Friday, October 10, 2025

As Far as the West Tour & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: As Far as the West

Author: Barbara A. Curtis

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release Date: September 23, 2025

His only chance at happiness lies in the hands of a woman determined to expose his family’s darkest secrets.

Josiah Calloway lives in the shadow of two battles—the war that cost him his future and his leg, and the shame of his father’s betrayal. To restore his family’s honor, Josiah secretly repays the debts his father left behind, one by one. But the largest debt remains unpaid—to the Morgan family, his father’s sworn enemies.

Determined to save her family’s ranch, Lizzie Morgan takes a job at a Boise tailor shop, only to discover her employer is Benton Calloway, a man with a decades-old vendetta against her parents. Lizzie suspects he’s up to no good and plans to uncover proof of his schemes against her parents. The one bright spot in her dangerous game is Benton’s kind-hearted son who walks her home each evening, whose gentle ways and protective nature make her heart flutter.

As every evening walk draws them closer, Josiah finds himself falling for this determined seamstress with fire in her spirit and grace in her heart. When feelings deepen and Benton’s threats escalate, Josiah is given an ultimatum. But protecting Lizzie from his father might risk losing her trust and love forever. Can love overcome a legacy of betrayal or will the truth shatter everything they’ve built?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Barbara A. Curtis lives in Connecticut with her husband, and they have one grown son, a blessing to their hearts. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Novel Academy.

More from Barbara

Have you ever felt like a kid in a candy store?

In As Far as the West, eleven-year-old Gideon Brighton has the joy of living out that saying as he works for his grandmother in her candy shop, with his pay being in candy. And as a young entrepreneur, he has big dreams for Brighton’s Candy Shop.

Can you picture yourself sticking a hand into a big glass jar and pulling out favorites like Tootsie Rolls and Mary Janes? And other favorites of the day—Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Kisses and Clark’s Teaberry and Wriggley’s Juicy Fruit gums. DeMet’s Turtles, Whitman’s Samplers, Cadbury’s, Life Savers, and Brach’s caramel squares. Necco wafers and butterscotch Reed’s Rolls. Yes, all available in 1920 and ready for Gideon to dig into. But his favorite of all? His Grandma Brighton’s homemade fudge.

Do you have a favorite “old-fashioned” candy that fills you with nostalgia? Or images of being a kid in a candy store yourself?

If you continue on with the next book in the series, Gathered from the North, you’ll get to meet Gideon once again—as an adult and owner of Brighton’s Candy Shop—and see if the young businessman fulfills his dream of adding an ice cream parlor to it.

I hope you enjoy As Far as the West—and maybe it’ll inspire you to make a visit to an old-fashioned candy shop yourself.

Blessings!

Barbara

MY REVIEW

What a beautiful story of being the hands and feet of Jesus. I could not stop being in awe of Josiah. His humble, Godly ways illustrates how we need to treat others. Although his father is no on the up and up, Josiah decides to repay those his father has cheated out of money. I love his example of faith by not only his actions but his words. He is able to restrain himself from the trap of the enemy and continue his promise to make things right to those who had fallen as a victim to his devious and greedy ways.

I liked how Lizzie stepped out on her own and traveled to Boise for an adventure in supporting herself. She does have a few hiccups but lands a job as a seamstress. Meeting a dear couple on her way to look for work, brings a lasting friendship for her. This couple welcome her in to their home when she had nowhere else to go. What a great way to show love to others in need.

As you read the story you will find a very special woman who takes Lizzie under her wings. Mrs. McPhearson opens her boarding house to Lizzie and gives her a place to feel safe. I liked reading about the delicious meals served each day and the love that went into them. Lizzie will always hold a special in Mrs. McPhearson’s heart.

Forgiveness is the main theme in this story and is illustrated very well. We find ourselves thinking that someone doesn’t deserve forgiveness but God wants us to forgive. If we don’t forgive we hold ourselves back from God’s blessings. This story is one that would be an excellent book to read in a small group. I can just imagine the group discussing each character and learning valuable and faith filled lessons that won’t be forgotten.

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.’”

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

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, October 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 9

Texas Book-aholic, October 10

Simple Harvest Reads, October 11 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 12

For Him and My Family, October 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 14

Devoted To Hope, October 15

Books Less Travelled, October 16

Stories By Gina, October 17 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, October 17

Pause for Tales, October 18

Life on Chickadee Lane, October 19

Cover Lover Book Review, October 19

Lily’s Corner, October 20

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, October 21 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Barbara 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.

https://promosimple.com/ps/3d274/as-far-as-the-west-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

A Riddle in the Lonesome October Tour & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: A Riddle in the Lonesome October (Rae Riley Mysteries Book Three)

Author: JPC Allen

Genre: YA Christian cozy mystery

Release Date: October 1, 2025

How do you survive a season of fear?

