Book Review + Giveaway — A Bookshop for Christmas

5 Nov
A Bookshop for Christmas JustRead Blog + Review Tour

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for A Bookshop for Christmas by Heidi Chiavaroli, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

A Bookshop for Christmas

Title: A Bookshop for Christmas
Author: Heidi Chiavaroli
Publisher: Hope Creek Publishers
Release Date: October 20, 2026
Genre: Christian Women’s Fiction

Seven estranged cousins. One ambitious project. A hundred ways it could all go very wrong.

When Brooke’s beloved grandparents die unexpectedly, their final wish brings her scattered family back to Hope Creek, including Jeremiah, the boy she once loved—the same boy who abandoned them when the Chilton clan disintegrated years ago. Despite the long-held grudges and awkward secrets that kept them all apart, Brooke and Jeremiah convince the Chilton cousins to help honor their grandparents’ last request: to take the old church they saved from destruction and turn it into a bookshop that will serve their beloved community.

And to do it all before Christmas.

But repurposing the church building may be easier than healing the deep wounds that tore their family apart. Secrets, both old and new, threaten to destroy Brooke and Jeremiah’s hope that this project could be a new beginning for all of them. With the bookstore’s opening day fast approaching and everyone’s lives upended, each cousin must discover for themselves that the greatest inheritance their grandparents left behind wasn’t a building—it was the gift of forgiveness, the power of second chances, and the enduring hope of Christmas.

Excerpt

Brooke was seven years old the first Christmas Jeremiah came to them. The snatch of time took up space in her mind like a sticky marshmallow ball of pleasant memories—gingerbread smiles, warm wool hats, clustered cousins, and grandparent giggles.

Jeremiah had climbed out of Uncle Curtis’s truck, his mother—Uncle Curtis’s new wife, Kendall—behind him.

The first thing Brooke noticed was the tear running down the side of Jeremiah’s coat. The second thing was of more worth—how his mother’s hands rested protectively on the puffy shoulders of that torn jacket. As if she was ready to do battle with anyone who so much as looked at her son sideways.

Brooke wondered what it would feel like to have a mom like that.

“Hey.” Six-year-old Shawn ran up to Jeremiah. “Want to build a snow fort?”

Kendall’s hands fell from her son’s shoulders as Jeremiah ran off with Shawn.

And just like that, Jeremiah was one of them. The cousins—a chaotic ball of energy and new ideas and adventure and igloo forts and stories and hot chocolate.

Jeremiah didn’t look like them. While the hair atop the six cousins’ heads was an array of yellow one might find in a paint store selection and their skin the result of their English heritage, Jeremiah’s skin was darker, his hair and eyes as brown as milk chocolate.

And yet Brooke always thought there was something golden about him. As if the fringes of him were lit by an ethereal glow. As if he belonged in the Storybook Bible that Gram had given her, a picture of a host of angels announcing the birth of the tiny Savior.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Author’s Website | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

My Impressions:

If you are ready for some great Christmas reading, then you definitely need to pick up A Bookshop for Christmas by Heidi Chiavaroli. This contemporary novel featuring a big and a bit dysfunctional family is full of heart and the importance of legacy. The heads of the Chilton family are tragically gone, and their grandchildren are left to build on their grandparents’ belief in hospitality, community, and sticking with others through the good and the bad. Each of the 7 cousins have things to work through in their lives, but they have a strong desire to fulfill their grandparents’ dream — turning a decommissioned church into a bookstore that will serve as a hub for their small Cape Cod town. Although not all 7 cousins were given a big role in the plot of A Bookshop for Christmas, the author created a good ensemble cast, and those that were most developed really resonated with me. Their struggles were real. They had disappointments, failures, and big regrets, but they each chose to look to the faith of previous generations to rekindle their own lives. There was real growth that looked like real life. The concept of the bookshop was also heartwarming — bringing community together. The author incorporated the Rule of St. Benedict into the plot, and I am grateful to have learned about it. I was not familiar with it, since my faith is informed by a Protestant tradition, but I loved that the concepts could be incorporated into any Christian’s life. The novel’s cozy, Christmas-y vibe is perfect for the holiday season. It has warmth, faith, and a nice touch of romance while centering on reconciliation and forgiveness. It’s the perfect addition to your TBR.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased the ebook from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Also Available

Where Grace Appears

About The Author

Heidi Chiavaroli

Heidi Chiavaroli is the award-winning author of several books, including Freedom’s Ring, The Orchard House, The Orchard House Bed and Breakfast series, and the bestselling Draw Close to Jesus: 40 Encounters with the Savior for the Sacred Season of Lent. She makes her home in Massachusetts with her husband and their two sons.

