Jessica is escaping to the Greek Retreat to discover if running away from a broken engagement really can lead to a happy ever after. She doesn’t believe life works that way, but her future could depend on it.
The Greek island of Kynos is an idyllic hideaway, offering its visitors the space and time needed to truly appreciate the traditional hospitality. The locals are always friendly and ready to entertain their guests, while the daily activities offer many different ways to explore the island and its heritage.
Jessica is hoping The Retreat will provide everything she needs in order to plan for a successful future, but has she left it too late?
The Greek Retreat is a trilogy of standalone tales full of sunshine, surprises and love.
Publication Date: 20th March 2025
Joyful June Journeys
Chrissie is escaping to the Greek Retreat to avoid some of the issues her parents have left her to deal with at home. She hopes that visiting a new location will give her a different perspective and help her to find a way forward.
The Greek Retreat is a trilogy of standalone tales full of sunshine, surprises and love.
Jessica is escaping to the Greek Retreat to discover if running away from a broken engagement really can lead to a happy ever after. She doesn’t believe life works that way, but her future could depend on it.
The Greek island of Kynos is an idyllic hideaway, offering its visitors the space and time needed to truly appreciate the traditional hospitality. The locals are always friendly and ready to entertain their guests, while the daily activities offer many different ways to explore the island and its heritage.
Jessica is hoping The Retreat will provide everything she needs in order to plan for a successful future, but has she left it too late?
The Greek Retreat is a trilogy of standalone tales full of sunshine, surprises and love.
Pre-order Links
Publication Date: 20th March 2025
Joyful June Journeys
Chrissie is escaping to the Greek Retreat to avoid some of the issues her parents have left her to deal with at home. She hopes that visiting a new location will give her a different perspective and help her to find a way forward.
The Greek Retreat is a trilogy of standalone tales full of sunshine, surprises and love.
Katie is escaping to the Greek Retreat to give herself some space to recover from an unexpected predicament. She blames herself for the situation she finds herself in and knows that something has to change, although she has no idea what she is looking for.
The Greek Retreat is a trilogy of standalone tales full of sunshine, surprises and love.
Stephanie writes contemporary fiction in the form of novels, novellas and short stories and her books explore a wide range of life’s challenges, dreams and responsibilities. The stories are all character based, so she has fun expressing each unique personality and the reasons behind their actions in a setting which always has a strong sense of community.
She published the AEGEAN SUN series of books as a fly-on-the-wall vision of life in a Greek resort during the summer season, the CHRISTMAS ON THE CLOSE series is set in a British suburban cul-de-sac over the festive period and the GREEK RETREAT trilogy is planned for publication in 2025.
Stephanie lives in Lancashire where, apart from reading and writing, she loves gardening and cycling and is a huge fan of the soaps Emmerdale and Neighbours.
360 pages Zondervan publisher July 16, 2024 publication date
ABOUT THE BOOK
He’s the community’s jokester auctioneer. She’s the serious caregiver for her siblings who also works at the local plant nursery. What future could they have together?
Declan Miller has always had feelings for Bethel King. Back when they were in school, she was the smartest girl in the class and, in his opinion, by far the prettiest. Now the two of them are in their twenties and while the attraction is still there, Declan is as hesitant as ever to let Bethel know how he feels. His corny jokes and wisecracks cover a heart that’s afraid of rejection.
Bethel can’t deny Declan is nice, funny, hardworking, and pleasing to the eye–a perfect match if you asked any Plain girl in the area. But marrying Bethel would also mean marrying into her family. Two of her younger brothers have a rare form of muscular dystrophy, and her sister Claire is now showing signs of having it as well. Fiercely loyal and nurturing, Bethel has promised herself her siblings will always come first. With a good chance that she carries the gene and could pass it on to her children, Bethel has tried to convince herself marriage and family just aren’t in the cards for her.
When a devastating diagnosis of his own turns Declan’s world upside down, he looks to Bethel for understanding, compassion, and a realistic outlook. As they share their dreams and fears and grow together in faith, a bond begins to develop between them. Perhaps their combination of optimistic extrovert and thoughtful introvert really isn’t such a bad thing–perhaps it’s actually a part of God’s beautiful design.
