Kav's Best Reads

Reader’s Choice Week Spring 2026 Winners

Phew! What a week! Thanks so much for participating in the Best Reads’ Spring edition of Reader’s Choice Week! My TBR lists are plumped up with tantalizing new titles thanks to everyone’s input. I might spend as much time plotting my reading future as I do actually reading! Decisions! Decisions! 🙂

And my aplogies for getting this post up so late in the day. My eyeballs gave out on my yesterday – too much screen time = ocular migraines which isn’t as painful as it sounds. More annoying. I get flashing lights and fuzzy vision which makes it hard to do any focus work. I got the gist of the tallying done in stints yesterday but I wanted to double check the results today when I was more clearheaded. Only I forgot that we had our AGM after church this Sunday so I was later getting home than usual which delayed my double checking. But it’s all done now so…tada…here are the results!

First, I had to satisfy my inner book nerd and tally up all the titles in each genre to find out the popular pick for each one and here they are:

indie popular pick

won by sabrina

Historical Popular Pick

won by Pam K

Contemporary Popular Pick

won by Perrianne

Mystery/suspense popular pick

won by Sandy Avery

AND NOW FOR THE REST OF THE RCW WINNERS!

won by Elizabeth Litton

General christian fiction

won by Tracey

Goals Review

won by kcrhoades

But wait, it’s not over yet. The Vanity category has become a blog tradition. It’s where a book is actually judged by its cover and I choose my favourite cover art per genre and then draw from a pool of readers who requested that title. Here are the COVER LOVE winners!

Indie cover love

won by Diane Flowers

Eye catching! Love the sense of movement conveyed through the heroine’s cloak and hair. And the Celtic knots that frame the scene are exquisite and remind me of Ireland.

Historical cover love

won by Cindy davis

I mean, who can resist a silhouette in a graveyard? Especially with a title like that. And I love the classic cut to the heroine’s outfit.

contemporary cover love

won by Jo Ruth

I’ve got to be honest, it’s hard to not see that tantalizing word ‘highlands’ in the title which is a big draw for me. Mind you I love the fall vibes on this cover — the cozy ambience inside complete with two furry companions and the autumn splendour outside.

mystery/suspense cover love

won by Kimmy

I like this cover because it’s unique – very striking with he black and gold and I desperately need to know if the gold is foil or embossed. I might be disappointed if it isn’t either or. 🙂

WAIT! Don’t go away ’cause we’re not through yet. We have another Reader’s Choice tradition of picking a random number which becomes a ‘just because giveaway’ on the genre specific days. If that doesn’t make sense, all you need to know is that it means more book giveaways. Woohoo! This time the number is 48.

48th mystery/suspense

won by Elly cox

And that’s another wrap on a glorious Reader’s Choice Week. Thanks for participating and growing my wishlist!

I’ll start contacting winners tomorrow, but if you haven’t left an email or if you are so inclined, you can send me an email listing your preference of either paperback or ebook and your contact info. kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca

Looking ahead to next week:

Monday

tuesday

wednesday

Hello April! Time to take a look at April releases now that they are fresh on our minds!

thursday

friday

Reader’s Choice Giveaway – Spring 2026 Edition – Goal Reviews

Quarterly reading goal reviews have become a Best Reads Blog tradition and I can’t believe we’ve reached the end of the first quarter of 2026 already! Where does the time go, I wonder? Hours spent reading I’m guessing 🙂

I’ll share my progress (or not!) here just for some fun book nerdy stats and, if you’re so inclined, you can share a goal or two in the comments. But no pressure – a goal can be as simple as ‘read a book.’

So, to enter this giveaway, just share anything goal related in the comments. Then, in the same comment, list a book that will help you reach your goal. So it looks like this:

“I want to catch up on some suspense series. Night Prey by Susan Sleeman.”

NOTE: BOOKS MUST BE CHRISTIAN FICTION OR CLOSED DOOR

You can enter up to three times in three separate comments — and you can use the same goal or a different one each time, but a different title for each entry.

Books can be published any time up through to June 2026. Currently published books will be ordered this coming week for winners, otherwise it will be an IOU for a title releasing later.

WINNER’S CHOICE OF PAPERBACK OR EBOOK FOR US AND CANADIAN ENTRIES. EBOOKS ONLY FOR INTERNATIONAL READERS WHO HAVE A US KINDLE ACCOUNT.

See? Easy Peasy. But if you’re still not clear, don’t be shy about asking questions.

Here we go! Time to face up to what’s been working and what hasn’t when it comes to my goals this year.

