Monday, July 28, 2025

The Bartered Bride by Erica Vetsch

About the Book

Book: The Bartered Bride

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

A rebellious suffragette and a steadfast sailor—tied by duty, divided by secrets, and tempted by a love that changes everything.

A born sailor, Jonathan Kennebrae thrives in his role running his grandfather’s shipping enterprise. That is until his grandfather delivers a crippling ultimatum—Jonathan will marry Melissa Brooke or lose his inheritance and everything he’s worked for. Though Jonathan finds himself drawn to Melissa, he can’t help feeling his intended may not be who she appears to be.

Melissa Brooke is tired of being voiceless. She’s been the perfect daughter all her life, doing what she’s told for the good of the family. Except she has a secret. Melissa lives a double life, teaching literacy to struggling immigrant women and fighting for the suffragette movement. If she goes through with the wedding, she’ll be forced to abandon her life’s work. Yet refusing the union could cost her any chance at an inheritance to fund her cause. To make matters worse, she can’t deny the tender feelings blooming between her and her fiancé.

Click here to get your copy!

"The Bartered Bride" by Erica Vetsch is a Christian Historical Fiction and a romance. It is filled with misunderstanding and forgiveness. This is a story where the characters are opposed to an arrange marriage but grow to love each other. They also grow in their faith. I have to admit I was too fond of the parents or the grandfather in this story, but I have heard that rich parents were liked the way these characters were in the time period of this novel. If you like stories that feature the time period when women were fighting for the right to vote, then this book should be on your to be read list. I loved the ending!

I received a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

Best-selling, award-winning author of The Debutante’s Code, first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series, Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum. You can connect with her at her website where you can learn about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online where she spends way too much time!

More from Erica

Do you ever wish you could turn back time? That’s what I recently got to do, as I read through my very first published novel, The Bartered Bride, that is now being re-released by Wild Heart Books.

What a blast from the past. I was amazed at all the feelings that rushed back in as I revisited Duluth, MN in the last century. Melissa and Jonathan hadn’t changed a bit in sixteen years.

The story idea first came to me as I sat in church awaiting the start of the service. There I was, a not-yet-published-author, minding my own business when the plot sort of burst into my head. An arranged marriage set in Duluth, and using the “Gales of November” and the wreck of the Mataafa…

I jotted down a few notes, because face it, the best idea for a novel could pop into my head, and if I don’t write down the gist, I will forget it in two minutes.

I wrote The Bartered Bride in about six weeks, and I sent it through my critique group of the time. Then my agent submitted it to the publisher in the spring of 2008.

And we waited.

And waited.

We heard nothing for months. My agent sent word that the publisher was still considering it, and I was to be patient. It wasn’t a no, but it also wasn’t a resounding yes!

I had already started the sequel to The Bartered Bride, a story called Marriage Masquerade, so I finished that one, and then with summer upon me, I wrote a new story, Clara and the Cowboy, about an heiress to a ranch and one of the cowboys who rode for her father. Maybe the publisher would like that series better. I heard nothing all summer on either of the two series I had proposed and submitted.

Then in September of that year, I went to the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. The conference was being held in Minnesota, just a hop up the road from where I live. I ferried agents and editors from the airport to the hotel, I met people, I sat in workshops, all the time wondering if I would ever be a published author. Would my writing ever be ‘good enough’? Was I wasting my time?

Imagine my surprise when the publisher to whom I had submitted The Bartered Bride took the stage at a general session and announced that they were offering a contract to me for that book! Not only that, but when I had an appointment with the editor later, she offered not only a three-book contract on the The North Star Brides, but an additional three-book contract for the Brides of Money Creek of which Clara and the Cowboy was book one!

I had sold six books! The rest of the conference, you could have bought me for a dollar.

Melissa and Jonathan will always have a special place in my heart. They were the couple that started it all. I’m so glad they are getting a new start, and hopefully they will touch readers’ hearts as much as they have mine.

