SHIPWRECKED FAITH by Danielle Grandinetti, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #ReleaseDay

DAWNING SISTERS SERIES Book #1

PAULA'S REVIEW:
“Nothing for it but to put one foot in front of the other. To trust God to work out the future while being faithful in the here and now.”

Drawing on a real ship that was lost in a storm, the author has penned a wonderfully exciting story of two strangers escaping Chicago and ending up in a shipwreck. The scenes where Sadie and Kellen were fighting for their lives in the midst of a storm were terrifying and realistic. The trouble just keeps coming as they reach her family farm in Wisconsin. Kellen sees this as an opportunity to help Sadie’s family and at the same time hide from thugs he left behind in Chicago. 

This was a story of sustaining faith and how God showed the characters a solution to their problems and kept them through all of their difficulties. 

I enjoyed the family atmosphere at the farm and the way the sisters each wanted to help rescue the farm from foreclosure. Kellen was the perfect hero when he resolved to help in any way he could. It illustrated how he had grown in his faith. 

This engaging story was coupled with some interesting history. 

Danger and romance is a winning combination. I look forward to reading more in this series.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher on behalf of the author. I was not required ro post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.* 5 stars and a solid faith thread

BackCover Blurb:

Chicago, October 1929—Kellan O’Roark is running on borrowed time. After handing over his cousin’s incriminating bootlegging ledger to the police, he intends to vanish before the mobster exacts revenge. His destination: the SS Wisconsin, a steamer headed for Milwaukee, upon which he’s secured work despite his fear of the water.

But despite his pressing need for escape, Kellan faces obstacles while leaving Chicago—including one who may break open his heart. Sadie Dawning, desperate to return to her family’s Wisconsin farm and ailing father, escapes a kidnapping attempt at Chicago Union Station when Kellan steps in and offers to smuggle her aboard the Wisconsin. His decision turns nearly fatal when an autumn storm capsizes the ship.

Washed ashore, the pair arrive at Sadie’s family farm to find new storms brewing on land. While Kellan hides his past to continue evading his cousin, Sadie fights for her place among her sisters while the farm battles the beginnings of the Great Depression. Caught between duty, a dangerous past, and a budding love, Kellan and Sadie must rely on their newfound faith in each other and renewed faith in God to weather the growing storm. 

Ashberry Lane Publishing, May, 2026

Available in digital ebook or paperback. BUY SHIPWRECKED FAITH at Amazon 

 

 

NOT WHAT WE PICTURED by Becca Kinzer, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"Was there anything that ruined a perfect marriage proposal more than a snoozing, potentially dead body on a bench?"

And so it began. McKenna Boston was determined to plant her sister's engagement ring on a particular bench at a particular time in a particular place and then scurry out of sight to take pictures of the momentous occasion, thus opening the door to pursue her own aspirations. There was just this teeny, weeny flaw with the plan. A very real man was sleeping on that one-of-a-kind bench.

Nate Lambert had been minding his own business and trying to doze off a headache after attending the funeral of his beloved mentor and before catching a flight out of Nebraska. When a crazy acting redhead fumbles into his arm pit Nate somehow got the distinct feeling that his life was about to take an unexpected turn . . . like a ride on a roller coaster turned tilt-a-whirl.

The story that follows is one the funniest that I have ever read! Filled with rings zipped inside pants pockets, uninvited kisses, dunks in a river, trips to an emergency room, lost luggage, a crazy acting redhead (yes, her again), interrogation by airport security guards (with that aforementioned woman), and by this point you are still only a few chapters into the story.

Yet beneath all the hilarity, a steady cadence beats true; that God's love is unearned, immeasurable and everlasting. It doesn't get any better than that! 
*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.4.5 stars

BackCover Blurb:
This is absolutely not how they pictured their summer going.

McKenna Boston is feeling stuck. She's spent years growing her photography skills only for her career to hit a wall. She's ready to move on, and she will, just as soon as she helps her sister's boyfriend stage the perfect proposal. But when her best laid plans go awry and a handsome stranger accidentally ends up with the heirloom ring, McKenna hops on a flight to retrieve it. Piece of cake, right?

Nate Lambert was hoping to enjoy a relaxing summer before starting his new job as a literature professor, but he arrives in Tennessee to discover his mom's bed and breakfast is struggling and there's a long list of repairs to be tackled. The last thing he needs is a gorgeous, determined photographer searching for a ring he doesn't have since the airline lost his luggage somewhere on his route from Nebraska.

With the ring nowhere to be found, all McKenna can do is wait and use the time to build her portfolio and plan her next career move. But she also can't help getting swept up in Nate's bed and breakfast renovations and in planning a community concert with the townsfolk. As both await news of Nate's suitcase, it begins to seem their serendipitous meeting, and the proposal gone wrong, could actually be everything going right . . . and that this may be their chance at a love neither could have pictured.

-A clean, witty rom com with a forced proximity trope and a reluctant allies love story
-Features laugh-out-loud humor and a sweet, endearing couple
-This contemporary summer romance with a Southern small-town setting is great for fans of Sarah Adams, Pepper Basham, and Emma St. Clair
-Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Tyndale Fiction, April, 2026

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

Buy NOT WHAT WE PICTURED at Amazon, Christianbook, or Baker Book House

MISS BETH BETTENCOURT by Eva Marie Everson, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #ReleaseDay

PAULA'S REVIEW:

“Miss Beth Bettencourt was not some flighty female, and she did not appear to be one to back down either.” 