MY THOUGHTS
Matters of the Heart is such an emotional read and her best to date in my opinion. Continuing on in the series we have Declan Miller who comes from an auctioneer family. To hide his insecurity, he is quite the jokester. Now that he’s in his twenties he still finds Bethel King the prettiest girl around but feels out of her league. She’s a carer for her younger siblings, has a serious personality and works at a local plant nursery. Bethal King comes from a family that carries the gene for LMGD, she is afraid of passing this on to her own children and doesn’t think she should marry to avoid this possibility. Each family has their own challenges, but I loved seeing the support of family and friends keeping them on an even keel when things got rough. The author truly writes from the heart here not avoiding series topics and how the Amish deal with them through their faith in God. A compelling read that had me staying up late to finish it.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Best-selling novelist Kelly Irvin’s latest Amish romance, Every Good Gift, debuted in February 2023. The third novel in the Amish Blessings series takes place in Yoder and Haven, Kansas. The series takes a look at adoption in Amish communities. The first book, Love’s Dwelling, won second place in the Selah Awards contest in the long contemporary romance category. The series follows the Amish of Sky Country series, which featured Amish communities in Northwest Montana affected by wildfires that destroyed thousands of acres in the state in recent years. The first book, Mountains of Grace, debuted in August 2019, and delves into the impact on not only an Amish man and woman, but also a smoke jumper, a sheriff’s deputy, and a young English woman forced to confront her past because of the fires.
Kelly also writes romantic suspense novels. Her most recent forays into this genre include Trust Me, Her Every Move and Closer Than She Knows, all set in San Antonio and South Texas. Publishers Weekly says of Closer Than She Knows, “this brisk, smoothly written thriller from Irvin pits court reporter Teagan O’Rourke, a murder mystery lover, against a cunning and vicious serial killer. Fans of serial killer fiction with a Christian slant will be satisfied.”
Of Tell Her No Lies, The Library Journal says, “Irvin creates a complex web with enough twists and turns to keep even the most savvy romantic suspense readers guessing until the end. Known for her Amish novels, this two-time Carol Award finalist shows that her talents span subgenres from tranquil Amish stories to rapidly paced breathless suspense.”
Kelly is also the author of the Every Amish Season series, which included four books that chronicle the lives of Amish widows who are in different seasons in their lives. These women are linked by life altering experiences that bring them together as wives, mothers, and grandmothers in the small town of Jamesport, Mo. The first book, Upon a Spring Breeze, received critical acclaim from the Library Journal: “A moving and compelling tale about the power of grace and forgiveness that reminds us how we become strongest in our most broken moments.”
Kelly Irvin is also the author of The Amish of Bee County series, which includes the critically acclaimed The Beekeeper’s Son. Publishers Weekly called the first book in the series a beautifully woven masterpiece and Romantic Times Magazine called Kelly a storyteller extraordinaire. It was followed by The Bishop’s Son and The Saddle Maker’s Son, which is an ECPA bestseller.
A two-time ACFW Carol finalist, Kelly’s novellas have been included in numerous anthologies, including An Amish Summer, The Amish Christmas Gift, An Amish Market, an Amish Christmas Love, and Amish Quilt, An Amish Reunion, An Amish Picnic, and An Amish Christmas Bakery.
She also penned the Bliss Creek Amish series and the New Hope Amish series, both published by Harvest House Publishers. Love Still Stands, the first book in the New Hope series, debuted in September 2012, and the follow-up, Love Redeemed, released March 1, 2014. The final book in the series, set in Branson, MO., was A Plain Love Song, released in July 2014.
The Bliss Creek Amish series, set in Kansas, includes To Love and to Cherish, A Heart Made New, and Love’s Journey Home.
In the New Hope series, familiar characters from Bliss Creek move to Missouri to start a new district and a new life.
The Kansas native is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the ACFW San Antonio local chapter Alamo City Christian Fiction Writers, as well as Sisters in Crime and Women’s Fiction Writers Association.
