ROYALLY PERSUADED by Janelle Leonard, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #NewRelease

PAULA'S REVIEW:

“If love was a melody” “ It’s a sonata in three movements: history, heartbreak and rebirth"

 
What a beautiful story that was fashioned after Persuasion by Jane Austen. But this one had a musical twist full of lyrical prose with the chapters following the movements of a symphony, with profound spiritual lessons. The author writes with such emotional depth and gives her characters faith that sustains and grows in the barren times. The quality of writing glows throughout this story. 
 

The settings were fabulous and diverse, depicting Vienna in the snow and fictional Merren Rannalla in the more temperate months.

 
From the bloom of first love 13 summers ago, to the present, this story was atmospheric and unforgettable as Nadalie and Andreas reconnect and navigate the world they inhabit presently. The biblical principles are echoed in references such as Romans 8: 38 & 39--my favorite verses, and are played out in the things of interest to the characters: Nadalie in music “Above all, trust God, the ultimate Composer of your story. He knows the perfect tempo, the right key, and when to bring in the crescendo.” And Andreas in woodworking “Trust His hands, the Master knows what he is building.”

 
Another stunning story from an up and coming author. Be sure and catch her debut novel Northargyle Abbie.

*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by White Crown Publishing. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.* 5 stars and a strong faith thread

BackCover Blurb
Princess Nadalie Seymorr has always measured her life in music: the strict rhythms of being the perfect princess, the symphonies she escapes into, and the haunting tunes of a love she left behind. As a teenager, Nadalie spent her winters on the sunlit Grecian island of Meren Rannalla where Andreas Jarvela, a spirited American boy with calloused hands and boundless confidence, taught her what music felt like beyond the page. For three years they shared letters, freedom, and a friendship crescendoing into dreams of a future together. Until, the same day she accepted his engagement ring, duty convinced her to return it and walk away.

A decade later, Nadalie has perfected the role of the ideal princess, but the girl she once was has grown faint. When Andreas returns to the island, memories resurface, stirring unfinished songs and unspoken truths. Now a world-renowned artist, Andreas guards his heart with practiced distance, unsure whether he can trust the woman who once shattered it, especially as a bright, confident newcomer vies for his attention and tempts him toward a safer future.

As past and present collide, Nadalie and Andreas must decide whether the music they began as teenagers still has a composition left to write or if some songs are meant to remain unfinished.

In this modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, unfinished melodies and lingering love converge, revealing that some songs are meant to be completed together. 

White Crown Publishing, October 6, 2026

Available in digital ebook and paperback at Amazon 

THE SISTERHOOD OF UNLIKELY FRIENDS by Sara Brunsvold, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"My Chevy truck rested in the pool of shade on the lawn that Thursday, all of my slowly replenished possessions arranged like a jigsaw puzzle in the bed."

Jess Becker is starting over; a new place, a new job, and determined to enjoy her independence away from the plethora of painful memories that stubbornly peek over her shoulder at the most inopportune times. Her cozy little rental has just enough space for her minimal assortment of belongings and working remotely is a perfect match for her introverted tendencies.

It's not long before Jess's privacy is compromised by the appearance of a young teen living next door with her grandfather. One thing leads to another and she finds herself providing Kyla with transportation to a local church where Jess meets two other women who also unexpectedly insert themselves into her life; a seasoned believer Reva and a woman flailing in her circumstances, Austie. When their unlikely pairings test the limits of Jess's newfound faith, her understanding of the many references to "one another" throughout the Bible provide both a comfort and a challenge. Jess is learning to give, but can she open herself up to receiving? Ultimately the answer to that question is practically forced upon her.

There is so much to love about this story. Inter-generational characters from totally different walks of life merge into the kind of community that only the Holy Spirit could orchestrate. With strengths and weaknesses that balance out each other, all four are tested and tried, but they come out stronger together than apart.

"Mighty God . . . whatever we can do for each other, please show us. Stir us to unity and good works. May we never grow weary in pursuing either." Amen and amen!
*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.4.75 stars

SEE PAULA'S REVIEW 

BackCover Blurb:
She's spent a lifetime keeping her heart under lock and key. Now others are reaching out. But is she ready to receive them?

At forty-two, fiercely independent Jess Becker is starting over in Kansas City with minimal furniture, two houseplants, and a newfound faith. After a lifetime of poor choices, she's determined to finally get it right.

When she befriends her fourteen-year-old neighbor and agrees to drive her to church, she's swept into a caring community where she meets Reva, a wise mentor figure, and Austie, a troubled young woman. Jess reluctantly opens her home to pizza nights with her new friends, unwittingly opening her heart to a sisterhood of faith.

