Tag: Christian Fiction

No Stone Unturned + Giveaway

She wants to uncover the past. He wishes to build a future. In this Regency romance set in rolling hills of West Sussex, two opposing wills discover their fate may lie in the common ground.

Miss Bridget Littleton’s passion for history and antiquities defies most social conventions, even in her small village nestled in the beautiful English countryside. When a local farmer discovers an elaborate mosaic buried in his field, Bridget dreams of making a name and future for herself by excavating the Roman ruins. Unfortunately, her quest puts her at odds with the ambitious new lord who recently inherited the title and Hawthorn Abbey from his estranged uncle.

Recovering from wounds of both body and spirit, Captain Rafe Hawthorn is intent on restoring his long-neglected ancestral home. His plans to rebuild the abbey’s once thriving orchards require a road that will pass straight through Bridget’s potential trove of artifacts. He will not—cannot—fail again, even if he is moved by Bridget and her passion.

Yet this impasse might not be their greatest obstacle. A natural disaster and a series of suspicious accidents threaten both their plans, along with the livelihood of the nearby villagers dependent on their success. With their dreams in the balance, Bridget and Rafe must work together to fend off an unexpected enemy that may prove more dangerous than either could have imagined.

Sweet Regency romance filled with hope, faith, and an enemies-to-lovers dynamicHistorical fiction that’s perfect for fans of Julie Klassen, Sarah Ladd, or Abigail WilsonIncludes discussion questions for book clubs.

My Review:

Delightfully shivery Gothic vibes with a twist because in ‘No Stone Unturned’ it’s the hero who is returning to his ancestral home which just happens to be an atmospheric abbey steeped in mystery. It has also been sadly neglected and the whole estate is in jeopardy unless he can turn things around quickly.

Rafe is facing an impossible challenge as he adjusts to civilian life as a wounded soldier. He’s both physically and emotionally scarred and loathe to return to place that holds so many painful memories. So, he’s dealing with a lot when he first meets Bridget, digging up ‘his’ field with archeological enthusiasm. She’s under the impression the field belongs to her best friend’s family. Rafe’s steward assures him it is part of his estate. Wills clash when neither is willing to compromise and this enemies to more love story gets off to a volatile start.

I’m not always a fan of this trope, though I hasten to add I loved this one. It can be difficult to keep up the enemy pretence while at the same time making both hero and heroine relatable but Hovde did an amazing job here and that’s because of the richly layered backstories. My emotions couldn’t help but become engaged. Rafe with his traumatic childhood and difficult war years. Bridget upended by the death of her mother and the ensuing domestic upheaval. She’s an educated woman who can’t find a place in a male dominated field. Though there is instant chemistry, it takes them awhile to find some common ground but when they do…blissful happy swooning sigh!

‘No Stone Unturned’ delivers it all – a brooding hero, a feisty heroine, an atmospheric abbey steeped in mystery, villains and treachery and pages full of drama, including integral faith threads, before the triumphant HEA!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – paperback or ebook copy – winner’s choice

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

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

If you would like a chance to win a copy of No Stone Unturned, 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 May 9 2026

Plain Murder

Random Retro ReRead

Fifteen years after leaving her Old Order Amish life, Rachel Mast has returned to Stone Mountain, Pennsylvania. Corporate success didn’t bring true happiness, but Rachel also knows she can never be Amish again. Instead, she runs a B&B and tries to help her community in ways they can’t help themselves.

But now a gruesome discovery has been made in her Uncle Aaron’s cow pasture—the body of prominent Englisher businessman Willy O’Day. Aaron refuses to hire a lawyer, trusting his own innocence, and his faith, to see him through. Rachel isn’t so sure, especially give the public feud between the two men. Her relatives won’t speak to the police, but they will talk to Rachel—if she puts on a skirt and a bonnet. Rachel knows emotions and entanglements run as complicated in the Amish world as outside it. But as she delves deeper to clear Aaron’s name, she discovers secrets that could put her own life in danger.

My Review:

published in 2014

Squeezing in one more Amish book before ‘Amish in April’ comes to a close!

Miller has crafted a compelling page-turning mystery. And I absolutely love the intrepid Rachael Mast. With her familial ties to the Amish, she’s a great help to the police, even though they don’t always see eye to eye. And Rachael can’t help channeling her inner Nancy Drew, especially when it’s a family member’s freedom at stake Plus, she desperately wants to help the Amish community she still feels ties with.

