having fun with my character names and giving them additional story meaning. You’ll find more Beauty and the Beast Easter eggs in my story as well. Those elements make the story so fun to write, and I hope you will find it incredibly fun to read as well.

Happy Reading!

~Karen

MY REVIEW

A beautiful retelling of a classic fairy tale. I love how the author captures the essence of the story and brings it into a beautiful look at two people who find hope. The story is very emotional at times and shows how God loves us and will never leave us. I like how the story illustrates that we all carry scars. Sometimes we let those scars pull us away from God. I’m reminded that God can heal us if we turn to Him.

I adored Everett so much. He was a man that had great talents and a handsome face. Many young women wanted to pursue him. His artistic ability gave him purpose and allowed him to express beauty. It was so sad that in one brief moment his life changed. You can feel his pain as the scars that he received from someone in anger broke him. He secludes himself and lives as a recluse. But God had other plans as we will discover.

Callista is a gifted woman who does amazing work. I loved finding out about her talents and how the author was able to give facts that help readers understand what she does. It was very interesting to discover this talent of recovering or rebinding books. I could picture the intricate design as Callista and Everett worked together. It is not by accident that her father is injured and can’t complete a contract . Callista steps up to save the business and along the way will discover many lessons. I like how she was not fearful of Everett and saw past his appearance.

One very important lesson from the book is that our scars don’t define us. Now some people may judge us but God will place the right people in our path to show us our worth. I love how God knitted these two people together to help them see their worth. The enemy loves to isolate us but we need to overcome the darkness and trust God.

I didn’t expect the attack that suddenly happened at Everett’s estate. Then I thought it is just like us to be shocked when the enemy sneaks into our life. We should always have the armor of God on us at all times. Everett at this moment realizes that a battle is looming.

A gentle spirit takes over as Everett and Callista begin to open up to each other. They share a smile, easy banter and grow in friendship. I longed to see them happy and couldn’t wait to see where the author would take them. Oh how I loved reading this book and finding beauty where the enemy tried to distort it. The ending is beautifully done and expresses that true beauty is within.

“ Hope trusts that God will rescue and restore, and it enables us to endure the interim. It can only be lost if you surrender it of your own free will.”

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

Blog Stops

Maureen’s Musings, June 27

Melissa’s Bookshelf, June 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 28

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 28

The Important Things in Life: God, Books, & Chocolate , June 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 29

Inspired by Fiction, June 29

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , June 30

Where Faith and Books Meet, June 30

Devoted Steps, July 1

Sylvan Reads, July 1

She Lives To Read, July 1

Texas Book-aholic, July 2

Blossoms and Blessings, July 2

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 3

Blogging With Carol, July 3

Stories By Gina, July 4 (Author Interview)

Labor Not in Vain, July 4

For Him and My Family, July 5

Holly’s Book Corner , July 5

Jeanette’s Thoughts, July 6

Jodie Wolfe, July 6

The Lit Lady, July 7

Wishful Endings, July 7

Bizwings Book Blog, July 8

Life on Chickadee Lane, July 8

Books You Can Feel Good About, July 9

Mary Hake, July 9

To Everything There Is A Season, July 10

Life Love Writing, July 10

Min Reads and Reviews, July 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize of an eBook copy of the book and Beauty & the Beast themed goodies!!

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/00adcf54249

Monday, June 30, 2025

If Jesus Came to My School Tour by Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: If Jesus Came to My School

Author: April Graney

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Release Date: June 10, 2025

In this beautifully illustrated picture book, a young girl learns how Jesus’s love can shine at school through her compassion, kindness, and inclusion. In this whimsical tale, a young girl imagines what it would be like if Jesus visited her school as a boy. She would show Jesus around her classroom, introduce her friends and teachers, listen to story time, and eat lunch together! But Jesus wouldn’t stop at learning and sitting in class. He’d invite the lonely to join in on games and find a way to love and get along with everyone. Soon the young girl realizes that even though Jesus doesn’t attend her school, he can live through her. Through rhyming text and vibrant illustrations, children will be inspired to make a difference in their schools through their actions. Because as they treat each other right and classes become families, Jesus truly will be in their school.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