A graduate of the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism, Kelly wrote nonfiction professionally for thirty years. She studied for three semesters at the University of Costa Rica, learning the Spanish language. As a journalist, she worked six years in the border towns of Laredo and El Paso, where she was exposed to culture and language that serves as fodder for her fiction writing. She has written hard news, features, entertainment pieces, restaurant critiques, editorials, and weekly columns. Writing awards include the Silver Star Award from the Texas Mental Health Association for articles pertaining to mental health and numerous awards in news, feature, and editorial writing from the Texas Press Association and Texas Press Women.
Kelly retired in 2016 from her position of 22 years as public relations manager for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, where her duties included writing and designing an employee newsletter, writing news releases, collaborating on marketing campaigns, coordinating ribbon-cuttings and groundbreakings, coordinating press conferences, updating the web site, and acting as a media spokesperson.
Kelly has been married to photographer Tim Irvin for 35 years. They have two children and four grandchildren. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories and poetry, read books by her favorite authors, and visit the babies.
Working with the Whistlestop River air ambulance is Nadia’s whole world. She adores her job and the team – they’re family. But when a baby is abandoned on the steps of the base, Nadia is forced to confront events from her past she’d rather forget.
A difficult change
Hudson is trying to get his life back on track after his divorce. It’s not easy juggling his work as a patient and family liaison officer and being the primary parent for his children. He wouldn’t change it for the world. But when his teenage son’s behaviour spirals out of control, Hudson begins to wonder if he can really be there for everyone who needs him…
A chance for something special?
Nadia and Hudson have always been friends, but the arrival of baby Lena pushes them closer than ever, and as their feelings start to grow, they’ll have to decide – do they have space for love when their families need them? And could they put themselves and each other first, just this once?
This is the third book in the Skylarks series and my first read in it. Somehow, I missed the other books, but I definitely need to remedy that. The Skylarks are an air ambulance rescue crew that gets the worst cases. I live in a rural area right across the street from a large community field that is used quite often for the helicopter rescue ambulance, so I get a firsthand view of the first responders and their work.
Seeing the air ambulance and its workers you get a true respect for those first responders and are so thankful for the lives they save. Reading about them is a whole other thing. It takes these workers and brings them into your life in a personal way and it humanizes them as we realize they have time away from work and cares and worries just like all of us do.
The author writes with her usual creativity bringing to life the characters in a way that you feel as though you know them and are in their lives. When a baby is dropped off at the Skylarks building and a worker finds it this causes her to have many emotions brought to the forefront again. Emotions she had tampered down and hidden deep within herself.
There is family drama, confronting emotions and beautiful haling within herself and in her family. Such a well plotted and beautiful story the author writes from the heart, and this is just the kind of story I love. Uplifting, this is my favorite type of book.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own
VISIT OTHERS ON THE TOUR
MEET THE AUTHOR
Author Bio –
Helen Rolfe is the author of many bestselling contemporary women’s fiction titles, set in different locations from the Cotswolds to New York. Most recently published by Orion, she is bringing sixteen titles to Boldwood – a mixture of new series and well-established backlist. She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and children.
368 pages Bethany House Publishers September 24, 2024
ABOUT THE BOOK
The shadows hold secrets darker than they ever imagined. . . .
In 1888 Victorian England, Ami Dalton navigates a clandestine dual life. By day, she strives to establish herself as a respected Egyptologist, overcoming the gender biases that permeate academia. But with a heart for saving black-market artifacts from falling into the wrong hands, she is most often disguised as her alter ego, the Shadow Broker.
After eight years in India, Oxford’s most eligible bachelor, Edmund Price, has come out of the shadows to run for Parliament and is in search of an Egyptologist to value a newly acquired collection. Expecting a renowned Oxford professor, Edmund instead finds himself entangled with Ami, the professor’s determined daughter. As they delve into the treasures, their connection deepens, but trouble emerges when a golden griffin–rumored to bear the curse of Amentuk–surfaces, and they’re left to wonder if the curse really is at play, or if something more nefarious is hiding among the shadows. . . .
