NO STONE UNTURNED by Jenelle Hovde, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #ReleaseDay

PAULA'S REVIEW:
I have found a new favorite author of Regency romance. 

 

Ms. Hovde delivered an engaging story with a grumpy hero and a determined heroine with a captivating mystery added. Captain Rafe Hawthorne is the new Viscount of Hawthorne Manor, an estate that is steeped in mystery and scandal. Bridget Littleton is a vicar’s daughter and quite the bluestocking with her fondness for the antiquities she found on a neighbors farm.
 

With flawed characters who grow in their faith, the plot thickened as Bridget sought recognition from two competing antiquities societies. And more complications arise as Rafe tries to improve his holdings and serve his tenants.
 

I was excited to read of the discovery of a Roman villa in the British countryside. This tale has a mix of historical significance, and the villainous quest to greedily obtain the artifacts. Vicar Littleton provides a voice of reason and spiritual guidance and he and other supporting characters add color to the story.
 

I enjoyed this story immensely and look forward to reading more from this author.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Tyndale via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.* 5 stars and a solid faith thread

 

BackCover Blurb:
She wants to uncover the past. He wishes to build a future. In this Regency romance set in rolling hills of West Sussex, two opposing wills discover their fate may lie in the common ground.

Miss Bridget Littleton’s passion for history and antiquities defies most social conventions, even in her small village nestled in the beautiful English countryside. When a local farmer discovers an elaborate mosaic buried in his field, Bridget dreams of making a name and future for herself by excavating the Roman ruins. Unfortunately, her quest puts her at odds with the ambitious new lord who recently inherited the title and Hawthorn Abbey from his estranged uncle.

Recovering from wounds of both body and spirit, Captain Rafe Hawthorn is intent on restoring his long-neglected ancestral home. His plans to rebuild the abbey’s once thriving orchards require a road that will pass straight through Bridget’s potential trove of artifacts. He will not—cannot—fail again, even if he is moved by Bridget and her passion.

Yet this impasse might not be their greatest obstacle. A natural disaster and a series of suspicious accidents threaten both their plans, along with the livelihood of the nearby villagers dependent on their success. With their dreams in the balance, Bridget and Rafe must work together to fend off an unexpected enemy that may prove more dangerous than either could have imagined.

-Sweet Regency romance filled with hope, faith, and an enemies-to-lovers dynamic
-Historical fiction that’s perfect for fans of Julie Klassen, Sarah Ladd, or Abigail Wilson
-Includes discussion questions for book clubs 

Tyndale Fiction, July, 2025

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:

Buy NO STONE UNTURNED at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House

PERILOUS TIDES by Elizabeth Goddard, Reviewed by Rebecca and Paula #ReleaseDay

HIDDEN BAY Series #2

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"You won't see danger coming . . .until it's too late."

Those ominous words prompted forensic artist Jo Cattrel to flee Michigan following her mother's untimely death, still convinced that the car accident which took Mira Cattrel's life was actually murder. Subsequently Jo reunites with a father she had never known and assumes a quiet life near Raymond Dodge in Hidden Bay, Washington . . . until . . . once again the cryptic words of a parent jolt Jo back into her past . . . or was it really someone else's past?

When a brazen attempt on Jo's life sends her crashing into the Puget Sound, her rescuer turns out to be none other than the one man who had shattered her heart, former Green Beret Cole Mercer. Dear God in heaven, what were the odds? Now working as a private investigator, Cole has been hired to find out what really happened to Mira Cattrel, by a woman trying to clear her brother from suspicion.

Tangled threads! Dizzying details! Second chances! And this is just the beginning!

With the finesse of a seasoned storyteller, the author takes before and afters to a new level leaving the characters befuddled and the reader absolutely fascinated. Jo and Cole seem to be constantly swimming against the tides until they remember that there is only One who can lead them beside still waters.
*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book, the opinions stated above are entirely my own. I received a copy and purchased a copy.

PAULA'S REVIEW:
Forensic artist Jo Cattrel fled Michigan after her mother died. Now she is on the run again after a warning that her dad gave before he disappeared. Cole Mercer left her without a word but is back at Hidden Bay to protect her and search for her mother’s killer, with the hope of never having to leaver her again.
 

This was one exciting story with lots of elusive clues and confounding connections. But Jo and Cole have help from law enforcement and Hawk, Cole’s brother, who owns a handy helicopter.
 

Set in a beautiful, rustic environment in Washington State, the bad guys do not let up. There are so many unanswered questions about family that Jo can hardly keep up. And the closer to the truth, the more danger. But that only helps them rely on God and further their tenuous relationship.
 

Get ready for a stunning story with a solid faith thread and a steadily building romance. You will not be disappointed.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Revell on behalf of the author and via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*5 stars and a solid faith thread

 

BackCover Blurb:
High-Stakes Romantic Suspense from USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard

Three years after her mother's suspicious death, forensic artist Jo Cattrel is in hiding, working at a storm-watching lodge along the Washington coast. When her father sends her a disturbing and cryptic message, Jo leaves the safety of the lodge to find him. But during the ferry crossing, Jo witnesses a murder--and becomes a target.

