TAILORED TO YOU by Marissa Adams, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #ReleaseDay

A No-Spice Friends to Lovers Christian Chick Lit

PAULA'S REVIEW:
This was a fun foray into a fashion designer with a self image problem. 

Clever dialogue makes this cute story sing. 

Mari is a fashion designer who crafts unusual clothes. I appreciate learning about the art of designing since I have been sewing for 60 years. I loved the angle of matchmaker Aunt Theresa planning Monday dates for Mari, although it has been 3 years of not finding that special person. “I had learned to expect every Monday to be a disappointment. So far, my expectations had been met.” One criteria with no exception--her date must be a Christian. Lots of funny moments when Mari critiques her dates with internal dialogue. She always discusses the dates with her favorite barista at her favorite coffee shop. Q is a Christian too and offers advice and suggestions. Could her special person be right in front of her? 

Her big fashion break comes when a famous actress wants her to design something unique, which turns out great after many false starts and some snarky reviews. The witty banter is just priceless. 

I will definitely read this author again.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*5 stars and a strong faith theme

BackCover Blurb:
I thought between finding an acceptable date and winning a fashion design contest, the first would be easier.

But with 135 bad dates behind me and an award in my hands, it seems I was wrong. It’s not like I’m super picky. Give me a nice, solid Christian guy who also happens to be the love of my life, and I would be 100% satisfied.

Luckily, distractions careen in faster than a speeding train: finding a new friend group, starting up a dressmaking studio, and trying to ignore the hollow pit in my stomach from the snide comments of fashion critics.

To top the list of distractions, my pseudo-therapist barista named Q is falling in love with a pretty customer. Given his rock-like personality and his inability to communicate with strangers beyond a grunt, I’ve come up with the fabulous plan for us to go on a fake date and give each other tips.

Because with one platonic date between two totally platonic friends, what could go wrong? 

September, 2026 Available in digital ebook and paperback at Amazon 

 

THE HEIRESS AND THE WOODSMAN by Christine Hill Suntz, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"This home is all that Simon will have, Charlotte. Promise me you won't let your father run this estate into the ground."

A promise made to her mother, a promise that Charlotte Carruthers was desperately trying to keep. If she only knew where her brother was so that she could convince him to return home. His appearance would quell suspicions about his rebel leanings and help Charlotte stave off offers to buy their crumbling family estate which was rich in valuable clay deposits. Tired of waiting for someone else to solve her problems, Charlotte impulsively heads off on her own to find Simon, and of course runs into a wee bit of trouble.

Woodsman Joshua Robertson is also on a quest to retrieve a brother, determined to learn the funds necessary to pay off Henry's unfortunate indenture. Imagine his surprise when he happens upon a stranded traveler along a dangerous road, failing in her disguise as a lad, offering him payment in return for his employ as her guide. Since Joshua has already been contracted to head in her same direction, he agrees, never realizing what a chain of events he has ignited; a threat to his heart being among them.

"The good Lord gives you opportunities. Only you can choose what you will make of them."

Impressive! Immersed within the lush, dense, untamed setting of this story while being equally absorbed into the dilemmas shouldered by each of these characters, it was impossible for me to ignore the fact that their struggles were real, their decisions tenuous, and the outcome both perilous and uncertain. Clinging to mere vestiges of hope, the God who never forsakes proved Himself forever faithful, one chapter at a time!

*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 4.5 stars

 

 SEE PAULA'S REVIEW

 

BackCover Blurb:
Charlotte Carruthers must find her brother. Joshua Robertson needs the funds to free his. On the road into the Canadian wilderness, they become reluctant allies in a race to save their siblings before brewing rebellion tears the colony apart.

Canada, 1837. Charlotte is determined to hold onto her family's crumbling estate—the last vestige of their former place in Toronto society before her mother's death and her father's financial ruin. But when her missing brother Simon is suspected of aiding a political rebellion, Charlotte heads north to find him before his impulsive decisions ruin what's left of their family's standing and break her ailing father's heart.

Joshua has worked tirelessly to carve a home from the wilderness for the younger brother he was forced to leave behind, only to learn his first harvest is nearly worthless and his brother has been sold into an indenture Joshua can't afford to redeem. When a stranger offers him work tracking down a settler in the bush, he's desperate enough to agree.

Nothing has prepared Charlotte for the challenges of surviving the wilderness. When Joshua comes to her aid, she offers to pay him for guidance through the bush. Though he knows a spoiled city girl will slow him down, he can't refuse the money. As Charlotte and Joshua face the dangers of travel through rough terrain, admiration and friendship grow, even as class divides and hidden truths complicate their bond. But when they are caught in the crossfire of rebellion, they must decide if the futures they've fought for are truly their hearts' desire—or if something unexpected awaits.