MY THOUGHTS
There are author’s whose books you will read if they’re around but don’t go out of your way to find them. This is not one of those authors for me. I must read all of the author’s books, couldn’t dare to miss one. They are filled with intrigue and action and keep me on my toes wondering how things will end up as the story progresses. Danger is around every other corner and had me holding my breath as I was reading.
I enjoyed seeing a nontraditional role a woman had in this Victorian England taking pace regency style historical fiction book. Growing up Ami Dalton has been impressed with the work her father does as an Egyptologist, hearing the talk and seeing the artifacts her father works with she became enamored with this type of thing as well. Getting the education to become one as a woman hasn’t been easy and many don’t take her seriously.
When she hears of precious artifacts falling into the wrong hands on the black market, she knows she must do everything in her power to save them and preserve them.
Edmund Price is looking for an Egyptologist to work with him to get a very valuable piece and he expects a renowned Oxford professor, a male to work with him. This is not what he gets.
A golden griffin rumored to bear the curse of Amentuk is found the danger starts. With danger abound can they escape with their lives intact? I loved learning about the Egyptian artifacts and the descriptions of the behind the scenes work of the Egyptologist is fascinating. A spellbinding read that has me anxiously awaiting the next in the series.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I’ve been writing since I discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I write–except for that graffiti phase I went through as teenager.
385 pages One More Chapter publisher Publication date October 31, 2022
ABOUT THE BOOK
Unwrap this gorgeous gift of a book for an escape to the snow-peaked caps of the Scottish Highlands and a romance that will melt your heart…
Izzy McBride had never in a million years expected to inherit an actual castle from her great uncle Bill but here she was, in the run up to Christmas, Monarch of her own Glen – a very rundown glen in need of a lot of TLC if her dream of turning it into a boutique bed and breakfast was to come true.
But when Izzy’s eccentric mother rents a room to enigmatic thriller author Ross Adair and the Scottish snow starts to settle like the frosting on a Christmas cake, it’s a race to get the castle ready before they’re all snowed in for the holidays.
MY THOUGHTS
October seems to be the month for a lot of Christmas books releasing and though I didn’t get a chance to read this when it released, I am so glad I got a chance to read it now. I also have the next book in the series and look forward to it as well.
You’re going to love your holiday trip to the Scottish Highlands through this book. A fun romantic holiday read it hits all the feels you need. An inheritance of a castle in Scotland is nothing to sneeze at and Izzy McBride would never have thought it would happen to her. Running it with her over the top mother can be a bit overwhelming, she does have others helping het to run it though she gets that help in a way she wasn’t expecting.
Though the flakes are flying outside things are heating up in the castle with thriller author Ross Adair as one of her guests. Loved reading the descriptions of the castle and gardens. The Scottish foods and descriptions of ingredients made me hungry. Lobed the two mothers and their plotting and planning, how much fun. Shall I pack my bags now? I’m ready for a visit to the castle.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Formerly a PR director, for many years Julie Caplin swanned around Europe taking top food and drink writers on press trips (junkets) sampling the gastronomic delights of various European cities. It was a tough job but someone had to do it.
These trips have provided the inspiration and settings for the best selling Romantic Escapes Series which began with The Little Café in Copenhagen, which was nominated for a Romantic Novel of the Year award. Since then she has set books in countries including Iceland, Japan and Paris. The series has been published in 20 territories from Brazil to Sweden and have become bestsellers in the Czech Republic, Germany and Italy.
The next book in the series A Villa With a View will be published on February 29, 2024 and is set on the glamorous Amalfi Coast. Final edits have just been submitted to the publisher and the gorgeous front cover has just gone up on Amazon.
Julie also writes best selling novels as Jules Wake, which include Covent Garden in the Snow, Notting Hill in the Snow, The Saturday Morning Park Run, From Italy with Love and The Spark.
Laura wants to shake things up. She’s thirty-eight, and has been living in her parents’ house since her divorce last year. Her siblings seem to have got their lives together: successful careers, happy marriages, beautiful children.
Laura’s determined to prove herself. And buying the beautiful Pennycress Inn in the idyllic Cotswolds village of Meadowfield could be just the way to do it.