October is a hard month for Rae Riley’s family. Her dad, Sheriff Walter “Mal” Malinowski lost his wife and father then. He also has to manage the trouble Halloween brings to rural Marlin County, Ohio. But this year, Rae’s uncle fights for his life after a riding accident, and a family feud over a lost inheritance erupts at a local Halloween attraction. As Rae tries to support her family, she and her cousin Amber work to unravel the 70-year-old riddle that will reveal the location of the inheritance so their great aunt Lily and her kids can gain a fortune. And Rae must deal with the secretive behavior of the deputy she’s fallen for.

When a bogus medium conducts a séance to contact Cyrus Morley, the man who devised the riddle, the results stun everyone, and the aftermath is even more shocking. There’s only one way to survive a season of so much fear–and only one way to unmask a killer.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

JPC Allen started her writing career in second grade with a homage to Scooby Doo, and she’s been track down mysteries ever since. A Shadow on the Snow, the first novel in the Rae Riley Mysteries series, won first place for published YA fiction in the ACFW KidLit Contest. A Storm of Doubts, her second novel, came in second for YA fiction at the Selah Awards. Online, she offers writing tips and prompts to ignite the creative spark in every kind of writer. She also leads writing workshops for adults and teens. Coming from a long line of Mountaineers, she’s a life-long Buckeye, a wife of one for twenty years, and mother of two for sixteen.

More from JPC

Writing a Historical Mystery … Sort Of

I had a great time concocting the elaborate mystery for A Riddle in the Lonesome October. What made this novel unusual for me was the importance of history in figuring out the riddle to the hidden inheritance. In my other mysteries, the suspects were living people my amateur sleuth Rae Riley knew. She could speak to them and evaluate who was telling the truth, who was lying, and who was hiding something.

But for this mystery, Rae has to dig into the past. She decides in order to crack the riddle that was left to the heirs, she has to understand what kind of man was Cyrus Morley, the man who created the riddle. Since he died over seventy years ago, she has to use historical resources.

I had a lot of fun coming up with the documents Rae uncovers. Since Cyrus Morley was wealthy and owned coal mines in Marlin County, Ohio, where Rae lives, he was a prominent citizen, often featured in stories in the local newspaper. But official sources like that only revealed part of Cyrus Morley’s complicated life.

As a former librarian, I knew that local libraries can have books or documents that you can’t find anywhere online. Those materials were printed decades or even centuries ago and only have local interest, so no one has bothered to put them online. So I created a memoir, written by a local pastor’s wife. It’s the kind of book a church and its members would have but no one else.

I loved writing in a different style from Rae’s narration. The pastor’s wife, Rebecca, had help to write her memoir in the 1980s. But I thought the style would be older since Rebecca was born in 1900. I grew up on Agatha Christie and Rex Stout, so I enjoyed writing excerpts from the memoir in a more old-fashioned style, so readers would feel like they were reading a genuine, historical document.

What was even better was figuring out a way for Rae’s eighty-one-year-old great-grandfather Walter to provide clues. Coming up with a family history that intersects with Cyrus’s life was an absolute joy to create. I loved writing the chapter in which Walter tells Rae this unknown chapter in the Malinowski family’s history.

So if you like your mysteries with a touch of history, I’m sure you’ll love Rae’s investigation into a mystery seventy years in the making.

MY REVIEW

The beginning of the book was a little off putting. There are so many characters I had a hard time keeping up with them. What really bothered me was the relationships of children that are illegitimate, talk of seances, Halloween scary things and strange characters.

The story does have some redeeming qualities such as trying to solve a mystery that many have tried to uncover. October is a month that doesn’t give much happiness as a family member is remembered. That loss is felt deep and although Rae didn’t have a relationship with her brother’s mom, she still wanted to pay her respects.

I did find a little faith element in the story but this book wasn’t for me. Although the mystery is entertaining I didn’t like all the family fights and unnecessary emotional turmoil. I don’t care for Halloween so perhaps this story is not suited for me. I would caution parents to be aware of fortune telling and other talks of Halloween themes that may not be something you would want your teenagers to read.