Blog Stops

Life on Chickadee Lane, July 28

Melissa’s Bookshelf, July 28

Pens Pages & Pulses, July 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 29

lakesidelivingsite, July 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 30

Betti Mace, July 31

Fiction Book Lover, July 31 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Texas Book-aholic, August 1

Devoted To Hope, August 1

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 2

Devoted Steps, August 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 3

Simple Harvest Reads, August 3 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Stories By Gina, August 4 (Author Interview)

Inklings and Notions, August 4

For HIm and My Family, August 5

Artistic Nobody, August 5 (Guest Review from Donna)

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 6

Book Looks by Lisa, August 7

Holly’s Book Corner, August 7

Bizwings Book Blog, August 8

Vicky Sluiter, August 8

Blossoms and Blessings, August 9

Pause for Tales, August 9

Cover Lover Book Review, August 10

To Everything There Is A Season, August 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Erica is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54260

Saturday, July 26, 2025

Waitin’ On Paige by Mary Pat Johns

About the Book

Book: Waitin’ On Paige (Romance in Valiant Book Four)

Author: Mary Pat Johns

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

All he wants is to reclaim her love…

Tavo Morales has returned to Valiant, Texas, to stir the embers of a relationship with the woman he has never stopped loving, but hidden reefs from his past threaten to destroy his future. Paige Munoz wants her new event planning business to be a success and won’t let anything stand in her way. But the path she’s on to make her dreams come true proves dangerous. Is the love Tavo and Paige once shared strong enough to survive his secrets and her stubbornness?

Click here to get your copy!

"Waitin’ On Paige" by Mary Pat Johns is a second chance at love romance. The Gospel is shared in this novel. This is the 4th novel in this series, I have only read three but have added the one I haven't read to mt to be read list. They all are connected with the same characters but can be read as standalones but again I asked why a reader wouldn't read all the books and in order, not sure how I missed the third one but going to correct that omission as soon as I can. This is a story with a character that have secrets and another that is stubborn. All of these books really kept me turning the pages. I recommend this book to readers who likes a little bit of suspense and teaches lessons about real issues like forgiveness and faith.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

Mary Pat Johns’ writing career began once she retired from teaching speech and writing. She has written devotions for an online publication, had short stories published by Chicken Soup for the Soul, and wrote a column for the Victoria Advocate, a local newspaper.
Countin’ On Jesse, her first novel debuted in 2023, and books 2 & 3 of the Valiant series, Lovin’ On Red and Glitter and the Grouch released in 2024. God put it in her heart to tell stories of brave veterans and their reintegration into civilian life after suffering the traumas of war.
She writes Christian romance because when we see life through the hope of Christ’s sacrifice, we find that happily ever after is God’s idea.

The ending of a series is always bittersweet. I will miss the characters, but I remind myself they are in a good place. Kind of like my grown children. They have their own lives to live, and I’m not as “hands-on” as I was during their formative years. If you weren’t around for the beginning of this series, no worries. Each book tells its own story. In the meantime, stay tuned. I have other stories to write. That said, I probably won’t wander too far from Valiant—the strong, safe place where it all began.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 22
Simple Harvest Reads, July 23 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, July 23
Leslie’s Library Escape, July 24
Artistic Nobody, July 25 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 26
Guild Master, July 27 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, July 28
Fiction Book Lover, July 29 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 30
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, July 31 (Author Interview)
Holly’s Book Corner, July 31
Cover Lover Book Review, August 1
A Reader’s Brain, August 2 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys , August 3
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 4 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary Pat is giving away the grand prize of signed copies of the four book in the series!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54255

Friday, July 25, 2025

An Uncharted Dream by Abbey Downey

About the Book

Book: An Uncharted Dream

Author: Abbey Downey

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 1, 2025

An explorer in search of answers, a determined protector, and an expedition that could cost them everything…

Leonora Thornton always envisioned following in her father’s footsteps—exploring the world and chasing adventure. But after his tragic death, she can’t get past the debilitating fear…until she meets an explorer who promises to take her on his expedition to the very place where her father died.