Connect with Heidi by visiting heidichiavaroli.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a copy of A Bookshop for Christmas and a $75 Amazon Gift Card!

A Bookshop for Christmas blog tour giveaway JustRead

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight November 3, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 10, 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 only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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November/December Book Club Pick — Twelve Days And Twelfth Night

4 Nov

It has been a really busy year with not a lot of slowdown expected by the time it ends. My book club decided that we would meet early in December and skip a late in November discussion. We will all be in the Christmas mood, but glad for one thing to check off the to-do and to-read list. So, we will read Twelve Days And Twelfth Night by Sarah Sundin in November, but celebrate in December. It seems a win-win for us — Sundin is a favorite of ours and to have a Christmas novella by her to read seems an extra treat. Have you read it yet? Let us know what you thought.

She needs a star for her wartime Christmas show. He needs a second chance. Together they stage a production neither expected.

World War II USO director Maggie Oliver faces an impossible task: orchestrate a Christmas show in San Diego for thousands of sailors, with dwindling resources and a quickly approaching deadline. To star in the show, she enlists Prescott Duke, a former Hollywood heartthrob whose career ended in flames after an accident left him scarred and adrift. He eagerly accepts Maggie’s invitation and seizes the chance to reclaim what war has stolen from him.

Inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” Maggie and Prescott craft a show at a Shakespearean theater that promises to lift spirits. But as rehearsals progress, Maggie discovers a secret that could transform her production into something unforgettable. With opening night approaching and unexpected feelings complicating everything, Maggie must decide how far she’ll go to rewrite not just her show but the outcome for everyone involved.

A romantic World War II Christmas novella of Hollywood stars and a holiday production. Perfect for fans of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the opposites-attract trope, redemption, and second chances.

Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of Twelve Days and Twelfth Night (September 2026), Mists over the Channel Islands (February 2026), Midnight on the Scottish Shore (2025), Embers in the London Sky (2024), The Sound of Light (2023), Until Leaves Fall in Paris (2022), When Twilight Breaks (2021), and several World War II series.

Sarah’s novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. Until Leaves Fall in Paris received the 2022 Christy Award, The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award, The Sound of Light was a finalist for both the Christy Award and the Carol Award, and When Twilight Breaks and The Land Beneath Us were finalists for the Christy Award.

A mother of three, Sundin lives in Southern California and enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers’ groups. Sarah serves as co-director of the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.

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Spotlight on Regency Romance — Pride And Practicality

4 Nov
Pride and Practicality JustRead Takeover + Review Tour

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Pride & Practicality by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Pride & Practicality

Title: Pride & Practicality
Author: Pepper Basham
 Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: November 3, 2026
Genre: Clean Regency Romantic Comedy

In a world ruled by reputation, compassion may be the most scandalous act of all.

Arianna Reeves knows how quickly admiration can turn into exile. One poorly placed trust, one disastrously charming rake, and she is no longer society’s darling–but its favorite cautionary tale.

Now returned home–uninvited and unmistakably whispered about–Arianna is determined to make amends with her estranged family and do something useful with her thoroughly ruined life. Even if polite society would prefer she did it at a very great distance from anyone respectable.

Thomas Bridges, a principled clergyman with an inconvenient habit of thinking for himself, is already walking a narrow line. His congregation expects propriety, his mother expects matrimony, and both have very firm opinions about his future. Thomas, however, would prefer a life guided by conviction . . . even when it proves impractical.

When Arianna repeatedly–and quite disruptively–crosses his path, Thomas faces a dilemma no sermon prepared him for. She is not at all what she ought to be: not dull, not foolish, and–most dangerously–not someone he can overlook, but a kindred spirit who shares his passion for service and his troubling habit of defying society’s expectations . . . all with good intentions, of course.

As their forbidden acquaintance deepens into something far more perilous than friendship, Arianna and Thomas must decide: preserve their reputations, or risk them entirely for the good of others—–and their own hearts.

Because in a society that measures worth by perfection, choosing grace, mercy, and love may cost them everything–and give them more than they ever hoped to find.

Excerpt


They moved through the opening figures in silence, the steps requiring concentration that precluded conversation. But finally, as the pattern brought them close enough for private speech and to his utter surprise—and delight, truth be told—she smiled up at him with genuine warmth.

“I do believe you are determined to rescue people, aren’t you, Mr. Bridges?”

The knot in his chest uncoiled a little. Ah, so she battled difficulties with humor even now, as she’d done in Leeds. It was a far too attractive trait.

“I’m only fulfilling the natural response of any gentleman worth his salt.” He sent the room a glare for good measure, God help him. “It’s unpardonable viciousness.”