The author deftly weaves mystery into the day to day life of an Amish/English community. Provoking insights into plain living add an extra zest the story. As does the light romance. This Amish adjacent cozy mystery makes the perfect kind of armchair sleuthing read.

Sit, Stay, Love + Giveaway

random retro reread

A Novel for Dog Lovers 

Take one abrasive professional athlete, a quirky out-of-work schoolteacher, and an overweight geriatric dog, and you’re ready for a lesson in love…Tippy style. 

Pro baseball pitcher Cal Crawford is not a dog guy. When he inherits his deceased mother’s elderly dog, Tippy, he’s quick to call on a pet-sitting service. 

Gina isn’t thrilled to be a dog sitter when her aspirations lie in the classroom. Furthermore, she can’t abide the unfriendly Cal, a man with all the charm of a wet towel. But with no other prospects and a deep love for all things canine, she takes the job caring for Tippy. 

As Gina travels through Cal’s world with Tippy in tow, she begins to see Cal in a different light. Gina longs to show Cal the God-given blessings in his life that have nothing to do with baseball or fame. When her longing blooms into attraction, Gina does her best to suppress it. But Cal is falling in love with her too… 

Discover the charming story of Tippy, the dog who brought a family together.

My Review:

published in 2016

Surprise! Another reread from ten years ago! How is it I am gravitating to 2016 books?! It was a very good year for fiction!

Quirky and fun with lots of sweet and savoury bits. Anyone who has been owned by an eccentric dog will adore Tippy! And empathize with Gina! And eventually Cal — though he was a bit of a hard sell at the beginning. 🙂 And because I love dogs so much I actually cried in two places so be forewarned if you have a tender canine loving heart like mine! Mentink knows how to turn on the emotional angst.

Cal is a bit of a lost soul in the beginning. It isn’t so much that he’s egotistical, but he is cynical about his fame and what people want from him. As a result he’s lost his bearings, confusing self-worth with worldly labels instead of in God’s glory. The enticing thing about Gina is that she sees Cal for who he really is. She couldn’t care less for all the trappings that comes with being a star pitcher. When Cal starts to see himself through her lens, he begins to sort out who he really is and what he wants his future to look like.

Be prepared for a few curve balls as the story progesses — especially since stubborn Cal has a penchant for playing hardball. Through all the mayhem and mirth, Mentink manages to hit a home run with Sit, Stay, Love. (sorry, couldn’t resist using some baseball idioms!)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy and open to any reader anywhere in the world so, yay, an International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Sit, Stay, Love, 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 May 2 2026

An Appearance of Impropriety + Giveaway

As the youngest female judge in LA, Mahalia Jackson has her career goals carefully aligned. But when her mentor tells her she needs to break her shell of professionalism and show a little heart by volunteering for the Junior Jurors program, her plans begin to falter.

Attorney JD Cash heads up the Junior Jurors program, a project born out of his own troubled past. He leverages his position as an attorney to fulfill God’s calling on his life, supporting the orphans and widows of society who have lost beloved husbands and fathers to TransNation’s eighteen-wheeled time bombs roaming America’s freeways.

Mahalia’s rule—never date a lawyer—is a straitjacket that tightens when she presides over the case where JD serves as a young widow’s attorney. But when an earthquake leaves JD and Mahalia in a vulnerable position, her resolve begins to waver and she finds herself opening up to the sad-eyed lawyer. But online, anonymous colleagues and adversaries attempt to destroy Mahalia’s reputation and career.

A legal drama threaded with romance, An Appearance of Impropriety will show readers that real love is worth the risk.

My Review:

I usually don’t read novels with strong legal themes but loved Jayna Breigh’s debut novel so I jumped into this one without any second guessing and it was as brilliant as I knew it would be!

A character-driven legal drama that turned into a compulsive listen. Yes, this was another audio ‘read’ for me and Alyx Monroe might be my dream narrator. The tone of her voice is so soothing and pleasant to listen to and the way she infuses the characters with emotion and humour made me love them all the more!

My fear of not understanding the legal-eeze in ‘An Acceptance of Impropriety’ was unfounded. Somehow Breigh manages to create the thrill of a legal drama in layman’s terms. I never felt lost, in fact, the courtroom scenes were some of the most riveting. JD and Mahalia’s volunteer work with the Junior Jurors program for at-risk youth also helped because I got to learn the court system right along with them.