But getting the inn ready for its first guests proves easier said than done! With crumbling walls, dangerous woodwork and loose roof tiles, not to mention unfriendly locals and even errant sheep, Laura soon fears she’s made the wrong choice.
Luckily a friendly face is on hand in the form of gorgeous chef, Jackson. But is he too good to be true? And just why are the villagers so against her?
Can Laura turn her life around and get the fresh start she longs for at Pennycress Inn?
Welcome to Pennycress Inn is the start of a brand-new romance series from Sarah Hope, an author I can recommend as I’ve read her books before. A nice light read but it does have some important bits in it too. A book that’ll have the afternoon zipping by before you know it. I was engrossed in it, loved the characters and the setting of the English countryside is magical. This left me with a smile on my face and I can highly recommend it. Can’t wait to read the others in this new series.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
VISIT OTHER BLOGS ON THE TOUR
MEET THE AUTHOR
Author Bio –
Sarah Hope is the author of many successful romance novels, including the bestselling Cornish Bakery series. The first book in her new series with Boldwood, The Wagging Tails Dogs Home, is set in a fictional Cornish village and will be published in May 2023.
352 pages Bethany House Publishers December 17, 2024 publication date
ABOUT THE BOOK
Trust no one in the shadows of the piney woods . . .
Letty Hood has spent the last fifteen years of her life hidden away with her grandmother in the backwoods of east Texas to escape the deadly schemes of an uncle who wants her dead. Now, with her twenty-first birthday on the horizon, she is forced to accept the escort of a stranger and return to Houston in secret so she can claim a birthright that will make her one of the wealthiest women in Texas. If she lives long enough to inherit.
Pinkerton agent Philip Carmichael has one duty: get the Radcliffe heiress home alive. Expecting a spoiled girl, Philip is surprised to encounter a woman of rare strength with a kind soul and keen wit. As they journey together, Letty’s resilience wins his admiration, breaking through his hardened cynicism. Yet the threat to her survival grows more menacing with every mile, and Philip fears that keeping Letty out of harm’s way may be just as impossible as keeping her out of his heart.
MY THOUGHTS
Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer is the author’s retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood story. I’ll admit I liked her version much better, with the author’s usual laugh out loud humor added her quirky characters and we can’t forget the wolf (Rusty) is it okay to have a wolf as a favorite character and the fairytale like settings the story is magical. From the mansion to going into hiding and the magical forest to roam in with her wolf I was totally captivated.
I think we all need a Philip Carmichael in our lives, a Pinkerton agent he is tasked with finding Letty after she has been in hiding for many years and escorting her home safely. Though he tries not to show it he is captivated by Letty and will do everything in his power to keep her safe.
As the danger unfolds mile after mile with their perilous journey the only one who can keep them safe is letting God take control of this situation. Will Phillip be free to admit his feelings for Letty or will his formal training keep them apart?
I loved this retelling and greatly look forward to more books in the series.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Voted #1 Readers’ Favorite Christian Historical Author in 2023 by Family Fiction Magazine, Karen is a multiple award-winning author and a firm believer in the power of happy endings. She is an avid cross-stitcher, tea drinker, and family board game player who makes her home in Abilene, TX with her heroic husband who vanquishes laundry dragons and dirty dish villains whenever she’s on deadline. Learn more about Karen and her books at http://www.karenwitemeyer.com.
f you haven’t fallen in love with the men of Lassiter Ranch yet, you can get SAVE THE DATE FOR A COWBOY, the prequel novella that starts it all, forFREE when you sign up for Jennie’s newsletter.
See what happens when a reluctant cowboy agrees to get set up at a wedding, but then he and his dog fall for the wrong bridesmaid. Grab yours from Bookfunnel now:https://BookHip.com/HZFKARX
Or check out the whole Lassiter Ranch series HERE to make sure you’re caught up beforeLOST AND FOUND COWBOY arrives.