“Unpardonable?” Her brow tipped with teasing challenge. “Not a very pleasant thought for a rector, I should think. Doesn’t your profession rather depend on the notion that all things might be forgiven?”

His smile responded to her gentle mockery. “Perhaps I should amend to ‘unconscionable’ instead. Does that satisfy your theological concerns?”

“Considerably better. Though I confess myself surprised that a man of the cloth would risk his reputation for someone he barely knows.” The words emerged carefully, testing the waters of what they could acknowledge in such public circumstances. “Most clergymen I’ve encountered only reserve their heroics for the pulpit.”

“Then you’ve been keeping company with the wrong sort of clergymen.” The words escaped before he could stop them, and he had the grace to look abashed. “I should hope I would choose to do the right thing regardless of acquaintance.”

The declaration stung with conviction at his earlier hesitation in intervening at all. Thomas guided her through the next turn, attempting to ignore how perfectly her hand fit in his.

“You absolutely refuse to remain in a tidy box for my well-honed bitterness, don’t you?”

“Do I?” His brows shot northward. “Well, if you will inform me of my supposed ‘box’ as you say, then I shall endeavor to climb inside it directly. I’ve always thought myself rather good at fitting into confined spaces—a necessary skill for visiting parishioners with very small parlors.”

She chuckled, the sound inciting an alarming response from his pulse. “Please do not.” Her gaze fixed on his and for a moment all humor fled. “I fear I may be lost to the thought of faithful men if you did.”

Her sentiment struck him with an odd sense of grief and . . . what was the feeling? Gratitude? Yes, but something more. Something deep and spine-straightening. Something that made him want to prove himself worthy of that fragile trust in her eyes.

Dangerous territory, that.

“I pray there are many more who would do what is right, Miss Reeves,” he managed. They only need—”

“Someone else to show them the way?” She studied him with those impossibly blue eyes, and he felt rather like a specimen under glass.

He swallowed through the tension in his throat and dipped his head toward her. “I fear you are attempting to embarrass me and it will not do, but I would remind you that there are many more praiseworthy men in this room, if you recall.” He looked toward the wall where Mr. Graves stood. “Our host was first to dance with you.”

They parted in their turn, and he found himself counting the steps until she returned to him. Ridiculous behavior for a man of sense.

“You shouldn’t have done this,” Arianna said quietly as the dance brought them together again, almost as if she’d been reading his mind. “It certainly cannot assist in your cause for children or increase your social standing.”

Thomas waited until the pattern reunited them, the separation giving him time to formulate his answer. “Because sometimes doing what is right matters more than doing what is safe.”

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Faith Gateway | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop | BookBub

Also Available

Sense and Suitability
Some Like it Scot
A Brewed Awakening

 

About The Author

Pepper Basham

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of southwestern VA, where she is a wife, mom to five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

Connect with Pepper by visiting PepperdBasham.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a Cranford Collection copy of Pride and Prejudice, a matching journal, four Pride and Prejudice inspired bookmarks, and a copy of Pride & Practicality!

(1) additional winner will receive a signed copy of Pride & Practicality!

Pride & Practicality JustRead Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight November 4, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on November 11, 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 only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

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Top 10 Tuesday — Short And Sweet Reviews

3 Nov

Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT’s topic is one word reviews. This was so hard! My short and sweet list uses a lot of hyphens to simulate one word. They are really more descriptions than reviews, too. Again, hard! The list includes the last 10 books I have written reviews of, so at least that is on topic. I hope you find a book to love.

For more fabulous one word reviews. please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Short And Sweet Reviews

Community — A Bookshop for Christmas by Heidi Chiavaroli

Faith-filled — Cascade by Linda K. Rodante

Danger-around-every-corner — The Final Word by Laura Thomas

Man-against-the-elements — Fire Mountain by Dana Mentink

Merry-vibe — The Heartfelt Formula by Leslie K. DeVooght

Suspense-filled — The Last Noel by Sarah Hamaker, Kimberly Woodhouse, and Jayna Breigh

Twisty — The Lies We Trade by Kristine Delano

Sassy — Spies, Lies, And Alibis by Natalie Walters

Magical — The Spring at Trulee Holler by Jana Hutcheson

Journey-toward-forgiveness — Things We Cannot Keep by Amanda Cox

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Mini-Book Review — The Final Word