But there’s also so much more to this story than the legal drama (but, whoa, the drama!) There’s a slow burn romance that builds from misunderstanding. Opposites attract and forbidden love tropes play a part in their complicated relationship as well. JD is a knight in shining armour slaying big corporations on behalf of widows and orphans. I was so invested in his court case! Mahalia is the youngest female judge in LA and she carries that burden of expectation and scrutiny.

I love the way we got to know this hero and heroine through snippets of their backstories at pivotal moments. It helped me understand their thoughts and actions. Watching them struggle to learn from their pasts while finding the courage to create their own unique futures was exhilarating.

A stunning inspirational legal drama/romance that I’m still thinking about days after finishing it.

My thanks to RB Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – paperback or ebook copy – winner’s choice

Canada – ebook or audible copy – winner’s choice

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

If you would like a chance to win a copy of An Appearance of Impropriety, 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 May 2 2026

Secrets of the Amish Diary

Random Retro Read

The people of Pleasant Creek are delighted to welcome Liz Eckardt to their picturesque country town as she reopens the Olde Mansion Inn bed and breakfast. But a new start and a simpler life aren’t the only reasons Liz is setting down roots in the heart of Indiana’s Amish community. She is quietly embarking on a quest to find answers about her late mother’s secret life growing up Amish.

Becoming the town’s new innkeeper helps Liz ingrain herself among the townsfolk while searching for the truth about her Amish relatives. That is until she finds herself in the middle of the mysterious murder of one of the inn’s guests. Is there a connection between the death of her troublesome lodger and the truth about her long-lost family?

My Review:

published in 2016

I seem to be finding quite a few gems from ten years ago in my retro reading. 2016 was a very good publishing year it seems! I’m thrilled with the start of this Amish adjacent cozy mystery series, even more so because it was in audio format and my library seems to have the whole series on hoopla. Very excited about that! And I’m curious to see how this type of series works since it’s written by a number of different authors though the setting and all the characters remain the same. I wonder how continuity works as far as characterization because I really like Liz.

The cozy side of this cozy mystery is sublime! Lots of lovely details about Liz’s life as an innkeeper and the small town vibes are strong as well as delightful insights into the Amish community. There’s even a personal family mystery Liz is working on. The murder mystery is well plotted and the way the author blends cozy details in with the sleuthing makes for an excellently paced novel that’s hard to put down.

And these characters! Love! Liz is instantly relatable but I almost think that the ‘Material Girls’ stole the show. They are a group of mostly elderly quilters who take Liz under their collective wing (translation: stick their noses all in her business.) And then there’s Bean, a lackadaisical bulldog who comes with the inn as well as a slew of other intriguing characters. All in all, a little piece of cozy mystery perfection and I’m excited to continue with the series.

The Bookshop of 99 Doors + Giveaway

In 1910, Minnie Tipton finds herself beset by the onslaught of superstitions that envelope the Pennsylvania mansion her father bought. Convinced the house is haunted by the vengeful spirit of a Civil War captain, and worried by her father’s rapidly worsening illness, Minnie delves into the home’s dark past in an effort to help bring him peace. Yet the lingering impact of the war and the gruesome tale of murder she uncovers only foster more fear and threaten to unravel Minnie’s own sanity.

In the present day, Triss Bellamy eagerly steps into the role of bookshop manager in the mansion-turned-museum boasting ninety-nine doors. But Triss’s dream job turns into a nightmare when havoc breaks loose with the arrival of her brother’s team of self-proclaimed paranormal investigators. Their determination to find a rumored one-hundredth door–a dangerous portal to the madness long said to plague the mansion–results in calamity, leaving Triss no choice but to unravel the truth or watch her brother slip forever beyond her reach.

A shadowy tale of historical hauntings and present-day mysteries masterfully penned by acclaimed thriller author Jaime Jo Wright, who is “in a class by herself” (Library Journal).

My Review:

Jaime Jo Wright has her own brand of eerie and I love it! ‘The Bookshop of 99 Doors’ is a Wright classic. A dual timeline with a Gothic flare that includes inexplicable hauntings and layered mysteries. The artful way the author bridges the two timelines is so clever. There are commonalities with both heroines, some obvious, others much more subtle and the way their stories eventually blend is a striking masterpiece!