Marcus Turner knows a con man when he sees one, and after years of hiding his family’s shameful financial situation, he won’t let anyone he cares about be swindled again. Especially not Leonora, his longtime best friend and the woman he secretly loves. Joining the expedition, Marcus embarks on a mission to protect Leonora from the swindler, no matter the cost.

When betrayal leaves them stranded far from their destination, Leonora and Marcus must determine if they can rely on God—or each other.

Click here to get your copy!

"An Uncharted Dream" by Abbey Downey is a friend to more romance. It also contains mysterious letters which made me want to keep reading to find out who was sending them to Leonora Thornton and why this person wanted her to investigate the death of her father. This is definitely not a fast-paced story. This book has many themes that readers like in a book such as faith, friendship, secrets, adventure, chemistry, discovery, endearing and relatable characters, deception, vulnerability, hope, bravery, and love. I knew I would like this book when I read this on page 1 " There was nothing as wonderful as stepping into a library, with the smell of books permeating the air and the potential of discovering some wonderful new knowledge waiting on every shelf." Okay, that quote made me think that this story was going to be about libraries and books, definitely wrong, but I still enjoyed the book. In fact, the book was about discovery and expeditions. This is the third book in the series, and I have read all three. They are all standalones.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

Abbey Downey started writing inspirational romance stories during naptime when her kids were babies and found she couldn’t stop. She previously published two books with Love Inspired Historical under the pen name Mollie Campbell. She also works with Spark Flash Fiction producing a quarterly digital magazine that contains love stories under 1000 words.

A life-long Midwestern girl, Abbey lives in central Indiana with her husband, two kids, and one rather enthusiastic beagle. She loves watching her kids play sports and fixing up a 1900 farmhouse with her husband.

More from Abbey

Have you ever doubted God’s faithfulness toward you? That He could take a tough circumstance and make anything good come out of it?

As with all my books, An Uncharted Dream is filled with romance and fascinating real history. I had the best time writing the love story between lifelong friends Marcus and Leonora. And the research into archeology, exploration, and surveying in the early 1900s was so interesting. You can get a peek into that in my author’s note.

However, I also wrote An Uncharted Dream while struggling with the kind of doubts I mentioned above in my own life. I was fighting to understand how God’s loving plan for me could include so much heartache that quite honestly still seems to have no end in sight. I know I’m not alone. Many of us grapple with questions like this every day and it’s so tough.

Leonora also faces these questions. Just when there might be a chance for romance with her best friend and her dream of going on an archeological expedition is within her grasp, she faces an obstacle that makes her doubt God’s goodness in her life. Like us, she has to come to grips with the reality that following Christ doesn’t mean things automatically go smoothly. Even for His faithful followers, God doesn’t always work out a difficult situation with a tidy happy ending. Often, we’re left to learn to lean on Him as we go straight through the worst of that situation, instead.

It’s not easy, I know that just as well as many of you. And while I don’t know why it has to be that way, I can tell you that God’s faithfulness is constant. He doesn’t love us any less when He lets us remain in a struggle. This story is just that—a work of fiction. But I hope you’ll go through this journey with Marcus and Leonora and be encouraged. I hope you’ll see the unwavering truth of God’s Word and His character. And I hope you’ll be uplifted by the moments of joy and success these characters find in their hardship and see those same kinds of blessings in your life.

Happy reading!

