Happy Friday! Today I am featuring another great book by Leslie Kirby DeVooght. The Heartfelt Formula is a fun way to kick off the Christmas holidays, whether you begin your holiday reading in December or you can’t wait to skip all the pumpkin spice frenzy. 😉 A sweet, sassy, Southern romance I can’t wait to read, The Heartfelt Formula releases October 22, but you can preorder now.
Here’s the first line:
The Kiss.
She’s got a formula for love… but real life isn’t a Christmas movie.
After another breakup, Atlanta attorney Hope Elliot decides to stop waiting for her happily-ever-after and write it herself. Inspired by her beloved Christmas romance movies, Hope crafts The Heartfelt Formula: a foolproof plan including snowball fights, cookie baking, and a perfectly timed first kiss.
Trading the big city for coastal Georgia, Hope sets out to find her small-town soulmate. But the actors in her carefully plotted scenes keep shuffling—especially when Brennan Taylor, her ambitious co-counsel continues to fill in for Cole Walker, the carefree furniture maker, who Hope cast as her hero.
Between courtroom drama, a mismatched leading man, and a mistletoe mishap, Hope must decide if she’ll trust her formula or accept a plot twist that might leave her all alone, or perhaps, with happiest ending of all.
A faith-filled romantic comedy for anyone who believes love, like Christmas, can still surprise you.
PW Best-Selling Author Leslie Kirby DeVooght writes women’s fiction inspired by romcoms, coastal Georgia, and fried okra! While Leslie and her family live in Jacksonville, Florida, they often visit her hometown of St. Simons Island, Georgia, where she loves to go for long walks on the beach. A graduate of Florida Southern College and Mercer Law School, Leslie is always revising her life from prosecutor to judge to PTA president to author of happily-ever-afters.
A burdened earl. A determined ballerina. Saving the theatre was part of their bargain. Losing their hearts wasn’t.
London, 1815
Emmeline Laurent has survived by grace and grit. After her parents’ execution in France, she has learned to live unseen as a humble ballerina instructing young pupils in a small London theatre. When whispers spread that the Danforth Theatre may be sold to an unscrupulous buyer, Emmeline fears not only for her livelihood but for the safety of her impressionable students. With no time and no options, she does the only thing she knows to do: leap into a moving carriage and bargain with the new lord who holds their fate.
Grant Atherton, the Earl of Quincy, has inherited the crushing weight of duty along with a failing theatre, an arranged engagement, two younger sisters to usher into society, and a mountain of his father’s secrets. Selling the Danforth is the only way to save his family from ruin. The last thing he needs is a beautiful, infuriatingly determined ballerina turning his careful plans upside down.
But when Emmeline’s hidden past begins surfacing and the danger circling the theatre proves far deadlier than either of them realized, Grant must choose between the life he planned and the one God may have been preparing all along.
For fans of Roseanna M. White and Jen Turano — a sweeping Regency romance about the grace found in surrender, the courage it takes to trust, and the God who makes a way when every door seems closed.
Excerpt
One corner of his mouth twitched into a sardonic grin. “If your plan is to accost me and make off with my purse, you should probably show your weapon.”
“Weapon?” She’d only seen the theatre owner from behind, but he was more handsome than she imagined, with a firm aristocratic jaw, light eyes, and thick waves of dark brown hair that curled at the ends. His appealing looks only aided in unnerving her.
“Was someone chasing you?” His smile fell and he twisted to peer out the back window. “Were you being accosted?”
Emmeline also shifted to look but couldn’t explain why. She knew no one pursued her. “No.”
“Do you speak English?”
She inwardly groaned. This was going beyond poorly. “Indeed.”
His gaze hardened. “Then, are you mad?” The muscle twitching in his jaw signaled his frustration. “Whatever were you thinking, jumping into a moving carriage?”
Lorri Dudley is the bestselling author of The Leeward Island Series and The Agents of Espionage Series. She has a master’s degree in psychology and lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household.
Connect with Lorri by visiting lorridudley.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card and a prize bundle with reading blanket, socks, and candle!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 8, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 15, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Happy Tuesday! Today is TTT‘s Indie Freebie. When I began blogging, I read very few indie published books. Now they are everywhere and many traditionally published authors are joining the ranks of the indie published. The cover artwork has improved, editing has gotten better, and sometimes a reader is hard-pressed to identify if a book is indie or not. I love that there are so many great options for authors and readers alike.