“Beth Bettencourt was a puzzle of a thousand pieces.”

Miss Beth Bettencourt is shown respect around her small town and a bit of sympathy considering what happened several years ago. 

Newcomer Marty makes the mistake of entering the wrong house and finds himself at the mercy of the court and beholden to Beth who offers him employment and a place to lay his head. 

This was a southern comfort story with some angst in the backstories. The theme seemed to be how Beth worked through forgiveness and went beyond the hurt that had crippled her. Marty also had something lurking in his past that needed resolution. Marty’s faith journey was well depicted and showed how he changed his outlook and wanted the best for Beth. Together, they find love and reconciliation in order to move forward. 

I loved the relationship that Beth had with Molly, her friend and housekeeper. The setting of a small town and the connection with the people evoked a time of community closeness in a bygone era.

A solidly written story and a welcome addition to those who love southern fiction.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Kregel . I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.* 5 stars and a solid faith thread

BackCover Blurb:
Will an unlikely romance tear down Beth’s walls of indifference?

It's 1962 in Bynum, Georgia, and Beth Bettencourt's world is turned upside down when she wakes to a man snoring in the guest bedroom.

She's home alone; her parents are traveling abroad, grieving her twin sister's unexpected death. Instead of accompanying them, Beth stayed in Bynum to tend to her kindergarten and closely guard her own heart.

A beautiful and beloved member of the community, Beth is an unusual specimen for her time as she nears thirty and remains unmarried. She holds deep-seated unforgiveness toward her twin, Elise, who ran off with Beth's beau. To make matters worse, Elise took their grandmother's ring, which had been promised to Beth.

But now a stranger enters her home and her world. David Patrick Martin seems ready to break down her walls of indifference and find the core of Miss Beth Bettencourt. But can he be trusted with Beth's past, her present, and more importantly, her future?

Kregel Publications, May, 2026

Available in digital ebook, paperback, and audiobook:

Buy MISS BETH BETTENCOURT at Amazon, Christianbook, or Baker Book House 

THE MANHATTAN CONFESSIONS By Jocelyn Green, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

(On Central Park Book #3): Christian Historical Fiction About a 

New York Historical Society Librarian Set in the Roaring Twenties

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"The story would be filed away in the New York Historical Society library, where only the most avid local history buffs would ever learn of its existence."

Fortunately or unfortunately, that is not what happened. When New York Historical Society librarian Ivy Malone recorded notable socialite Adeline King's life story, anonymously of course, the opening excerpt that the library published prompted public interest to skyrocket, precipitating society patrons to line up for a chance to read the full story while surreptitiously looking for clues as to the identity of its subject matter. To make matters worse, two men determined that their lives had been forever impacted by the life of the notorious Molly Kelly, pushed and pleaded with Ivy, as an employee of the historical society library, to reveal their sources.

Simultaneous to her growing anxiety over keeping her dear friend Adeline King's identity a secret, Ivy was preparing for the arrival of her cousin to Ellis Island. Upon landing in New York, Gina was informed that her documentation was incomplete, making deportation back to Italy an unwelcome reality unless Ivy could find a way to help Gina meet the precise requirements. It seemed providential to be given the name of a local law firm specializing in immigration cases, only to discover that her friend Tom urged extreme caution.

This remarkable story layers together several prominent plot lines, skillfully engaging readers to peer deep within New York society during the early 1920's, seaming together immigration issues with nefarious underground activities, exposing the fragile tiers of New York society with the value of sincere friendships, allowing hearts to make the necessary twists and turns in order to produce something of lasting value. Also, perhaps even more valuable is the reminder that none of us are ever alone in this world, for there is One who can be depended upon to never leave or forsake, "even there", wherever that happens to be.
*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 4.5 stars

 
BackCover Blurb:
The streets of New York are brimming with secrets, and discovering the truth means navigating danger, deception, and an unexpected romance.

Ivy Malone, a New-York Historical Society librarian, is dedicated to preserving Manhattan's rich history, but when society grand dame Adeline King anonymously reveals her shocking life story, Ivy finds herself holding a highly coveted secret. Burdened with the responsibility of keeping Adeline's identity hidden, the matter grows increasingly complicated when two men claim ties to the elderly woman--one of them accusing Adeline of involvement in a crime.

Another dilemma brews when Ivy's Italian cousin, Gina, is detained at Ellis Island for lack of proper documentation. Hoping an immigration service can resolve the misunderstanding, Ivy employs their help but is instead thrust into a dangerous world. With time running out, she must unravel the tangle of secrets that bind Adeline's past, Gina's freedom, and her own safety. Who can she trust, and how far is she willing to go to protect those she loves?

This sweeping historical romance set against the backdrop of 1920s Manhattan, New York, and Ellis Island features family secrets, immigration, and a librarian's quest for justice. Fans of Elizabeth Camden and Roseanna M. White will savor this story that's perfect for book club discussions. 

Bethany House, April, 2026

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

Buy THE MANHATTAN CONFESSIONS at Amazon, Christianbook, or Baker Book House