April Graney is a teacher at Cookson Hills, a children’s home and school for at-risk students in Oklahoma. She is the author of The Marvelous Maker: A Creation and Redemption Parable and the ECPA Christian Book Award finalist The Marvelous Mud House: A Story of Finding Fullness and Joy. A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, April loves studying and teaching the Bible. Her greatest joy has been raising five children with her husband Tom in their crazy, loud, happy house at New Life Ranch, a summer camp and retreat center where they have served for over twenty years.

More from April

When my husband, Tom, was in high school, a classmate leaned over and casually asked, “Hey, would you like to go to church with me sometime?” Tom wasn’t opposed to church. He’d just never been invited before. This invitation got him to a place where he began hearing the gospel. Finally, at a youth rally, my future husband tearfully repented of his sins and trusted in Jesus’ death on the cross for his salvation. He walked down to the center of that arena, with hundreds of others who had done the same. I’m incredibly thankful for his classmate who had the courage at school to ask his friend to come to church, something which changed the entire trajectory of his life.

Our nation’s schools are filled with kids who need to hear the gospel. After encountering the woman at the well, Jesus told his disciples in John 4:35, “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” I believe this could be said of our schools today. There are nearly 60 million school age children in the United States. The Barna Group reports that nearly half of all public educators are practicing Christians, and 86 percent of Christian families send their children to public school. Christians are in public schools. I hope to support and equip them, by providing tools for them to teach their children about Jesus, the gospel, and his love. I hope to help families to see the fertile soil of our nation’s schools, and be faithful to shine the light and love of Jesus in our schools. They are ripe for harvest.

When school children encounter the love of Jesus, they become places where kindness, love and respect can flourish. With the divisiveness in our nation, it’s so important to teach our children how to treat each other with kindness, inclusion and understanding. We can teach our children that everyone is created and cherished by God. We can help reduce bullying in schools when children celebrate their differences and stand up for each other. Our schools would be places of impact for the individual and the school community. These are the truths that I hoped to communicate in If Jesus Came to My School, and I hope that readers will take these lessons to heart and make a difference in the world!

MY REVIEW

This is a cute story that illustrates how each of us should treat others. I like how the author shows children that they can be kind, thoughtful and loving to everyone. The pictures are well done and will help draw children to the story. It is a simple lesson that children will use each day as they make friends.

It is important for children to understand that Jesus loves everyone and wants them to treat everyone the way they want to be treated. The story is easy to follow and takes readers through a day at school with Jesus beside them. This book would be a great one to have at school as well as at church for children to enjoy.

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

Blog Stops

Happily Managing a Household of Boys , June 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 22

Artistic Nobody, June 23

Library Lady’s Kids Lit, June 24

Labor Not in Vain, June 25

Cover Lover Book Review, June 26

Guild Master, June 27 (Author Interview)

May Hake, June 27

A Reader’s Brain , June 28 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, June 28

Older & Smarter?, June 29

Texas Book-aholic, June 30

Vicky Sluiter, July 1

Fiction Book Lover, July 2 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, July 3

Jodie Wolfe, July 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, April 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/00adcf54242

Sunday, June 29, 2025

Secrets of the Revolution Tour by Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: Secrets of the Revolution

Author: Megan Soja

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: June 10, 2025

The cause of liberty brought them together. Will it also tear them apart?

Hannah Pierce is determined to keep her father‘s apothecary shop running, despite his failing health, the heavy burden of her mother’s recent death, and the mysterious disappearance of her brother. She’ll do whatever it takes to preserve her family’s legacy, including joining a dangerous ring of patriot spies…and falling for a revolutionary printer with a brave heart.