I usually find myself drawn to one timeline more than the other in this genre but I found myself equally engaged in both Minnie’s and Triss’ stories so kudos to the author for achieving that kind of balance. Wright has also mastered the art of the cliff hanger scene ending, leaving readers dangling as we jump from one timeline to the next. Absolute page-turning perfection!

A thought provoking redemption arc spans the decades as both heroines face their challenges. Loved the relatable points of view, a poignant reminder that we are all works in progress with God’s grace to see us through.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – paperback or ebook copy – winner’s choice

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

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Bookshop of 99 Doors, 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 April 25 2026

Finding Margo + Giveaway

random retro reread

Off the charts and on the run. 

International pop star Margo Hartman could use a night off. A grueling tour and overbearing entourage have sent her over the edge. It’s time for this diva to disappear. And who would think to look for the superstar in a small Dutch town in Ohio? 

Sheriff’s deputy Brock Moore is undercover as well. He knows Margo isn’t who she appears to be, but her uncanny resemblance to a local Amish woman is raising all sorts of questions…the kind that make her a target for a killer. 

Both are determined to find answers, but their mutual attraction stands in the way of either of them doing it alone. Is finding Margo the solution to Brock’s problems or just the beginning…?

My Review:

published in 2016

Love Jen Turano’s historical books? Well….suspend any preconceived notions you might have of her writing style and story telling technique and prepare to be entertained in an entirely new way! Still good…but different! So don’t let that discombobulate your book karma, okay?

Campy and quirky with the occasional over-the-top slapstick, this book is comedy at its finest. Love the ridiculous in some scenes, the pithy dialogue and tongue-in-cheek humour. And the Amish angle? Sublime! Not quite suspense, not quite mystery — somewhere in the middle maybe? With a generous side of laughter. And a duck. Gotta love a strong duck character in the middle of all that romance and mystery, right?

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy and open to any reader anywhere in the world so, yay, an International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Finding Margo, 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 April 25 2026

Where We Belong + Giveaway

Four lives from Kansas and New York cross paths in a joyful novel of love, determination, and the unbreakable bonds of family—from the beloved and bestselling author of Hope’s Enduring Echo.

As a widow who never had children of her own, Hester Haak never imagined she’d open her home in Kansas to not just one but three kids from the bustling streets of New York. But when the Children’s Aid Society unexpectedly allows her to take two sisters and a young boy her care, she rises to the challenge. Hester is determined to provide a safe, loving home for these children, even as the shadow of them potentially leaving looms over her.

Callum Holbrook struggled with despair after losing his wife. Grieving and unable to provide for his family, he made the agonizing decision to entrust his daughters to an orphanage, promising it was only temporary. Now, stable with a secure job, he is horrified to learn his daughters have been sent halfway across the country. With newfound determination, Callum sets out on an arduous quest to bring them back home.

Where We Belong is a poignant tale of resilience and redemption. As Hester and Callum navigate their paths, they discover that family and love can be found in the most unexpected places, and that the journey home is paved with hope.

My Review:

The kind of story you settle into with a happy sigh of bookish delight. Sawyer’s storytelling is spellbinding. The way she creates a compelling plot as she merges the lives of very distinctive characters is phenomenal. Each has their own heartbreaking past and emotional baggage but when they come together magic happens….though not always right away!

Attention is in the detail and that’s what this author delivers. So many lush layers to explore and my emotions were all over the place because this story could have gone in so many different directions. My heart ached for both Hester and Callum, not to mention the children and the quandary they are all in. And it never ceases to amaze me how cavalier child welfare services were back then, dropping the children off willy nilly at train depots and letting anyone scoop them up!

An emotionally charged, character-driven story that delivers equal doses of heart and faith and left me immensely satisfied by the end…and a little teary-eyed too.

I enjoyed listening to the audio edition of ‘Where We Belong’. Jennette Selig’s talented narration added to my appreciation of theses characters and their stories. She did a marvellous job capturing their unique qualities, bringing each one to life which, in turn, made the story that much more memorable for me. Highly recommend the audio edition if you are a listening kind of reader.

My thanks to RB Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – paperback or ebook copy – winner’s choice

Canada – ebook or audible copy – winner’s choice

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Where We Belong, 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 April 25 2026

At Love’s Bidding + Giveaway

random retro reread

She sells priceless antiques. He sells livestock by the pound.

Is he really the man to make a bid for her heart?