I’m pretty jazzed about my 26 in 26 list. I’ve read 10 of the books this first quarter! Turns out that I can be motivated by setting specific goals! lol

WINNERS ANNOUNCED ON

Sunday March 29 2026

(You can enter any of the giveaways up until noon EST on Saturday March 28 2026 Winners will be announced the following day.)

Reader’s Choice Giveaway – Spring Edition 2026 – General Christian Fiction

Spring may be shy about making an appearance this year, but we can still look forward to the new season by exploring all the new releases coming out in April, May and June 2026.

Here’s how this week’s giveaway works: You recommend CHRISTIAN FICTION genre specific titles with release dates in April, May or June 2026 (up to 3 suggestions per genre day) and you have a chance to win one of your recommendations! BUT it’s a little more complicated than that so be sure to read ALL the details before entering.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: These giveaways are available in paperback or ebook format to US and Canadian readers. Ebooks available internationally if you have a .com kindle account (US Amazon)

General Christian Fiction Giveaway Day

To be entered in the draw just leave a comment (or 3) below, including the title(s) of the books in the General Christian Fiction genre you would like to win.

General Christian Fiction – a full length story or novella or collection of novellas. Any genre including previous selections you made on other days this week as well as genres not yet specifically covered such as Women’s Fiction, Speculative, Sci Fi, Middle Grade etc.

How does it work?

Easy Peasy! Make recommendations in the comment section and if you win, you win the book you suggested.

BUT YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES

Publication date must be April, May or June 2026

Each day is genre specific, so only submit titles from that genre

Christian Fiction only please!

You can offer up to three suggestions per genre day BUT they need to be made in 3 separate comments (easier for me to keep track of.)

No email entries this time round since WP comments are working

OF SPECIAL NOTE: IF YOU HAVEN’T COMMENTED ON THIS BLOG BEFORE, YOUR FIRST COMMENT WON’T APPEAR UNTIL I APPROVE IT. AFTER THAT YOUR COMMENTS WILL POST AUTOMATICALLY.

Entrants must submit their own selections (no piggybacking on someone else’s log in.)

It’s helpful to include your email (using AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers) but you only need to add it to one of your comments per day. If you choose not to include your email then it’s up to you to contact me if you are a winner.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED ON

Sunday March 29 2026

(You can enter any of the giveaways up until noon EST on Saturday March 28 2026 Winners will be announced the following day.)

Reader’s Choice Giveaway – Spring 2026 Edition – Mystery/Suspense Fiction

Spring may be shy about making an appearance this year, but we can still look forward to the new season by exploring all the new releases coming out in April, May and June 2026.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: These giveaways are available in paperback or ebook format to US and Canadian readers. Ebooks available internationally if you have a .com kindle account (US Amazon)

Mystery/Suspense Fiction Giveaway Day

To be entered in the draw just leave a comment (or 3) below, including the title(s) of the books in the Mystery/Suspense Fiction genre you would like to win.

Mystery/Suspense Fiction – a full length story or novella or collection of novellas where mystery is an important part of the plot. The hero or heroine (or both) are often in peril (more so in suspense). Can be set in any time period and may cross genres such as Historical, YA, Amish etc and may include dual timelines.

How does it work?

Easy Peasy! Make recommendations in the comment section and if you win, you win the book you suggested.

BUT YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES

Publication date must be April, May or June 2026

Each day is genre specific, so only submit titles from that genre

Christian Fiction / Closed Door books only please!

You can offer up to three suggestions per genre day BUT they need to be made in 3 separate comments (easier for me to keep track of.)

No email entries this time round since WP comments are working

OF SPECIAL NOTE: IF YOU HAVEN’T COMMENTED ON THIS BLOG BEFORE, YOUR FIRST COMMENT WON’T APPEAR UNTIL I APPROVE IT. AFTER THAT YOUR COMMENTS WILL POST AUTOMATICALLY.

Entrants must submit their own selections (no piggybacking on someone else’s log in.)

WINNERS ANNOUNCED ON

Sunday March 29 2026

(You can enter any of the giveaways up until noon EST on Saturday March 28 2026 Winners will be announced the following day.)

Reader’s Choice Giveaway – Spring Edition 2026 – Contemporary Fiction

Spring may be shy about making an appearance this year, but we can still look forward to the new season by exploring all the new releases coming out in April, May and June 2026.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: These giveaways are available in paperback or ebook format to US and Canadian readers. Ebooks available internationally if you have a .com kindle account (US Amazon)

Contemporary Fiction Giveaway Day

To be entered in the draw just leave a comment (or 3) below, including the title(s) of the books in the Contemporary Fiction genre you would like to win.