William Abbott always keeps his promises. He vowed long ago to never abandon those in need like his father did. So when new British acts of Parliament threaten Boston and endanger his family, he throws himself into serving the Patriot cause, using his position at the printing office to gather and spread intelligence. But when his clandestine role in the newly formed spy ring causes him to cross paths with the apothecary’s beautiful daughter, he may find himself fighting for more than the cause.

As tensions in Boston reach a breaking point, Will and Hannah find their bond deepening even as the noose tightens around the spy ring. When promises and determination are not enough to protect the ones they love, they’ll need to trust God if they are to survive what is to come.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Megan Soja is a multi-award-winning author who writes stories with strong faith, rich history, and sweet romance. She lives in western NY with her husband and two daughters and loves having adventures, both big and small, with her family. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, and playing French Horn.

More from Megan

In Secrets of the Revolution, my hero and heroine, Will and Hannah, are both drawn into participating in a Patriot spy ring in Boston. As I was planning their story, I drew inspiration from a group of famous real-life spies that operated in New York City during the American Revolution – the Culper Ring.

The Culper Ring was established in 1778 and successfully ran for five years without a single spy being discovered. Even today, we do not know the identity of all the members. They used a variety of methods to communicate, including ciphers, codes, and invisible ink, all of which served as inspiration for details in my story. I even used some of the numerical codes from the actual Culper Code Book to encrypt a letter that Will receives.

While researching the Culper Ring, I came across an especially interesting woman – Anna Smith Strong – and I knew she would be the perfect model for the part that Hannah plays in Secrets of the Revolution.

Anna’s role in the spy ring was to relay signals when information had been left at a specific location. Her family farm on Seaton’s Neck in Long Island provided prime location for her work, and she communicated through a brilliantly simple manner that went undetected throughout its operation. When a message was ready to be picked up amongst the coves of Long Island, Anna would hang a black petticoat on her clothesline, followed by a number of white handkerchiefs to indicate which location to use. Her clothing signal was easily spotted by fellow spy Caleb Brewster, who would periodically row out into the Sound, or Abraham Woodhull, whose nearby farm provided a clear view. The Culper Ring accomplished more than any other spy network during the war, thanks in part to Anna’s work.

As you discover Hannah’s role in Secrets of the Revolution, I hope that knowing Anna’s real history makes my story come to life all the more!

MY REVIEW

A beautiful story that captures the Revolutionary War in a realistic way. I like how the author uses historical facts to bring us right into the time period. It was easy to follow the characters and see how they overcome obstacles.

Hannah and Willian both seek to protect their family and join together in an epic adventure. Hannah is aware that her father’s health is declining and wants to do what she can to make him comfortable. She tries to hide his illness from others so his duties as an apothecary would not suffer. As she continues to run his shop she knows that others will not accept a woman in this position.

William has come to Boston with a broken heart. He is hurt but shows respects to his ex fiancé when she marries someone else. He is also trying to recover from a loss in the family. He so wanted reconciliation but now he must try to find forgiveness. I like how he is so protective of those who are close to him. His family is very important and will do what it takes to keep them safe. I could tell as soon as he met Hannah that there was a spark.

The story proves to be intriguing as Hannah and William work together in a mission that will test their faith. Will they be able to keep their family safe from a war that is on the cusp of happening? Can they trust each other with their secrets? Grab a copy of this book to find the answers and experience faith, action and perhaps romance in this story that stirs emotions of hope.