After helping her grandfather at their Boston auction house, Miranda Wimplegate discovers she’s accidentally sold a powerful family’s prized portrait to an anonymous bidder. Desperate to appease the people who could ruin them forever, they track it to the Missouri Ozarks and makes an outlandish offer to buy the local auction house and all its holdings before the painting can move again.

Upon crossing the country, however, Miranda and her grandfather discover their new auction house doesn’t deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its frustratingly handsome manager, Wyatt Ballentine, is frustrated to discover his fussy new bosses don’t know a thing about the business he’s single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more heads of cattle than they can count—but no mysterious painting—Miranda and Wyatt form an unlikely but charged partnership to try and prevent a bad situation from getting worse.

My Review:

published in 2015

Sweet swoony lighthearted bliss. Love all the exacting details in a Jennings novel right down to the clever title tie-ins and this one is brilliant. What starts out as a comedy of errors turns into a intriguing tale of subterfuge. An Ozark Mountain town full of quirky characters provides a lively backdrop to romance and mayhem as Miranda and Wyatt try to navigate their attraction to each other and the mystery dogging their heels. 

And while I’d categorize At Love’s Bidding as a romantic comedy there are still some deep and thought-provoking story threads that make the read all the richer. One of those has to do with Miranda’s grandfather. He is in the early stages of what we now know as Alzheimer’s and watching Miranda struggle to come to grips with the change in her beloved grandpa made my heart ache. Jennings does an incredibly good job of portraying the honest emotions of this kind of family turmoil.

A delightful mix of comedy and drama make for a satisfying reading escape.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read copy, available to any reader anywhere so, YAY, open to International Readers.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of At Love’s Bidding, 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 April 18 2026

Anna’s Healing + Giveaway

Random Retro ReRead

Anna’s Healing is the first book in a brand-new collection from popular author Vannetta Chapman. These stories of love and family and Amish community in Oklahoma tell of the miracles that can happen when lives are lived in service to God and to one another.

When a tornado strikes the farms surrounding Cody’s Creek, Anna Schwartz’s life is changed forever. She suffers a spinal cord injury and suddenly finds herself learning to live as a paraplegic.

Three people—Chloe Roberts, Jacob Graber, and Ruth Schwartz—join forces to help Anna through her darkest days. Chloe is an Englischer who writes for the local paper. Jacob has recently arrived in town and stays on as a hired hand at her uncle’s. And Ruth is her grandmother, a woman of deep faith and a compassionate spirit.

Then one morning Anna wakes and finds herself healed. How did it happen? Why did it happen? And what is she to do now? Her life is again turned upside down as the world’s attention is drawn to this young Amish girl who has experienced the unexplainable.

My Review:

published in 2015

I’m so stunned by the pure beauty of this story that I’m stumped over what to say. 

Almost. 🙂 

It’s a powerful testimony of the way God meets us in the moment…even the difficult ones when we aren’t sure He’s paying attention. But no, I’m not satisfied with that summary. It’s bigger than that. It’s about how God sees the big picture while we’re fixated on one tiny brushstroke. And it’s about how He places people in our path so they’ll be there when we need them the most. 

My favourite character is Anna’s grandmother, Ruth. She’s the glue that holds the family together through the tragedy. Her faith is endless, her patience inexhaustible and her love all-encompassing. Everybody should have a granny like Ruth in their corner.

Anna and Jacob are both still trying to find their place in the world at the beginning of the book. Anna has ventured from home and a loving (but meddlesome) large extended family. Jacob has a restless spirit that has led him from one Amish community to another with absolutely no desire to settle down permanently in any of them. And then he ends up in Cody’s Creek by ‘happenchance.’ Though, in my humble opinion, the circumstances that lead him to Oklahoma are definitely God driven. So here are two…not quite lost, but certainly not found….souls thrown together in the midst of a chaotic time.

Their love story enthralled me. But it’s so much more than a love story. It’s a God story. Inspiration in every page as the reader lives all the struggles and fears right along with them. And oh my! But Jacob is an inspiration all on his own. So thoughtful and caring and tender. Be still my heart! 

And then Anna’s story takes an abrupt U-turn and there’s even more story fodder to sink a reader’s teeth into. A sublime read from start to finish.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – paperback or ebook copy – winner’s choice

Canada – ebook copy

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Anna’s Healing, 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 April 18 2026