Contemporary Fiction – a full length story or novella or collection of novellas set any time after 1980. May cross genres such as YA, Suspense, Amish etc and may include dual timelines.

How does it work?

Easy Peasy! Make recommendations in the comment section and if you win, you win the book you suggested.

BUT YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES

Publication date must be April, May or June 2026

Each day is genre specific, so only submit titles from that genre

Christian Fiction / Closed Door books only please!

You can offer up to three suggestions per genre day BUT they need to be made in 3 separate comments (easier for me to keep track of.)

No email entries this time round since WP comments are working

OF SPECIAL NOTE: IF YOU HAVEN’T COMMENTED ON THIS BLOG BEFORE, YOUR FIRST COMMENT WON’T APPEAR UNTIL I APPROVE IT. AFTER THAT YOUR COMMENTS WILL POST AUTOMATICALLY.

Entrants must submit their own selections (no piggybacking on someone else’s log in.)

WINNERS ANNOUNCED ON

Sunday March 29 2026

(You can enter any of the giveaways up until noon EST on Saturday March 28 2026 Winners will be announced the following day.)

Reader’s Choice Giveaway – Spring 2026 Edition – Historical Fiction

Spring may be shy about making an appearance this year, but we can still look forward to the new season by exploring all the new releases coming out in April, May and June 2026.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: These giveaways are available in paperback or ebook format to US and Canadian readers. Ebooks available internationally if you have a .com kindle account (US Amazon)

Historical Fiction Giveaway Day

To be entered in the draw just leave a comment (or 3) below, including the title(s) of the books in the Historical Fiction genre you would like to win.

Historical Fiction – a full length story or novella or collection of novellas set any time period before 1980. May cross genres such as YA, Suspense, Amish etc and may include dual timelines.

How does it work?

Easy Peasy! Make recommendations in the comment section and if you win, you win the book you suggested.

BUT YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES

Publication date must be April, May or June 2026

Each day is genre specific, so only submit titles from that genre

Christian Fiction books only please!

You can offer up to three suggestions per genre day BUT they need to be made in 3 separate comments (easier for me to keep track of.)

No email entries this time round since WP comments are working

OF SPECIAL NOTE: IF YOU HAVEN’T COMMENTED ON THIS BLOG BEFORE, YOUR FIRST COMMENT WON’T APPEAR UNTIL I APPROVE IT. AFTER THAT YOUR COMMENTS WILL POST AUTOMATICALLY.

Entrants must submit their own selections (no piggybacking on someone else’s log in.)

WINNERS ANNOUNCED ON

Sunday March 29 2026

(You can enter any of the giveaways up until noon EST on Saturday March 28 2026 Winners will be announced the following day.)

Reader’s Choice Giveaway – Spring 2026 – Indie Fiction

Spring may be shy about making an appearance this year, but we can still look forward to the new season by exploring all the new releases coming out in April, May and June 2026.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: These giveaways are available in paperback or ebook format to US and Canadian readers. Ebooks available internationally if you have a .com kindle account (US Amazon)

New Category: Indie Fiction Giveaway Day

I know this might be somewhat of a challenge since we often don’t hear about indie releases until very close to the release day, if we hear about them at all. So…FOR THIS CATEGORY ONLY…indie books released any time in 2026 up to the end of June can be included.

To be entered in the draw just leave a comment (or 3) below, including the title(s) of the books in the Indie Fiction genre you would like to win.

Indie Fiction – a full length story or novella or collection of novellas published independently by an author. Any genre, but must fit the Christian Fiction / Closed Door, Clean Read category.

How does it work?

Easy Peasy! Make recommendations in the comment section and if you win, you win the book you suggested.

BUT YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES

Publication date must be January – June 2026

Each day is genre specific, so only submit titles from that genre

Christian Fiction / Closed Door books only please!

You can offer up to three suggestions per genre day BUT they need to be made in 3 separate comments (easier for me to keep track of.)

No email entries this time round since WP comments are working

OF SPECIAL NOTE: IF YOU HAVEN’T COMMENTED ON THIS BLOG BEFORE, YOUR FIRST COMMENT WON’T APPEAR UNTIL I APPROVE IT. AFTER THAT YOUR COMMENTS WILL POST AUTOMATICALLY.

Entrants must submit their own selections (no piggybacking on someone else’s log in.)

WINNERS ANNOUNCED ON

Sunday March 29 2026

(You can enter any of the giveaways up until noon EST on Saturday March 28 2026 Winners will be announced the following day.)

March Giveaway – Week Three

Winners will be contacted if they left their email address, otherwise it’s up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca (please note it’s ca as in Canada, not com.) From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven’t been able to reach you within 30 days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now, so please, DON’T BE SHY — CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN’T LEAVE AN EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN’T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU!

