Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Love Under Construction Tour & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Love Under Construction

Author: Linda Shenton Matchett

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: January 6, 2026

Can two stubborn people tear down the walls of independence to find love?

Nadine Krause took in boarders to help her family climb out of debt after her father’s death. Business has gone well, and she’s earned enough to expand the house. When her brother’s friend agrees to take the job – the only man in town willing to work for a woman – sparks fly. But not the good kind. Or are they?

Looking for something different, Leo Albrecht takes a project working for Nadine Krause, the spunky owner of Cocoaville’s favorite boarding house. An easy job. Then he manages to injure himself and needs her help to finish making it nearly impossible to ignore his growing attraction. Should he break his rule of not mixing work and his personal life?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she explores the history of this great state and immerses herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.

More from Linda

In 2002, my husband and I purchased a 4,000 square-foot “fixer upper” bed and breakfast in New Hampshire. The building had “good bones,” but a bit of deferred maintenance and poorly executed “Harry Homeowner” repairs and updates provided plenty of projects not including a complete overhaul of the kitchen and adding a bathroom. Here are just a few:

Wallpaper that had been applied directly to unpainted drywall (for the uninitiated: this means the wallpaper pulls off the paper facing leaving the gypsum core exposed).
Floral wire used to attach the toilet handle to the flapper in all eight bathrooms which left a pile of floral wire in the bottom of the tanks because that repair was repeated countless times.
A rotted 12X8X8 sill discovered while painting the outside of the house.
Windows that had to be locked to remain closed, and windows that had to be set on “chocks” to remain open.
Floors that sloped because the joists had rotted.
Walls that had rotted behind wallpaper.
Replacing the subfloor in one room that had a 12” round hole that had been carpeted over. Good thing it was near the wall, and a chair had been set over the area.
Discovering a live wire in the basement that had been cut off and stuffed into the wall.

My “favorite” was the pantry that turned out to be propped together. None of the walls or the ceiling were connect/nailed/screwed to anything, so when the shelves were removed, the closet fell in on itself.

We didn’t begin anything new after March because we couldn’t risk getting caught with an unfinished project when season began. Despite the challenges, I loved the historicity of that house, and even though it was much too large for just the two of us after we closed the business, I sometimes miss it. However, not while I’m cleaning!

When I was noodling through possible plotlines for the second book in The Chocolate Chronicles, it didn’t take long for me to realize I could use our experiences for Nadine who operated a boarding house. Add a hunky flannel-shirted (hello Hallmark) hero, and I had the makings of a story. I had fun creating construction problems for the pair as they fought their growing attraction.

MY REVIEW

I enjoy reading books from this author. She delivers a sweet story that gives us a glance at a time period where women were still fighting for their rights. I love that Nadine has a tender heart and a servant’s heart. The boardinghouse she and her brother run is comfortable and filled with compassion. Nadine is strong willed at times but her willingness to expand the business places her in the path to finding romance.

I was so impressed with how Nadine knew how to read blueprints, order supplies and practically build the new addition by herself. Her brother Tobias is a gentle and kind man. I like how he is very protective and is always there to help his sister out. I’m hoping that a book is coming soon to feature him on his journey. He will make someone a great husband.

Leo is hired to help with the addition to the boardinghouse. His reputation as a hard worker and expert in construction grabs Nadine’s attention. I like how he is thoughtful and respectful to Nadine. There is an obvious attraction between them but I enjoyed their slow dance to find that out. There are moments where their banter is fun to read. Oh I do think their innocent flirting is sweet.

One thing that is always in each story by the author is faith and illustrations of God. Nadine shows one character mercy when maybe he didn’t deserve it. We don’t deserve mercy at times but God loves us so much He gives it. Sharing who God is, Nadine gives a character the chance to ask God into their heart. What if she had not shown him grace? His life may have gone in another direction.

A beautiful story where trust in God gives our characters a direction to His plan for them. Filled with historical facts and wonderful characters this story will be a treat for readers. Thank you for a story that gives readers a look at Godly characters and how God is there when we need Him.

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