SAVE THE DATE FOR A COWBOY is the prequel novella to the Lassiter Ranch series in which three abandoned cowboys, born in heartbreak and bonded by brotherhood, are brought together by the fierce love of the grandparents who took them in and the ranch that’s the only home they’ve ever known…
**Each book in the Lassiter Ranch series can be read as a standalone—a boots-knockin’ hot cowboy HEA guaranteed in every one!**
The Lassiter Ranch Series
Save the Date For a Cowboy: Prequel Novella Love at First Cowboy: Book 1 Overdue for a Cowboy: Book 2 Second Chance with a Cowboy: Book 3
Lost and Found Cowboy: Book 4
You will love this small town, western romance series filled with wounded cowboys, curvy wallflower heroines, second chances, friends to lovers, fake relationships, unrequited love, forced proximity, and grumpy versus sunshine stories.
BOOK DETAILS:
Lost and Found Cowboy
by Jennie Marts
(Lassiter Ranch. #4)
Publication date: March 11th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis:
He came to find a family. He never expected to find love.
After meeting the three half-brothers he never knew existed, cowboy Mack Lassiter decides to stay and try to build a new life in the small Colorado mountain town of Woodland Hills. But he didn’t expect to find another family in Lorna Gibbs, the sweet single mom and local coffee shop owner, whose strength and warmth instantly captivated him.
Lorna’s not looking for love—her heart had been trampled by the snake who’d walked out on her and their two kids, and now her only focus is on giving her son and infant daughter the stable life they all deserve. The last thing she needs is a man breezing into town and stirring up feelings she’s locked away for years. But Mack isn’t just any man—he’s steady, kind, and a little broken, just like her.
Mack didn’t come to town expecting to fall in love, but Lorna and her kids stir something deep inside him. As he starts to find a place in their lives, both Mack and Lorna must confront the scars of their past. As Mack grapples with fitting into a new family, Lorna must decide if she’s ready to open her heart and find the courage to let a new kind of love into her life.
Jennie Marts is the USA TODAY Best-selling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. Readers call her books “laugh out loud” funny and the “perfect mix of romance, humor, and steam.” Fic Central claimed one of her books was “the most fun I’ve had reading in years.”
She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet who loves to tweet to the oldies. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can’t have too many books, shoes, or friends.
Her books range from western romance to cozy mysteries but they all have the charm and appeal of quirky small town life. She loves genre-mashups like adding romance to her Page Turners cozy mysteries and creating the hockey-playing cowboys in the Cowboys of Creedence. The same small town community comes to life with more animal antics in her latest Creedence Horse Rescue series. And her sassy heroines and hunky heroes carry over in her heartwarming, feel good romances from Hallmark Publishing. Take the Honey and Run is her newest cozy mystery in the A Bee Keeping Mystery series.
Jennie loves to hear from readers. Follow her on Facebook at Jennie Marts Books, Twitter at @JennieMarts, and at jenniemartswriter on Instagram. Visit her at http://www.jenniemarts.com and sign up for her newsletter to keep up with the latest news and releases.
382 pages Zondervan publisher August 1, 2023 publication date
ABOUT THE BOOK
Together, schoolteacher Rachelle Lapp and auctioneer Toby Miller must face their hardest battle yet: trusting God’s plan for their uncertain future.
At twenty-nine, auctioneer Toby Miller is a notorious bachelor. But his job keeps him on the road for months out of the year, and he knows no Plain woman could want a marriage that would force her to live and raise children alone. Thankfully, Toby’s content to dedicate his life to the family business, especially now that his grandfather is retiring. So why does his heart keep longing for something—or more specifically, someone—he can’t have?
Rachelle Lapp has already turned down two marriage proposals. Neither promised a future that would bring her more joy than her job as a teacher to Amish children with developmental disabilities, including her brother, Jonah, and Toby’s sister, Sadie. But when the parents’ committee votes to send her students to the English schools, where they will have access to many more resources, Rachelle finds herself out of a job. She’s forced to decide between pursuing her calling far from home and staying near to the man she can’t get off her mind.
As their families matchmake, Toby and Rachelle realize their jobs may not be all that’s holding them back from a future together. They both must learn not only to trust each other but also trust God’s plans for them. But do those plans involve a lifetime together or them going their separate ways?