Today I am featuring some indie published books I have read. I hope you discover a book to love.
Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Gentlewoman Apprentice by Emily Opal, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About The Book
Title:The Gentlewoman Apprentice Series:The Gentlewoman Series #5 Author:Emily Opal Publisher: Independently Published Release Date: September 3, 2026 Genre: Historical Romance
Every seam hides a secret. Every valentine reveals the truth.
When Margaret Cooper departs the slums of East London for an apprenticeship in a quiet market town, she topples the established order—and no one feels it more than Peter Sloan, the handsome tailor forced to teach her his trade.
Margaret is steeled to prove her worth in a man’s world and has no leisure for courtship. But when anonymous Valentines begin to arrive, each with gifts and words that pierce her heart, she feels truly known for the first time. If only she could unmask the hand that distracts her from her aspirations.
Burdened by a failing business and an ill father, Peter has no patience for a female apprentice who upends his orderly life. Yet through a reckless wager, he finds himself sending Valentines to none other than Miss Cooper. What begins as halfhearted duty blossoms into admiration—and dangerous longing.
Excerpt
The sharp clip of footsteps on cobblestone drew Meg’s gaze from the trunk upon the ground in front of her to the morning light at the mouth of the alley. She stood outside her kitchen door, which opened onto the backstreet. A warm glow from her windows and the graying dawn illuminated Mr. Peter Sloan, master tailor and the man from whom Meg was meant to learn dressmaking. Her sham of an apprenticeship would end in disgrace if he discovered her enterprise—an eventuality that seemed likely, considering he lived across the street.
The lid of the wicker trunk slipped from her fingers and slammed closed before she could properly take an account of the trunk’s contents. Mr. Sloan stopped and pivoted toward her. Heart pounding, she stiffened and gave the barest nod. Why was he out so early?
Please, do not approach, she prayed.
“Fine morning.” His voice, too loud and too cheerful for the hour, made her jump.
She stepped in front of the trunk, drawing his eyes to it. Wouldn’t he love to catch her flouting guild rules? She tightened her red knitted shawl against the January drizzle, tucking her hands into its folds, and waited.
Emily Opal spent her childhood reading, having tea parties, and imagining she existed in another century. While pleased to live in a time when chamber pots are obsolete, she loves researching a bygone world full of hardships both foreign and relatable. Fortunate to find a spouse equally afflicted with wanderlust, Emily and her husband travel whenever and wherever they can. They live with their children and Labradoodle in Utah, where she enjoys mountain views and hiking but pretends to love skiing.
Connect with Emily by visiting emilyopal.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.
Tour Giveaway
(3) winners will each receive a book box with 18th century bits and bobs and a $20 Amazon gift card!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 7, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 14, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only for gift card. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Happy Friday! I am excited to feature Fatal Finale by Nancy Mehl this week. The third and final book in the Erin DelaneyMysteries series is just what this suspense-loving gal is looking for! The series follows policewoman turned author, Erin Delaney as she navigates a new life, and of course dangerous situations. 😉 In each book she is joined by Kaely Quinn, a great character from the author’s Kaely Quinn Profiler series. If you haven’t read either of the series, then begin with Mind Games — you will have 6 fabulous books to binge this fall!
Here’s the first line:
Kaely’s eyes fluttered open, and she tried to focus on her surroundings.
They’d started back to the house when they heard a male voice behind them. Then a shot rang out. “Run!” Kaely said.
When bestselling author Erin Delaney’s novel gets picked up for a movie deal, she eagerly awaits her friend Kaely Quinn-Hunter’s arrival in Tennessee before they head to California to observe the film’s production. However, when Kaely does not arrive at the scheduled time and Erin can’t reach her by phone, her concern grows.
A cryptic phone call from Kaely’s kidnapper confirms Erin’s worst fear–she has exactly six days to save her friend’s life by solving his twisted clues. The message comes with a warning: Contact the police or FBI, and Kaely dies. But Erin works for the Sanctuary Police Department, and Kaely’s husband is with the FBI, putting her in an impossible situation. As Erin races against time, she’s forced to crack the kidnapper’s chilling puzzle before it’s too late.