2 Nov

The Final Word by Laura Thomas, the second book in the Bite of Betrayal romantic suspense series, focuses on main character Sophie Brooks. Looking to start a new chapter in her career and life, Sophie moves from Paris to a small British village. Her excitement to become closer to her family and pursue her dreams dampens when danger (a violent ex) follows her across the British Channel. I liked this book’s quaint setting, the addition of a dreamy opera singer/love interest, and the threat of danger that the two face head-on. Members of Sophie’s family get caught up in the nefarious goings-on, increasing the tension for the main characters. The suspense really ratchets up as the danger increases. If you like quiet settings and big suspense, then The Final Word is a book you need to check out.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I borrowed the ebook from Kindle+. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Terrorized by darkness from her past. Real life is no fairy tale…

When aspiring author Sophie Brooks chooses to trade a vibrant Paris life for the tranquility of a quaint English village, she imagines her final days in the City of Lights will be magical. Sophie doesn’t anticipate a chilling encounter with an old flame—nor does she plan to find a new love on her very last night.

Miles Morgan’s life has been defined as a successful opera singer—until now. His chance encounter with Sophie in Paris ignites renewed hope … if he can figure out his next chapter and if she can accept what his future may hold.

In the heart of the English countryside, Sophie and Miles’ fairy tale romance turns into a noxious nightmare as the darkness of Sophie’s past—and her volatile ex—catch up with her. Both Sophie and Miles must surrender everything to the One they thought had betrayed them as they lean into love and fight for their lives.

Travel from Paris to England in this fast-paced, faith-over-fear story of surrender.

An award-winning Christian author, Laura Thomas writes heartwarming encouragement for your soul… with the ultimate desire to inspire fiction readers in their real lives with her stories of hope.

Laura is a certified writing coach, a book-loving chocoholic mom and nanny, and is married to her high school sweetheart. Originally from the UK, they now live the empty nest life in Kelowna, British Columbia, with their French bulldog!

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First Line Friday — Fire Mountain

30 Oct

Want a fast-paced romantic suspense with some unusual elements? Then check out Fire Mountain by Dana Mentink. I have to say an erupting volcano is not what I would want on my bingo card! LOL! But that’s what the main characters of this novel run into, along with bad guys who always seem to be a step ahead.

Here’s the first line:

Cold and ice-pick pain bored into Kit Garrido’s temples.

Fire rains from above as they fight to discover the truth and stay alive. 

In the shadow of a threatening volcano, long-haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her crashed big rig, unable to recall what happened or why she’s suddenly in possession of someone’s baby. Fiercely independent, she has to admit that perhaps this time she could use a little help.

As the threat of eruption grows, former cop Cullen Landry refuses to leave his cabin in the evacuation area, which is why he’s the only one left who can help Kit escape the crumpled cab of her truck. He doesn’t want to get tangled up in the mystery of the beautiful woman with an abandoned infant, but when he sees the bullet hole in the windshield and the bloody handprint on the interior, he realizes that he’s in this thing, like it or not. 

When two armed men with ill intent approach, the race is on to stay alive, discover the truth, and find the baby’s missing mother–all while a deadly mountain rains fire from above.

Dana Mentink is a New York Times bestselling author of more than fifty novels for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Revell, Poisoned Pen Press, and other publishers. She lives in sunny California with Papa Bear and close to her two cubs, affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo.

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If You Liked . . . The Second Story Bookshop

29 Oct

I really liked my book club’s October selection, The Second Story Bookshop by Denise Hunter. While it does have a great second-chance-at-love story, it deals with the hard issues of abandonment, rejection, and forgiveness. If you liked it too and want another great book with similar vibes, I have a few recommendations for you. Happy reading!

The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay

One of Madeline Cullen’s happiest childhood memories is of working with her Aunt Maddie in the quaint and cozy Printed Letter Bookshop. But by the time Madeline inherits the shop nearly twenty years later, family troubles and her own bitter losses have hardened Madeline’s heart toward her once-treasured aunt–and the now struggling bookshop left in her care.

While Madeline intends to sell the shop as quickly as possible, the Printed Letter’s two employees have other ideas. Reeling from a recent divorce, Janet finds sanctuary within the books and the decadent window displays she creates. Claire, though quieter than her outspoken colleague, feels equally drawn to the daily rhythms of the shop and has found a renewed sense of purpose within its walls.

When Madeline’s professional life falls apart, and a handsome gardener upends her life, she questions her plans and her future. Has she been too quick to dismiss her aunt’s beloved shop? And even if she has, the women’s best efforts to save it may be too little, too late.

The Stories We Carry by Robin Pearson

A small-town bookstore owner finds herself at odds with a newcomer bent on disrupting her quiet life in this Southern women’s fiction novel by award-winning author Robin W. Pearson.