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE REST OF THE YEAR:

Woohoo!!!! It’s time for another Reader’s Choice Week – Spring Edition! So excited to see what’s in store for us. If you’re new here RCW is here’s how this week’s giveaway works: You recommend CHRISTIAN FICTION genre specific titles with release dates in April, May or June 2026 (up to 3 suggestions per genre day) and you have a chance to win one of your recommendations! BUT it’s a little more complicated than that so be sure to read ALL the details before entering.

Sunday

Indie Fiction – a full length story or novella or collection of novellas published independently by an author. Any genre, but must fit the Christian Fiction / Closed Door, Clean Read category. This is a new category and might prove to be challenging since we don’t always get a lot of notice about indie book releases so, for this category only, books can be published any time between January and June 2026

Monday

Historical Romance/Fiction – a full length story or novella or collection of novellas set in any time period before 1980. May cross genres such as YA, Suspense, Amish etc. and may include dual timelines.

tuesday

Contemporary Romance/Fiction – a full length story or novella or collection of novellas set in any time period after 1980. May cross genres such as YA, Suspense, Amish etc. and may include dual timelines.

Wednesday

Mystery/Suspense Fiction – a full length story or novella or collection of novellas where mystery is an important part of the plot. The hero or heroine (or both) are often in peril (more so in suspense.) Can be set in any time period and may cross genres such as YA, Amish etc. and may include dual timelines.

thursday

General Christian Fiction – a full length story or novella or collection of novellas. Any genre including previous selections you made on other days this week as well as specific genres not covered yet such as Amish, Speculative, YA etc.

friday

Goal Review – time to dust off those January 2026 reading goals and check in with how we’re doing. For this giveaway, just share anything goal related in the comments. Then, in the same comment, list a book that will help you reach your goal.

Entries for all the week’s giveaways end at noon EST on Saturday March 28. I’ll take the rest of the day to tally the results so the winner announcement will be posted on Sunday March 29.

Sweet Tea

Random Retro ReRead

Southern traditions, family recipes, history, and hope come together in author Piper Huguley’s heartfelt romance from Hallmark Publishing.

Althea Dailey has succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. So why doesn’t she feel more excited about it? She’s about to become the only woman—and the only Black person—to make partner at her prestigious law firm in New York City. When she has to travel South for a case, she pays a long-overdue visit back home to Milford, Georgia. To her surprise, a white man she’s never met has befriended her grandmother.

Jack Darwent wasn’t interested in the definition of success dictated by his father and Southern high society. His passion for cooking led him to his current project: a documentary and cookbook about authentic Southern food. Althea’s grandmother is famous for her cooking at the historically Black Milford College, especially the annual May feast meal. But Althea suspects Jack of trying to steal her grandmother’s recipes.

Although Althea and Jack don’t have the best first impressions of one another, they discover they have more in common than they’d guessed…and even as they learn about one another’s pasts, they both see glimmers of a better future.

My Review:

published in 2021

I was so excited to discover Piper Huguley’s first contemporary romance on audible and I have to say I was entranced by Inger Tudor’s performance as narrator. Her rich tones and unique interpretation of each character elevated the story. Kudos to the brilliant collaboration of author and narrator! I enjoyed listening to Sweet Tea immensely.

And this story!!! First, loved the tie it has to the author’s Milford College series. That was such a fun surprise! Althea is a descendant of those earlier book characters and I got a little thrill every time they were mentioned. No worries if you haven’t read that historical series, Sweet Tea is definitely a standalone novel, I just get a bibliophile boost when I find fictional connections like that. Yes, I’m that book nerd. 🙂

While this has all the makings of a typical Hallmark movie, Huguley’s delivery is anything but. Her approach to the small town girl makes big in the city and returns home to find herself trope is fresh and exciting. And a lot of that excitement comes courtesy of Jack. (This is your cue to clear off your fainting couch.)

He’s a dream hero. Unflappable, creative, dedicated to living in the moment with zest and enthusiasm. He’s learned how to slow down and focus on what’s really important and when he sets his sights on Althea…oh my! (Might want to grab a couple of fans too.)

By contrast, Althea is uptight and driven — out to prove something — but why and to whom? I was itching to figure her out from the very first chapter. She is so distrustful of Jack even as she fights an attraction to him. And the man is so happy and content it makes her antsy! Such great dynamics between these two. Plenty of opportunities for verbal sparring and teasing banter which brings the romance sizzling to life.