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 25

Inspired by Fiction, July 26

Simple Harvest Reads, July 26 (Guest Review from Donna)

Book Looks by Lisa, July 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 28

lakesidelivingsite, July 29

Mary Hake, July 29

Texas Book-aholic, July 30

Leslie’s Library Escape, July 31

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 1

Blossoms and Blessings, August 1

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 2

Cover Lover Book Review, August 3

For Him and My Family, August 4

Holly’s Book Corner, August 4

Bizwings Book Blog, August 5

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, August 5

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 6

Lily’s Corner, August 7

Pause for Tales, August 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Abbey is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54258

Thursday, July 24, 2025

Another Outer Banks Christmas by Christina Sinisi

About the Book

Book:

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Release Date: November, 2023

As the daughter of missionaries, Kerrie Alexander has lived on Hatteras—an island in the Outer Banks—longer than any other place she’s been. When her parents inform her the family is slotted to go overseas again, she balks. Her life on the island—her job, her friends, even the handsome hero in her Sunday School class—makes her want to put down roots. Butto do so, she’ll need to find a place to live, face being on her own separated from any close family—something she’s never done before.

Firefighter and EMT Wade Hampton can face pretty much any emergency, except his matchmaking grandpa threatening him with disinheritance if Wade doesn’t get married in just three months. Not that Wade objects to the idea of marriage, but how does a guy who has no problem running into burning buildings find the courage to ask a girl like Kerrie out for a date? She’s a role model for everything good, and he comes from a rough and broken home. Not to mention, Christmas is right around the corner!

Click here to get your copy!

"Another Outer Banks Christmas "by Christina Sinisi is a Christmas story and a clean love story. This book is an unusual read in that the matchmaker is a grandfather. This book's storyline is about forgiveness and trust. While reading this book I was wanting it to be December, it is in the 90's and hotter where I live. I like that this book shows that the characters even though they are Christians have real issues and has struggles with trust and forgiveness. I like the grandfather but really felt like he overstepped a few times in Wade's life that was wrong. (But this book is fiction, and the characters are allowed to do things, real life doesn't allow, right?) Well, I'll end this review now so you can get yourself a copy and read for yourself and then you can decide if the grandfather was right or wrong!

I received a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions on my own.

About the Author

A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Christina Sinisi writes stories about families, both the broken and blessed. Her works include a semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest and the American Title IV Contest where she appeared in the top ten in the Romantic Times magazine. By day, she is a psychology professor and lives in the LowCountry of South Carolina with her husband and two children and loves a good cooking challenge.

More from Christina

Christmas in July!

Another Outer Banks Christmas is the third book in a series—but the second book hasn’t been published yet! Good thing I wrote this one as a stand-alone.

So…here’s the story behind the story.

In June 2019, I saw an email requesting Christmas novellas by the end of the month. I buckled down and wrote Christmas Confusion in three weeks. Then, excited about the story, I wrote a full-length novel for the second installment in my Charleston series, Sweet Summer. However, my publisher at the time, Anaiah Press, said they had a full slate for 2020 and no space for a novel.

Rather than not publish anything for a year, I looked around me for inspiration and found it at my sister’s vacation home on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. We first visited after Christmas in December 2019. Hurricane Dorian had devastated nearby Ocracoke Island in September. Shocked by the damage and the businesses still boarded up, some of which never reopened, I wanted to tell the story of the brave people who live there—thus, Christmas on Ocracoke was born.

Now, I always seem to fall in love with my characters and want to get to know them better—and their families. Hope of Hatteras (to be published later this year, date TBA) is the story of the hero of Ocracoke’s sister. Another Outer Banks Christmas is the story of the hero of Hatteras’ best friend.

As the daughter of missionaries Kerrie Alexander has lived on Hatteras—an island in the Outer Banks—longer than any other place she’s been. When her parents inform her the family is slotted to go overseas again, she balks. Her life on the island—her job, her friends, even the handsome hero in her Sunday School class—makes her want to put down roots. But to do so, she’ll need to find another place to live, face being on her own separated from any close family—something she’s never done before.

To finish out the story—why hasn’t Hatteras been published? My publisher closed its doors last November and I’m working on my way to being self-published. My book was supposed to be published a week before they closed. Life always has surprises in store, doesn’t it?

Thank the Lord we have a God who doesn’t change.

Another Outer Banks Christmas is a sweet romance that addresses the challenges our missionaries and their families face, plus, on the other side, the fact that we don’t have to be perfect to be loved—by God or other people.

Blessings, Christina