The “Colorado Cowboys” saga continues in book #3, “To Tame a Cowboy”, written by talented author Jody Hedlund and published by Bethany House.  I know there will be at least one more book to come in the series later this fall, and I’m expecting two more – so that each McQuaid sibling gets to tell their story.  Filled with plenty of adventure and romance set on the Western frontier, “To Tame a Cowboy” is an interesting addition to the series.  But, it is not my favourite for a few reasons… I enjoyed seeing Brody’s story come to life, but it felt lacking in comparison with the high ..read more

“On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor” is my new favourite novel by Jaime Jo Wright!  Published by Bethany House in the summer of 2021, this book has just the right mixture of dark mystery, hopeful healing, and dual-time back-and-forth sequences to keep me turning pages long into the night – I simply couldn’t wait to see how it was all resolved!  I also love how it was deliciously creepy and haunting, but it all turned out reasonably explained in the end.   So many things about this story really resonated with me, and their intertwining dramas between centuries was almost mesmerizing ..read more

After multiple book series all set in Europe, “Dreams of Savannah” is quite a surprising release for Roseanna White, as it is set in the Southern States during the American Civil War. As a Civil War era novel, “Dreams of Savannah” is, not surprisingly, quite ridden with the many issues surrounding slavery.  And I have to admire the author for bluntly narrating some of the horrors that were found in those toxic beliefs of the American South that led to one man enslaving another.  While I’m not sure the author could have done anything differently while still maintaining integrity for ..read more

I always learn some interesting history lessons when I pick up a Judith Miller book from Bethany House Publishers! In her new release of “A Single Spark”, I discovered unique facts about the arsenals responsible for producing munitions during the Civil War, and how the vast majority of employees in these facilities were women. Although necessary for the Union Army to win the war, these were dangerous positions for many reasons including close contact with gunpowder, as well as the possibility for treasonous activity within the production sites. . . As was the case in “A Single Spark”! Although ..read more

Jocelyn Green always leaves me in awe when I finish one of her books. With masterful prose, she manages to bring history to life in ways that make me feel as though I am living alongside her characters from the past, feeling every emotion and witnessing every event just as they do. “Veiled in Smoke”, her new release from Bethany House Publishers, is the first story in “The Windy City Saga”. This dramatic novel brings the tragic event of Chicago’s Great Fire of 1871 to vivid existence in our imagination, following two sisters as they experience the fire – and it’s aftereffects – firsthand. “Vei ..read more

Have you ever read a book that was challenging, emotional, and perhaps even uncomfortable – but at the same time you couldn’t put it down because it was so richly written, engrossing and empathetic? This was my experience with “We Hope for Better Things”, an incredible debut novel written by Erin Bartels and published by Revell. This story weaves the past and present into an unforgettable journey told through the eyes of three women united in the same family, but separated by years of time. Set in Detroit, Michigan, in three separate time periods (present day, the 1960s, and the 1860s) “We Hop ..read more

With her new release from Thomas Nelson publishers, Tamera Alexander once again reminds her readers precisely why she is a bestselling author – her stories are masterfully written with powerful themes and unforgettable characters, often revolving around true historical events. “With This Pledge” is undoubtedly her most heart-wrenching work to date, yet also one of her most beautiful, as it contrasts the unimaginable horrors of the Civil War with the promise and hope of God’s unending and never-failing love. While it will take courage to read this incredible story, the rewards that it offers by ..read more

The American Civil War is the setting of many novels, but have you ever read a story from the Amish perspective of the War Between the States? Jan Drexler’s new release from Revell Publishing, entitled “The Sound of Distant Thunder”, combines historical research with a compelling personal saga as it explores this very question: how can a group of people, who are nonresistance-based due to religion, live conscientiously in times of war and especially when the draft (compulsory recruitment) is brought into play? Although Amish fiction is not my main diet of reading material, I do enjoy occasiona ..read more

All stories affect us to some degree, but in some cases when the topic strikes such a chord in our hearts, we hold the story up beside our own lives as a filter to perhaps look at life a little differently than we did before. The issues surrounding slavery, and the courage of the men and women who helped the slaves escape their prison, are a prime example of a very poignant slice of history for many people. I have only read a handful of stories set during the Civil War, but Tara Johnson’s newest novel is definitely one of the most memorable. “Engraved on the Heart” was published by Tyndale Hou ..read more

To be honest, I didn’t feel like starting a Christmas book quite yet – it seemed too early. But after reading only the first few chapters of a story that will definitely become an annual tradition, I was enchanted. Tamera Alexander’s newest release from Thomas Nelson, “Christmas at Carnton”, is a novella, but a fairly long one. It is also the introductory story to a new three-novel series about the Carnton Plantation in Franklin, Tennessee. Set in the midst of the Civil War, “Christmas at Carnton” tells the sweet story of a recently widowed young mother, a wounded soldier, and the love and ren ..read more