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

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 1

Stories By Gina, October 2 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, October 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 3

Simple Harvest Reads, October 4 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 5

Artistic Nobody, October 6 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, October 7

Guild Master, October 8 (Author Interview)

Fiction Book Lover, October 9 (Author Interview)

Hannahbandanarama, October 9

For the Love of Literature, October 10 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, October 11

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 12 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 13

Blossoms and Blessings, October 14 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, JPC is giving away a signed copy of A Riddle in the Lonesome October and Christmas fiction off the beaten path, an $25 Amazon gift card, mug, tea, and chocolates!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/3d265/a-riddle-in-the-lonesome-october-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, October 6, 2025

Mistletoe and Mayhem Tour & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Mistletoe and Mayhem (The Little Red Truck Mysteries: Book Three)

Author: Janice Thompson

Genre: Mystery/Christian Fiction/Christmas

Release Date: September, 2025

A Wildfire Races toward the Hadley Ranch

Breathe in the nostalgia of everything old red truck in book three of a new cozy mystery series.

It’s less than a week until Christmas in Mabank, Texas, and just a few days away from RaeLyn and Mason’s wedding on Hadley ranch. Unfortunately, a wildfire with mysterious origin is rapidly traveling across several counties and headed right for the Hadley acreage. Fire fighters rush to put it out before the family homestead goes up in flames, taking the business and the old red truck with it. Their perfect wedding may be ruined, and RaeLyn and Mason are determined to find the source of the fire.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Janice Thompson, who lives in the Houston area, writes romantic comedies, cozy mysteries, nonfiction devotionals, and musical comedies for the stage. She is the mother of four daughters and nine feisty grandchildren. When she’s not writing books or taking care of foster dogs you’ll find her in the kitchen, baking up specialty cakes and cookies.

More from Janice

In the mid-90s, as my children and I drove up to the Mabank area from our home in Houston, we saw smoke off in the distance. The closer we got to my mother and stepfather’s acreage—sixty-three gorgeous acres of cattle land—the thicker the smoke got.

When we arrived on Mom’s street the reality of what faced us was unavoidable. The property across the road, to our left, was in a roaring blaze, flames moving so fast my car could barely get past them on the narrow country road.

We miraculously made it to Mom’s driveway and went inside her home, hearts racing. In that moment, a decision was made to gather in a circle and pray. We offered up a passionate plea for the Lord’s protection then rushed outside to grab hoses to help water everything down.

As I sat to write Mistletoe and Mayhem, my latest cozy mystery from Barbour Publishing, I was faced with the memories of this terrifying trip. Just as you read in this story, firefighters got that massive blazed stopped, right at the edge of her property. And I can tell you as a first-hand witness that not a spark landed on any of us. Whenever I reflect on this event I’m reminded of God’s ultimate faithfulness. He spared us from certain catastrophe.

I can assure you, we as a family never forgot the mercy and grace of God as we faced our Isaiah 43 moment. No doubt you’ve been through a few fires, too. Fear not. The Lord is right there, ready to carry you through. You can trust Him, even in the fiery trials of life.

Blessings on you all,

Janice Thompson

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Isaiah 43:1b-3

MY REVIEW

If you are looking for a fun and faith filled cozy mystery look no further. The author is very gifted in creating stories that are relatable with characters that you fall in love with. This is part of a series but I think you could still read it and jump right in without feeling lost. Although reading the entire series gives you a better feel of the characters and how they each play a role in the overall series.

This is written with a southern feeling and boy does it give you some belly laughs. From iced tea to country living you will be transported to a small town in Texas. They love Blue Bell cream, family get together and Aunt Bessie’s cooking. Don’t miss the laugh out loud southern sayings that show the author’s personality.

When the threat of wildfire, chaos breaks out. Scrambling to save their land, salvage an upcoming wedding and rescuing the old red truck, the story takes on energy. I loved how the family works together while sharing precious memories during this unexpected interruption to their lives. I was thinking about the fires that have destroyed cities lately and how devastating it was.

RaeLyn is a few days away from her wedding but sees it slipping away as the smoke can be seen getting closer. She has dreamed of this special day for so long. Will it be ruined by a fire that was mysteriously set? She tries to stay calm but as you know brides want everything to be perfect on their special day. I love how she thinks of her family and makes sure everyone is safe from the impending disaster.

Now my favorite character is Aunt Bessie Mae. Her spunk is contagious and I feel like she holds the family together. Her cooking is so special that I want to be invited to eat with her. I can imagine the country fried steak, mashed potatoes with homemade gravy, black-eyed peas, made from scratch cornbread and of course her mouth watering apple pie with crust that melts in your mouth. Who’s ready to get an invitation from Aunt Bessie Mae?

There is a little mystery with the fire that I really enjoyed. Was it set out of greed or by accident? Will the wedding still take place? Can this family save their land or will it be destroyed? Get ready for lots of laughs and enjoyable characters in this small town cozy mystery.

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