MY THOUGHTS
he Heart’s Bidding is the start of a beautiful and emotional Amish book series by Kelly Irvin. This is a very special book, and I enjoyed it a lot.
Auctioneer Toby Miller thinks he has his priorities straight. This bachelor spends months at a time on the road doing his auctioneering thing but that’s okay. as a single man he has no one to answer to. When his grandfather who has run the office side of the business steps down and his father isn’t suited for this type of work things start to change.
Rethinking all the traveling as a lovely young woman catches his interest and the other side of business needs running may have put him in a new frame of mind. Letting go and letting God be in charge is not an easy thing for Toby to just do though when he’s used to having all this freedom.
Rachelle Lapp is a schoolteacher for the Amish children with developmental disabilities. When it’s decided, the children will go to an Englisher school with more resources available to them her job becomes redundant.
She knows the needs of the children having a special needs brother and Toby has a special needs sister. The Amish believe these children are special and a blessing from God and I agree.
The two are drawn together with many similarities and understandings. I loved seeing the support of family and friends in the tough situations. God’s plan will lead this couple on the right path in love and in life.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Best-selling novelist Kelly Irvin’s latest Amish romance, Every Good Gift, debuted in February 2023. The third novel in the Amish Blessings series takes place in Yoder and Haven, Kansas. The series takes a look at adoption in Amish communities. The first book, Love’s Dwelling, won second place in the Selah Awards contest in the long contemporary romance category. The series follows the Amish of Sky Country series, which featured Amish communities in Northwest Montana affected by wildfires that destroyed thousands of acres in the state in recent years. The first book, Mountains of Grace, debuted in August 2019, and delves into the impact on not only an Amish man and woman, but also a smoke jumper, a sheriff’s deputy, and a young English woman forced to confront her past because of the fires.
Kelly also writes romantic suspense novels. Her most recent forays into this genre include Trust Me, Her Every Move and Closer Than She Knows, all set in San Antonio and South Texas. Publishers Weekly says of Closer Than She Knows, “this brisk, smoothly written thriller from Irvin pits court reporter Teagan O’Rourke, a murder mystery lover, against a cunning and vicious serial killer. Fans of serial killer fiction with a Christian slant will be satisfied.”
Of Tell Her No Lies, The Library Journal says, “Irvin creates a complex web with enough twists and turns to keep even the most savvy romantic suspense readers guessing until the end. Known for her Amish novels, this two-time Carol Award finalist shows that her talents span subgenres from tranquil Amish stories to rapidly paced breathless suspense.”
Kelly is also the author of the Every Amish Season series, which included four books that chronicle the lives of Amish widows who are in different seasons in their lives. These women are linked by life altering experiences that bring them together as wives, mothers, and grandmothers in the small town of Jamesport, Mo. The first book, Upon a Spring Breeze, received critical acclaim from the Library Journal: “A moving and compelling tale about the power of grace and forgiveness that reminds us how we become strongest in our most broken moments.”
Kelly Irvin is also the author of The Amish of Bee County series, which includes the critically acclaimed The Beekeeper’s Son. Publishers Weekly called the first book in the series a beautifully woven masterpiece and Romantic Times Magazine called Kelly a storyteller extraordinaire. It was followed by The Bishop’s Son and The Saddle Maker’s Son, which is an ECPA bestseller.
A two-time ACFW Carol finalist, Kelly’s novellas have been included in numerous anthologies, including An Amish Summer, The Amish Christmas Gift, An Amish Market, an Amish Christmas Love, and Amish Quilt, An Amish Reunion, An Amish Picnic, and An Amish Christmas Bakery.
She also penned the Bliss Creek Amish series and the New Hope Amish series, both published by Harvest House Publishers. Love Still Stands, the first book in the New Hope series, debuted in September 2012, and the follow-up, Love Redeemed, released March 1, 2014. The final book in the series, set in Branson, MO., was A Plain Love Song, released in July 2014.
The Bliss Creek Amish series, set in Kansas, includes To Love and to Cherish, A Heart Made New, and Love’s Journey Home.