But it’s Miss Ada, Althea’s grandmother, who steals every scene she’s in. I love that woman! Everyone needs a Miss Ada in their life, bossing them around and telling them what’s what and reminding them of where they come from and who God made them to be. If I’d had a book in hand I would have underlined a variety of Ada-ism to treasure after the reading glow has dimmed. Might just have to have a re-listen to appreciate Miss Ada some more.

This is a story about finding your place — in your family, in the world and especially in God’s kingdom. Althea’ journey of discovery is moving and uplifting and I appreciated the inspirational themes intrinsically woven into the heart of her story.

Brewed Awakening + Giveaway

A small-town tea shop owner with a sweet tooth and a devil-may-care Englishman with more savory tastes join forces to cater a British-themed wedding. Sparks fly in this sweet enemies-to-lovers, opposites-attract rom-com perfect for fans of Emma St. Clair and Sarah Adams.

As a child, Daphne Austen fell in love with her grandmother’s stories of England, perhaps to the point of romanticizing them a little too much. Now, as an adult, she inherited Tea Thyme, the only English tearoom within a hundred miles of her Blue Ridge Mountain town. But keeping her tea and pastry shop afloat proves to be a continual struggle. Since losing her mother and then grandmother, Daphne’s clung to the need for routine, predictability, and beautiful order–and her tearoom shines as the epitome of her Anglophile and obsessive tendencies. But her perfect world spirals into madness when an Englishman moves in next door and shatters all her Darcy daydreams with his loud music, questionable manners, and highly American interests. With an off-the-charts swoon factor, he even tempts to shatter her heart.

Finnley Dashwood left England to start over somewhere his ex-wife’s parents couldn’t track him down and force their parenting techniques on him. It was as if they wanted to make up for their daughter’s neglect by suffocating him with control and unwanted affection. The unassuming town of Wisteria, North Carolina, provides the perfect place to start over and even remake himself as the dashing, English restaurant owner of his earlier days, instead of the somewhat-cynical recluse he’d truly become. With a shop ready for his use, an apartment for him and his daughter, and an acquaintance who owns the revered Wisteria Manor (now event planning center), Finn has everything he wants for a new beginning–except . . . maybe an understanding of the small-town Appalachian culture and the uptight, perfectionistic tea princess next door.

At first, Finn finds the whimsical and notoriously optimistic shop owner humorous and somewhat annoying, but as she begins to invest in the life of his daughter and he observes her authentic love for the people of the town, Finn’s heart opens to the terrifying possibility of a second chance at love. As they are forced to work together on a local-celebrity wedding, their differences clash, sizzle, and finally begin to simmer into a unique, complementary blend of sweet and savory. But just as hope blooms into possibility, a massive storm crashes into the little town, upturning all their plans and putting not only their budding romance but the resilience of the tight-knit community to the test.

My Review:

Quintessential Basham! Which means comedy with a whole lot of heart and plenty of quirky characters to fall in love with. While Daphne and Finn are clearly the main characters, I was charmed by so many of the secondary characters as well. I mean, how can you resist someone who shares bits of wisdom like, “…about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.”?! This author’s wordsmithing is always a delight – and she’s definitely in a league of her own when it comes to a clever turn of phrase.

I really like how the ‘enemies to more’ trope is handled in ‘Brewed Awakening‘. It never gets petty or nasty — just full of comedic charm. Like the chalkboard wars. And the games are on!

Finn, our British hero (eep!!!) arrives in Wisteria with adorable daughter in tow, determined to create the very best of new beginnings for them both and that definitely does not include romance. Especially not with with the prickly girl next door…well business owner next door. Their meet-cute is both cute and a disaster and things take off from there.

Daphne may have made some snap judgements. Finn may be harbouring old hurts a little too tightly. But there’s no denying the sparks flying and their banter…well, it goes way beyond banter into something much more delectable. And it’s so much fun! I’m still grinning over some of the zingers.

As in all of Pepper Basham’s books, there’s a stirring mix of emotional depth woven throughout the story. And, honestly, I was moved to goosebumps and tears by the end. Wow, I was not expecting that!

A moving celebration of hope and new beginnings.

I listened to the audio book and I loved every second of Ann Marie Gideon and Christopher Ashman’s dual narration. They captured the rom/com vibes perfectly and really did justice not only to Daphne and Finn, but to the whole diverse cast of secondary characters as well. A brilliant listening experience.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Please note: this giveaway is for an IOU since the book doesn’t release until May 5th, so you’ll get to enjoy a bit of bookish anticipation before you finally get a copy in your hands.

US – paperback or ebook – winner’s choice

Canada – paperback, ebook or audible — winner’s choice

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Brewed Awakening, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 21 2026