Nancy Mehl delivers thrills like no one else in the closure of her high-stakes Christian romantic suspense series full of action, investigations, cryptic clues, and dangerous threats. This promises to captivate fans of Criminal Minds, Lynette Eason, Colleen Coble, Irene Hannon, Susan May Warren, and Elizabeth Goddard.
Nancy Mehl lives in Missouri, with her husband Norman, and her puggle, Watson. She’s authored over fifty books and is currently at work on a new FBI suspense series for Bethany House Publishing.
All of Nancy’s novels have an added touch – something for your spirit as well as your soul. “I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing,” Nancy says. “It’s a part of me and of everything I think or do. God is number one in my life. I wouldn’t be writing at all if I didn’t believe that this is what He’s called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan especially for your life, and there is nothing you can’t overcome with His help.”
You can find out more about Nancy by visiting her Web site at: http://www.nancymehl.com. She also is active on the Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com and on FaceBook!
Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Song of Our Heart by Kathy Dye, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About The Book
Title: The Song of Our Heart: Remembering God’s Faithfulness Through Every Season Author: Kathy Dye Publisher: Westbow Press Release Date: April 9, 2026 Genre: Bible Study
Life doesn’t always sound like we expect. Disappointments come, relationships fracture, health fails, and dreams fade. In these moments, we need something—Someone—to be the steady song of our hearts.
The Song of Our Heart presents a five-week Bible study journey through Psalm 71. It provides a way to discover how to make God your song through every season of life—not just the easy ones, but especially the hard ones. This isn’t about superficial positivity or pretending everything is fine. It’s about honest faith that clings to God when life is messy. Through daily readings, reflection questions, and practical application, you’ll explore what it means to find God as your refuge when you’re overwhelmed, your hope when circumstances look bleak, and your praise even when you don’t feel like singing. Each week focuses on a specific aspect of making God your song:
Week 1: God Is Our Song
Week 2: A Life Led by God
Week 3: God as Our Refuge
Week 4: God as Our Hope
Week 5: God as Our Praise
Whether you’re in a season of joy or walking through shadows, this study will help you rediscover that God isn’t just with you—He is your song. And when He becomes your song, you’ll be able to build a legacy of faith that sings long after you’re gone.
Excerpt
“When everything faded, the song remained.”
In the quiet moments of dawn, before the world fully awakens, have you ever noticed how creation itself seems to sing? Birds lift their voices in chorus, leaves gently rustle in the wind, even the rain falls rhythmically—all of creation carries a melody. This is no coincidence. Scripture tells us that God Himself sings over us: “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love, He will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).
This Bible study explores a profound truth: The Creator of the universe is composing a magnificent song, and remarkably, He invites each of us to become part of His divine harmony.
After my mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s, I realized something profound: When everything else faded—memories, recognition, even speech—the songs of faith remained. Music reached her heart when nothing else could. I wrote A Song in Her Heart to capture this journey, but I soon discovered a deeper truth: God Himself is the song that remains when all else fails.
Kathy Dye resides in Evansville, Indiana, with her husband Sid. A retired elementary teacher turned Christian author and speaker, Kathy has taught women’s Bible studies for over 40 years. She is the author of A Song in Her Heart, the Kit Kat Camp series, and the newly released Bible study The Song of Our Heart—a five-week journey through Psalm 71 helping women make God the song of their hearts through every season of life. Her commitment is to equip mothers and women to build a legacy of faith across generations.
Connect with Kathy by visiting kathydyeauthor.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.
Tour Giveaway
(2) winners will each receive a print copy of The Song of Our Heart and a $10 Amazon gift card!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 1, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 8, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Happy Tuesday! Today TTT bloggers are sharing books that have nationalities in the title. I had more books than I expected to choose from my shelves, but I did a bit of googling to round out my list. Asterisks denote books that I don’t own. Let me know if I should add them!
How is it September already?! One thing is true, it does not feel like September here in the sunny south. Highs will continue in the upper 90s for a while. I hope in your area you are feeling the beginnings of fall.
I missed my book club’s meeting in August, so I am excited to get together and catch up this month. Our selection is Spies, Lies, And Alibis by Natalie Walters. This one looks so good! And I love the cover. If you have read it, we want to know what you thought.