In the New Hope series, familiar characters from Bliss Creek move to Missouri to start a new district and a new life.
The Kansas native is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the ACFW San Antonio local chapter Alamo City Christian Fiction Writers, as well as Sisters in Crime and Women’s Fiction Writers Association.
A graduate of the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism, Kelly wrote nonfiction professionally for thirty years. She studied for three semesters at the University of Costa Rica, learning the Spanish language. As a journalist, she worked six years in the border towns of Laredo and El Paso, where she was exposed to culture and language that serves as fodder for her fiction writing. She has written hard news, features, entertainment pieces, restaurant critiques, editorials, and weekly columns. Writing awards include the Silver Star Award from the Texas Mental Health Association for articles pertaining to mental health and numerous awards in news, feature, and editorial writing from the Texas Press Association and Texas Press Women.
Kelly retired in 2016 from her position of 22 years as public relations manager for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, where her duties included writing and designing an employee newsletter, writing news releases, collaborating on marketing campaigns, coordinating ribbon-cuttings and groundbreakings, coordinating press conferences, updating the web site, and acting as a media spokesperson.
Kelly has been married to photographer Tim Irvin for 35 years. They have two children and four grandchildren. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories and poetry, read books by her favorite authors, and visit the babies.
338 pages Kensington cozies September 27, 2022 publication date
ABOUT THE BOOK
It’s holiday season in the picturesque, coastal town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts! But in USA Today bestselling author Sally Goldenbaum’s latest Seaside Knitters Society mystery, the knitting club sleuths will have to take a break from crafting cozy Christmas gifts to investigate a murder at the Mayor’s holiday party.
Winter in Sea Harbor is a feast for the senses. This year, the Seaside Knitters have a sackful of obligations in addition to their usual Christmas preparations. Izzy is so overloaded with knitting classes that she hires an extra salesperson. Cass, juggling the stresses of running her lobster fishery, has finally found a nanny for her active toddler. Molly Flanigan seems practically perfect in every way—until she suddenly disappears, taking Cass’s beloved rescue mutt with her . . .
Meanwhile, the holidays are kicking off in style at the mayor’s holiday party with a celebrity chef catering the event. An additional treat for Ben and Nell Endicott at the festive affair is reconnecting with a dear college friend, Oliver Bishop. But it’s not just reunions and the appetizers that are to-die-for. Before the partygoers can toast the beginning of Sea Harbor’s festive season, the chef—and young wife of the Endicotts’ old Harvard friend—is found dead in the snow . . .
Izzy, Birdie, Nell, and Cass must uncover the pattern to these mysteries to remove suspicion from those they love, bring a murderer to justice—and keep Sea Harbor’s holiday magic from vanishing into the chill winter air . . .
MY THOUGHTS
Now I’ll fully admit I’m not a knitter. My grandmother tried teaching me crochet years ago and I couldn’t get the hang of it, she was so good at it. Now I wish I had made more of an effort in it. While I don’t knit, I do appreciate this book is full of knitting lingo and it sounds like such a fun hobby to take up. A nice pattern is also included in this book.
Really enjoyed the atmosphere in this one, cozy Christmas mystery beautiful decorations, knitting in front of the fireplace during the knitting class but……… watch out! A murder has been committed and the instructors of this tourist’s attraction town, Sea Harbor, Massachusetts are trying to solve who the murderer was at an important holiday party.
Hitting all the high notes I enjoyed doing a little armchair sleuthing along with our solve it ladies. I’ve enjoyed reading this series, well written and thought-out clues placed amongst ordinary life so you may not catch them at first. I’ll be continuing on with this series.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Sally Goldenbaum was born on the shores of Lake Michigan, in Manitowoc, WI, to a homemaker mother and a ship-building father. She and her husband raised their three children in landlocked Prairie Village, KS, but in 2019 they made a huge move, downsizing from a large Kansas home to a condo in Gloucester, a seaside town on Cape Ann, MA–which happens to also be the home of the USA Today best selling Seaside Knitters Mystery series. She can now share walks along the ocean with Izzy, Nell, Birdie and Cass–her fictional friends.