-Clean and wholesome historical romance with reluctant allies and secret identities tropes
-Filled with love, faith, and adventure
-Perfect for fans of Julie Klassen, Laura Frantz, and Tamera Alexander
-Includes discussion questions for book clubs 

Tyndale Fiction, August, 2026

Available in digital ebook, paperback, and audiobook

Buy THE HEIRESS AND THE WOODSMAN at Amazon, Christianbook, or Baker Book House 

 

 

BURNING THE RAVEN TREE by Janyre Tromp, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #NewRelease

A 1960s Gothic Historical Thriller in the Tradition of Rebecca

 (Threads of the Lost Myth)

PAULA'S REVIEW:
Mystery and Myth permeate this story that takes place in Michigan in 1955 and 1965.

Sometimes difficult to read about, this story shows how family abuse can be passed through generations. There is a haunting myth about an old oak tree that affects the lives of twins, Elizabeth and Colwyn and their family. When childhood friend Marcus returns to Allenwood, Michigan, he is determined to dig into the past. Complex situations and relationships cloud the truth. Who can Marcus trust and who is hiding facts and undermining reality. 

A very atmospheric tale, I was fascinated to learn how myths and legends with underlying faith themes told an intriguing story. This had a clear good versus evil plot but was twisty enough to make you think. 

Fans of Jaime Jo Wright might want to try this one.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*
4.5 stars and an underlying faith thread.

BackCover Blurb:
A survivor accused of a decade-old grisly murder.

A disgraced lawyer with everything to prove.

And long before anyone whispered "witch," the Raven Tree was already watching.

In the forests of northern Michigan, an ancient oak stands heavy with grief, its twisted limbs hung with shoes like gravestones. For generations the townspeople have shied away from the Raven Tree—and the witch who still walks beneath its branches.

Colwyn Cueny survived the unthinkable as a child. She learned to live with the rumors—to endure being the woman some call child murderer, madwoman, or witch. But when the past refuses to stay buried, surviving may no longer be enough.

When embattled Chicago attorney Marcus Lenarsic arrives, he has one last chance to reclaim his career. Still Marcus refuses to believe his landlady is the monster the town has already condemned. But defending Colwyn means risking more than his reputation. It means battling the secrets buried beneath a decade of fear where every neighbor has already decided Colwyn's guilt.

The deeper Marcus digs, the more he realizes evil isn't hidden in the woods. It's buried under the stories people choose to believe. In a world shifting under the weight of 1960s justice reform, Marcus must untangle truth from legend before the woman he's come to love becomes the next ghost in the trees.

Blending folklore, psychological suspense, and historical mystery, Burning the Raven Tree is perfect for fans of Kate Morton, William Kent Krueger, and the haunting atmosphere of the classic film Rebecca.

Ember and Vine Press, September 2026

Available in digital ebook, paperback, or audiobook:

Buy BURNING THE RAVEN TREE at Amazon 

SILENT STRIKE by Traci Hunter Abramson, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise

(Luke Steele Series - Book 3)

PAULA'S REVIEW:
Into the world of espionage and a deep planted spy. 

It all starts when Amberlyn receives a package from her late grandmother that contains newspaper clippings of obituaries and some unusual jewelry. Amberlyn, who is an FBI analyst, and Luke Steele, an aid to the President, try to connect the information in the box. 

Intrigue and suspense abound in this well-plotted spy story. I was transported to high level intelligence offices and even got a peek into the White House. The twists kept coming as the body count rose. And the attempts on Amberlyn and Luke’s lives were thwarted at every turn. If only they could put it all together.
This is part of a series. I had read the first book but this reads well as a stand alone also. 

I wholeheartedly enjoyed this clean read with clear good versus evil themes. 
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Shadow Mountain via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*5 stars and an underlying faith thread/clean read

BackCover Blurb:
Captain Luke Steele knows the corridors of power can be as perilous as any battlefield. As a military aide to the president, he carries the nuclear codes and stands at the center of America’s most closely guarded secrets. But when whispers of betrayal swirl inside the White House, Luke is drawn into a web of political corruption and hidden agendas that threaten not just the presidency but the stability of the entire nation too.

FBI Agent Amberlyn Reiner never expected her late grandmother to leave behind more than keepsakes. But on Christmas Eve, Amberlyn receives an unmarked box containing her grandmother’s jewelry from Eastern Europe, coded documents, and obituaries linking to a string of suspicious deaths. As Amberlyn digs deeper, she uncovers whispers of Cold War poisons, vanished operatives, and secrets someone will kill to bury. What her grandmother knew connects directly to a network that didn’t die with the fall of the Iron Curtain.

Together Luke and Amberlyn must follow a trail of hidden alliances stretching from the highest offices in Washington to the quiet streets of Europe. With time running out and enemies embedded within their own government, the two are thrust into a deadly game, where one misstep could cost them their lives—and ignite an international crisis.