They were each other’s first love. Now they might be each other’s last hope. Perfect for fans of Ally Carter, Spies, Lies, and Alibis is an unputdownable binge-fest, full of laughs, heart, and mischief.
Cybil Langford has spent years hiding behind her polished, professional facade as the executive assistant to a powerful real estate mogul, where she’s perfectly positioned to collect intel on her boss’s criminal network. But when her mission leads her into the path of Lorenzo Ramirez–a ruthless crime boss with deadly plans–she’ll need every ounce of cunning and charm to stay one step ahead.
Then he walks back into her life.
Ben Bradley is deep undercover for the FBI, living under an alias, as a financial advisor with a reputation for helping the wealthy and corrupt launder their money. His target? Lorenzo Ramirez, a dangerous crime boss with his hands in everything from smuggling to murder. But when a familiar face from his past suddenly reappears, things get . . . complicated.
The last time Cybil saw Ben, he was an annoying prankster–and her first crush. The last time Ben saw Cybil, she stole a piece of his heart. Neither expected to run into each other at a high-stakes fundraising gala where crime, corruption, and undercover agendas collide.
Forced to work dangerously close, neither knows the other’s true agenda. Cybil sees the boy who once broke her heart, now a man whose motives are deeply suspect. Ben sees the woman he never got over but can’t determine if she’s an innocent caught in the crossfire or a willing accomplice. As they navigate a world of spies, lies, and fragile alibis, they must dismantle the walls around their hearts.
The intel is classified. The trust is fragile. And their covers are one lie away from blowing wide open.
Dive into a hilarious, fast-paced romantic suspense that balances danger with wit and charm. Early readers are loving the gripping twists, engaging humor, and clean, chemistry-filled romance that make Spies, Lies, and Alibis such a fun, page-turning ride. Grab your copy today for a story packed with intrigue, heart, and just the right amount of sass.
Natalie Walters is a best selling author who loves writing romantic suspense with dynamic plots, memorable characters, humor, heart, and adventure.
As an Army wife, she fills her stories with the right balance of romantic and suspenseful tension to get the heart-racing and a cast of witty characters–all of which, may or may not be inspired by true people and/or events.
When she’s not writing, she’s dreaming of her next vacation, spending time with her family, or chasing after her sock-eating Goldendoodle, Scout. Annnd binging CourtTv.
Welcome to the Blog Tour for Restoring Hope by Philippa Cleall, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About The Book
Title:Restoring Hope Series: Restored from Ashes #1 Author:Philippa Cleall Publisher: Ark House Press Release Date: October 31, 2025 Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction
Can she find safety and belonging, before the past finds her?
After escaping an abusive marriage, Hope Elkins returns to the quiet town of Wombat Valley to reopen her late grandmother’s café, The Hearth—not to chase a dream, but to rebuild her life.
Drawn in by the scent of wood-fired pizza and the warmth of old and new faces, Hope begins to find more than comfort within the café’s walls. As The Hearth fills with stories and second chances, she forms unlikely bonds with others—Ruby, a fiercely guarded teen; Nova, a young mother on the run; and Joe, the gentle local vet carrying grief of his own.
With the support of her new community, Hope begins to heal and is gently drawn back to the faith she thought she’d left behind. But when a charming, dangerous figure from her past resurfaces, she must decide whether to stand firm in the life she’s begun to rebuild, or risk losing it all.
Restoring Hope is a tender, uplifting story of resilience, rediscovery, and the quiet strength found in faith, friendship, and a place to belong.
Excerpt
As the evening drew to a close, Eve brought out a shallow bowl filled with smooth river stones and passed it around the circle.
“You don’t have to take one,” she said. “But if it helps, these are a reminder. That healing takes time, and that the hard places in life you’ve survived have actually shaped you into something strong and beautiful, even when you feel worn thin.”
Each woman took a stone.
Hope rolled hers in her palm. It was cool and grounding, its weight oddly reassuring.
Eve lifted a cup filled with metallic ink markers. “If you feel ready, I invite you to write a word on your stone. Just one. A name you sense God might be speaking over you. Something true. Something healing. You can take it home and keep it visible. Let it remind you of who you really are.”
The women each selected a marker. One wrote “Free”. Another, “Seen”. A third, with trembling fingers, carefully wrote “Whole”.
Hope waited.