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

Blog Stops

Holly’s Book Corner, June 26

Pens Pages & Pulses, June 26

Devoted Steps, June 27

Books You Can Feel Good About, June 28

Texas Book-aholic, June 29

To Everything There Is A Season, June 29

Inkwell Inspirations, June 30

Simple Harvest Reads, June 30 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 2

Life on Chickadee Lane, July 3

Blossoms and Blessings, July 3

Babbling Becky L’ Book Impressions, July 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 5

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 6

Pause for Tales, July 6

Cover Lover Book Review, July 7

For Him and My Family, July 8

Bizwings Book Blog, July 9

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, July 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Megan 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/00adcf54248

Saturday, June 28, 2025

Being Content God’s Way & Workbook Tour by Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: Being Content God’s Way and the Being Content God’s Way Workbook

Author: Scott LaPierre

Genre: Christian Nonfiction

Release date: May 21, 2024

Philippians 4:12 reveals a profound truth: there is a “secret to learning contentment.” As Paul declares in the next verse, the secret is the strength Christ provides: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Just as a tree’s unseen root system gathers vital resources for the tree, the unseen part of contentment is being “rooted and built up in Christ” (Colossians 2:7).

With Being Content God’s Way, you will…

learn to “be content with what you have” (Hebrews 13:5)
enjoy personal stories and application to daily life
be equipped to put off covetousness (Colossians 3:5)
receive biblical answers to common questions
discover why “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6-10)

Contentment is not an elusive concept. Instead, it is a tangible reality within our reach through a relationship with Christ.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Workbook

The perfect companion to Being Content God’s Way!

James 1:22 says, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” A common mistake with God’s Word is believing we have done enough by learning without applying. Our responsibility goes much further than simply obtaining information.

This 13-week in-depth Bible study will reinforce the teachings from the book so you can be not just a hearer (or reader) but a doer (or obey-er). You will be given the tools to apply the reading and cement the teachings in your heart.

Inside, you will find:

Helpful guidelines for deepening your relationship with Christ
Thoughtful questions for self-reflection
Insightful observations to help you grow spiritually

The workbook is a 3-month study to help you become rooted and built up in Christ. This great tool is perfect for individual use or group study.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Scott LaPierre is a teaching pastor, author, and popular conference speaker. He holds an MA in Biblical Studies from Liberty University. God has blessed Scott and his wife, Katie, with ten children.

More from Scott

We all want to be content, but should you trust what I, Scott LaPierre, have to say about this topic? Yes, for these three reasons…

First and foremost, I am not asking you to trust me but God. My book is not simply a collection of my thoughts and opinions but God’s words revealed in Scripture, which is why the book is filled with so many verses. God knows how we can be content and overcome covetousness. I want readers to understand what He says about these topics.

Second, I have preached extensively on contentment and covetousness to the church I serve. The sermons involved hundreds of hours of Bible study, which I used to write Being Content God’s Way.

Third, much of the counseling I perform is related to contentment and covetousness. When couples come for marriage counseling, they want to see their spouse change. More often, I help them be content with each other. When people have financial problems, I help them overcome covetousness to be better savers and givers. In other words, I have experience assisting people to become content.

I poured my heart into the book and workbook because I am passionate about this area of Scripture and life. I am convinced that applying the biblical principles can change your life.

MY REVIEW

The title really grabbed my attention. I know I have had times where I am not content with where I am at. It may be that I’m anxious over something, wanting to get things done in a hurry or simply trying to move ahead of God. This book is a good tool to help readers find content with God while deepening their faith.

I like how the author illustrates different topics with scripture, stories and Biblical figures while guiding us to understand the Word better. The author talks about the Prodigal Son and shows us that he was not content with what he had. When he was out on his own, he realized that the grass wasn’t greener on the other side. Do we sometimes race toward something we think is better? When we find out that what we thought we needed was not good for us, we learn a lesson in being content.

God gives us free will. We can choose to be content with Him, or we can choose to turn away. “Contentment is more easily experienced by remembering that whatever we covet will only be enjoyed briefly.” God is with us everyday, and wants us to be content with Him. This book has made me realize that no matter what I go through, being content with God is the key. “If it is not God’s will to have, accomplish, or experience something, we must give up what we want and choose to be content with what God wants.”

I have enjoyed this study and would encourage others to grab a copy along with the workbook. It is well written and I liked how the author explains things with examples and scriptures. I want to be content by trusting God and knowing that He wants the best for me.

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