Just as these relationships begin reshaping her carefully controlled life, Jess receives news that changes everything. Now she must decide whether to accept the very help she's been trying to give others or risk losing everything she's worked so hard to build. 

Revell Publishing, October, 2026

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook

Buy at Amazon, Christianbook, or Baker Book House 

 

VEIL OF SILENCE by Christy Barritt, Reviewed by Rebecca

FOG LAKE: HOMECOMING SERIES

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"Whoever had done it wasn't afraid of being caught. Whoever had done it most likely blended in."

Nora Loveless' family was in the throes of adjusting to the fact that their missing brother was back home, except that the Christian they remembered couldn't remember . . . . where he had been or what he had been doing for the previous ten years. And then there was the matter of her sister Wren's young son Mason having been abducted, and thankfully found but understandably still anxious about the entire experience. Now the retired F.B.I. agent who originally investigated Christian's disappearance has gone missing, and his son F.B.I. Agent Austin Donnelly has arrived in Fog Lake to find answers.

Just as Nora begins to assist Austin in his search for information, another young boy from Fog Lake mysteriously disappears.

Peeling back the layers of the Loveless' family past in the southern gospel music industry reveals some curious clues which raise legitimate questions but provide no answers. Days go by, and Nora's self confidence, or lack thereof, keeps getting in her way; as the oldest of three sisters she has always played the role of protector after her family fell apart, but now? She is questioning everything, even whether or not she can lean on Austin to help carry the load.

"Nora is going to be a problem. That's why I have to keep an eye on her."

Stay tuned for book three in this series! 
*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

 

BackCover Blurb:
As the oldest sister, Nora Loveless spent the last ten years trying to hold her family together after her little brother disappeared. With Christian finally home, her family should feel whole again.

Instead, her instincts are screaming that something is wrong.

Nora suspects seventeen-year-old Christian is keeping secrets. But after a devastating betrayal in her own life, Nora isn’t sure she can rely on her own judgment—or know whom to trust.

FBI Agent Austin Donnelly has questions of his own. His father led the investigation into Christian’s disappearance a decade ago, but now the retired agent has vanished, along with the case files he kept all these years. When Austin’s search brings him to Fog Lake—and to Nora—he suspects her family’s past holds the answers he needs.

When another child in Fog Lake vanishes under eerily similar circumstances, Nora and Austin realize the connection they’ve been searching for reaches farther than either of them imagined.

Veil of Silence, Book 2 of the Fog Lake: Homecoming trilogy—three sisters, one missing brother, and a decade of secrets.

River Heights Publishing, October, 2026

Available in digital ebook or paperback at Amazon

 

WINTER'S DAWN (The Nordic Wars #3) by Morgan L.Busse, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
" . . . Brigid knew one thing: The Word would always be there, His voice a whisper in the wind. They would never be alone."

Facing her biggest challenge yet on and off the battlefield as a Bear Clan warrior, Brighid knew that a peaceful alliance between clans was the only way that her people were going to survive. It was that simple and that complicated. Dark forces were at work behind the scenes and Brighid knew that it would take more than her gifted fighting ability to overcome their enemies. Kaeden, an Eldaran Truthsayer, agreed to be a neutral force of healing, sealing his oath with a blood bond between them. In the back of their minds, and perhaps just beyond their true measure of understanding was a potentially deeper union, but realistically speaking, the battle before them held no guarantee of survival.

Filled with dramatic imagery and characters whose intrinsic traits swung from honorable to despicable, there was always a sure foundation found in the whispered assurances from The Word. Light contrasted with darkness, truth stalked deception, and life sacrificed itself to overcome death. It's a love story, it's a war story, it's a hope story . . . it's a redemption story . . . and I absolutely loved it. 

BackCover Blurb:
Fearless. Defender. Shield Maiden.

Brighid returns to the Nordic forces. But she is not alone. Her newfound companion accompanies her, along with Kaeden, the Eldaran Truthsayer. Together, they approach the battlefield, powered by a unique bond forged since their first encounter.

Yet a dark and menacing presence grows within Brighid’s mind. Her connection to death has returned, and this time, there is no oath to numb the terror. Will she be able to fight and protect her people while sensing the reaper of life?

Kaeden’s recent conflict with one of the Shadonae has left scars across both his body and soul. Still, he is determined to finish what he has started and free both the Nordic people and the world of this great evil. To do so, he may have to sacrifice everything to reach the one who has bound the Nordic people to this deadly war.

Kaeden will need Brighid’s help. But when he reveals the truth behind the dreams they have shared, Brighid must make a choice that could change not only her future but the fate of her people: accept the bond between them or let it fade—and lose him along with it. 

Enclave Publishing, October, 2026

Available in digital ebook, hardcover, and audiobook:

Buy WINTER'S DAWN at Amazon or Christianbook