Watching them, she felt unsure. It felt too intimate, too exposing. So simple, but so weighty.
The silver pen hovered in her hand.
A word came. Unexpected. But steady. “Treasured.”
Not looked down upon.
Not just tolerated.
Valuable.
Wanted. Loved because she existed. Not for what she did or didn’t do.
Her throat tightened. She pressed the pen down and slowly wrote the word, her hand steadying as she shaped each letter.
Philippa Cleall is a Children’s and Family Counsellor and volunteer Court Chaplain on the south coast of NSW, in Australia. She has a heart for seeing communities become more trauma informed so they can care for those hurting with greater wisdom, compassion, grace, and truth.
(1) winner will receive a $25 B&N gift card + a ‘Kangaroo Valley’ souvenir prize pack from Australia!
(1) additional winner will also receive a ‘Kangaroo Valley’ souvenir prize pack!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight August 31, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 7, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only for gift card. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Happy Friday! Today I am featuring my book club’s upcoming selection, Spies, Lies, And Alibis by Natalie Walters. I am a big fan of Walters’ books, and this one looks especially fun. Its cover definitely has a different vibe from her previous novels. If you’ve read it, we’d love to know what you think.
Here’s the first line:
The day I walked into school in my Sunday suit, my hair slicked back, and my orange juice in a martini shaker I took from my house, I felt like the coolest kid in school.
They were each other’s first love. Now they might be each other’s last hope. Perfect for fans of Ally Carter, Spies, Lies, and Alibis is an unputdownable binge-fest, full of laughs, heart, and mischief.
Cybil Langford has spent years hiding behind her polished, professional facade as the executive assistant to a powerful real estate mogul, where she’s perfectly positioned to collect intel on her boss’s criminal network. But when her mission leads her into the path of Lorenzo Ramirez–a ruthless crime boss with deadly plans–she’ll need every ounce of cunning and charm to stay one step ahead.
Then he walks back into her life.
Ben Bradley is deep undercover for the FBI, living under an alias, as a financial advisor with a reputation for helping the wealthy and corrupt launder their money. His target? Lorenzo Ramirez, a dangerous crime boss with his hands in everything from smuggling to murder. But when a familiar face from his past suddenly reappears, things get . . . complicated.
The last time Cybil saw Ben, he was an annoying prankster–and her first crush. The last time Ben saw Cybil, she stole a piece of his heart. Neither expected to run into each other at a high-stakes fundraising gala where crime, corruption, and undercover agendas collide.
Forced to work dangerously close, neither knows the other’s true agenda. Cybil sees the boy who once broke her heart, now a man whose motives are deeply suspect. Ben sees the woman he never got over but can’t determine if she’s an innocent caught in the crossfire or a willing accomplice. As they navigate a world of spies, lies, and fragile alibis, they must dismantle the walls around their hearts.
The intel is classified. The trust is fragile. And their covers are one lie away from blowing wide open.
Dive into a hilarious, fast-paced romantic suspense that balances danger with wit and charm. Early readers are loving the gripping twists, engaging humor, and clean, chemistry-filled romance that make Spies, Lies, and Alibis such a fun, page-turning ride. Grab your copy today for a story packed with intrigue, heart, and just the right amount of sass.
Natalie Walters is a best selling author who loves writing romantic suspense with dynamic plots, memorable characters, humor, heart, and adventure.
As an Army wife, she fills her stories with the right balance of romantic and suspenseful tension to get the heart-racing and a cast of witty characters–all of which, may or may not be inspired by true people and/or events.
When she’s not writing, she’s dreaming of her next vacation, spending time with her family, or chasing after her sock-eating Goldendoodle, Scout. Annnd binging CourtTv.
Many of the books I review are provided to me free of charge from publishers, authors, or other groups in return for a review. The opinions expressed in the reviews are mine and mine alone. No monetary consideration is given. This disclaimer is in accordance with FTC rules.
I am an Amazon.com affiliate, which means that I earn a small percentage of the sales from products purchased through links on my site. I NEVER recommend a book in order to receive a profit. Proceeds from affiliate sales help to defray operating costs of the blog.
Giveaways are open to persons 18 years or older. All winners are picked randomly. No purchases are necessary to enter a giveaway. All giveaways are for US entries only and are void where prohibited.
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