More surprising to Jo than being in danger is the identity of the person who steps in to protect her--none other than her ex, former Green Beret Cole Mercer. Now a private investigator, Cole has been looking into her mother's death. If he can just uncover the truth, maybe Jo can end her self-imposed captivity and the two of them can pick up the pieces and build a future together.

As Cole and Jo search for answers, the past rushes in like a dangerous tide before the truth can be revealed. 

 

Revell Publishing, July, 2025

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook

Buy PERILOUS TIDES at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House 

THESE BLUE MOUNTAINS By Sarah Loudin Thomas, Reviewed by Rebecca #ReleaseDay

 A Southern Fiction Novel with a Pianist Heroine for Book Clubs
set between WWI and WWII in 1930s Appalachia and Germany

 

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
" . . . she'd felt as if her life were a simple melody being played on a badly out-of-tune instrument."

Waiting month after month, year after year, Hedda Schlagel had finally stumbled across a photograph that offered a clue as to what may have happened to her fiance Fritz Meyer, who had ostensibly been sent to a German internment camp upon his arrival in New York, where he had died of typhoid if her source was correct. Determined to fit the remaining pieces of a somewhat murky puzzle together, Hedda travels to America to determine if it was "her Fritz" who was buried in a cemetery near Asheville, North Carolina.

Instead of finding answers, Hedda finds misunderstandings along with the remains of a woman's body in the casket marked to be that of Fritz Meyer. Working with local law enforcement to gain answers, Hedda uses her accomplished skills as a pianist to find a place to stay and earn money while she waits. Unfortunately, Hedda does not have the paperwork necessary for an extended stay, and the political unrest in Germany makes it even more dangerous to go home.

What an undertaking to suppose the years between two world wars by utilizing such an intriguing historical backdrop, while smartly including actual people and places along the way. Feeling the angst of each character, sharing their anxiety over every choice transforms this story into something deeply personal and memorable. There were a multitude of ways this story could have ended; happy ways, sad ways, hard ways, easy ways, right ways, wrong ways . . . but ultimately it finished in the best of ways . . . in the shadow of "these blue mountains".

*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from Baker Publishing through Interviews and Reviews and purchased a copy. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 3.5 stars

BackCover Blurb:
A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda is stunned to see Fritz's name in a photograph of an American memorial for German seamen who died near Asheville, North Carolina. Determined to reclaim his body and bring closure to his ailing mother, Hedda travels to the US. Her quest takes a shocking turn when, rather than Fritz's body, his casket contains the remains of a woman who died under mysterious circumstances.

Local deputy Garland Jones thought he'd left that dark chapter behind when he helped bury Fritz Meyer's coffin. The unexpected arrival of Hedda, a long-suffering yet captivating woman, forces him to confront how much of the truth he really knows. As they work together to uncover the identity of the woman in the casket and to unravel Fritz's fate, Hedda and Garland grow closer. But with Hedda in the US on borrowed time while Hitler rises to power in Germany, she fears she'll be forced to return home before she can put the ghosts of her past to rest. 

 

Bethany House Publishers, July, 2025

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:

Buy THESE BLUE MOUNTAINS at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House

THE NEIGHBOR AND THE GIFTS by Danielle Grandinetti, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #ReleaseDay

Christmas Cabin Historical Romance Novellas Book 2

 

PAULA'S REVIEW:
Based on The Twelve Days of Christmas with a sinister twist.
 

Ollie is a shy girl content to hide away in her job as a librarian in a small town in Wisconsin in 1930.
 

Now she has two admirers, one who scares her badly when she begins receiving gifts corresponding to the old Christmas song: The Twelve Days of Christmas. She cannot figure out who it might be. But deputy Titus, her other admirer and longtime friend, wants to protect her.
 

The author cleverly uses the song to depict a warped mind but shows us that with God’s help, justice prevails and true love wins out.
 

A skillfully written story that is perfect to read around Christmas time or even in the middle of Summer!
*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 solid faith thread

BackCover Blurb:
Twelve days. Twelve gifts. One unlikely hero.

Wisconsin, 1930—When Manitowish Waters librarian Olivia “Ollie” Larson finds a package on the library steps, she expects the children’s books she ordered, not a taxidermied partridge. By the fourth gift from her unknown and unwelcome True Love, disappearing to her grandfather’s isolated cabin in the Northwoods is the only way she can escape him.

Deputy Titus Wilburn is happy to escort the lovely librarian to her grandfather's house on his way to the neighboring Yarwood cabin. After all, he's been smitten with her since they attended school together, and she needs his protection. However, the plan fails when Ollie's uninvited suitor discovers her new location.

As the man's actions become more desperate and his gifts more dangerous, an unexpectedly bedridden Titus decides to free Ollie from this menace, which puts the enemy’s sights directly on him. Ollie refuses to let her injured hero sacrifice himself, but with the days ticking closer to Christmas, she may have no choice but to accept whatever fate her suitor has in store for her if she wants to save Titus' life.

One cabin in the Northwoods … a decade of Christmas miracles.

Read the whole series!
Prequel: The Sheriff and the Outlaw
Book One: The Baby and the Guardian
Book Two: The Neighbor and the Gifts

 

Hearth Spot Press, July, 2025

Available in digital ebook at Amazon