Glory Pryor has carved out a life for herself in Gilmore, North Carolina, cultivating a community around her bookstore, By the Book. While her business is a success, she carries the weight of stories of her own she’s never told anyone. She holds out hope that one day her estranged brother will turn up on her doorstep so she can finally learn where he’s been all these years. Glory’s husband Eli thinks she has her arms wrapped too tightly around the could-have-beens, and that it’s time for them to let go of the store as they head into their retirement years. Glory has different opinions on that—she’s not ready to give up the dream she’s built just yet. Then Adelle Simonette shows up with her young son, Bennett, and Glory’s carefully controlled life begins to crumble.

Newly widowed Adelle Simonette is a single mother trying to find her footing and navigate parenting her young son. Lost in her grief, one thing she’s certain of is that she needs to confront Glory Pryor and everybody who knows her because the woman’s been living a lie. Adelle thinks it’s high time Glory made things right. But Adelle’s finding it hard to tell the truth . . . and there will be no going back once she does.

In the wake of deeply personal grief and loss, two women reckon with a lifetime of silence and secrets to find a path forward toward healing, hope, and restoration.

Things We Cannot Keep by Amanda Cox

A mysterious package. A name she thought she’d erased. And the one person she never expected to see again.

Tess Holcomb has built a new life in Alabama, repairing timepieces and avoiding her troubled past as she restores her customers’ family heirlooms–treasures she never had. When a mysterious package arrives addressed to Teresa Baker, the name she abandoned, Tess finds herself drawn into a puzzle that threatens her delicate peace.

Then Elliot Sullivan appears at her door after eighteen years, and Tess knows he’s after more than just forgiveness. She doesn’t trust his motives, but he could be the key to uncovering the origin of the mystery package and its cryptic contents.

Tess has found safety in her simple life, but to reunite this lost heirloom with its rightful recipient she will have to come out of hiding. Each clue leads her further from the security of home, and each story reveals hidden truths. The question is whether she’s brave enough to face what she might find–and whether the man beside her can be trusted with what matters most.

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Spotlight on Romantic Suspense — Cold Case Arson Investigation

28 Oct
Cold Case Arson JustRead Blog + Review Tour

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Cold Case Arson Investigation by Kerry Johnson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Cold Case Arson Investigation

Title: Cold Case Arson Investigation
Series: Forest Ranger Rescuers #4
Author: Kerry Johnson
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Release Date: October 27, 2026
Genre: Romantic Suspense

A decades-old crime.

A secret ready to explode.

Trapped in a burning barn, fire ranger Clay Reiger barely escapes with his ex-girlfriend, fire marshal Autumn Jennings, as the inferno rages out of control. Soon a chilling pattern emerges—fires eerily similar to those set by a serial arsonist who disappeared years ago. As the past resurfaces, the danger becomes impossible to ignore. With their lives under attack and a long-buried secret threatening to reignite old wounds, Clay and Autumn must confront their shared history. Can they unravel a deadly mystery and stop a vengeful criminal before more lives are lost?

Excerpt

Autumn cried out as Clay crumpled to the ground. The man in jeans and a black hoodie who knocked him in the back of the head launched at her, grabbing her roughly with arms that felt like tentacles. She shouted, struggling against his iron grip.

Somewhere far away, a woman screamed.

The mom at the playground. Would she call 911?

Autumn fought her attacker until one of her elbows hit its target. She recoiled from the pain then wriggled away from his weakened hold, darting toward Clay. Her assailant lunged after her, yanking her back and dragging her further out on the skywalk. A crack of thunder shook the wood and metal structure, and raindrops blurred her vision. Was he going to throw her off? She swung her legs, tried to use her shoes to grip the wood, but couldn’t stop her attacker’s rapid, determined movements.

She reached for his legs and pinched his thigh hard. He cursed, then his hold slackened and she skirted away.

Two pounding steps and he grabbed her again, slamming her down. Her spine cracked on the wood platform, and stars danced around her vision as pain spiraled out across her ribs.

“Not so fast, are you?” he sneered.

God, please help. Grayson needs me.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Harlequin | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

More in This Series

Abducted in the Woods
Targeted in the Swamp

About The Author

Kerry Johnson

Kerry Johnson spent a magical childhood in New England roaming the woods, climbing mossy boulders, and reading everything she could get her hands on. She moved to Florida as a teen, reluctantly exchanging dirt for sand and snow for sunshine. Kerry lives on the sunny, stormy west coast of Florida with her patient engineering husband, two college-aged sons, and her teen niece. Their busy home also includes a lazy boxer, one very temperamental sun conure, a spotted leopard gecko, plus any stray cats who need food and TLC. (She still dreams of owning a horse one day.) She’s a longtime member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and FHLCW (Faith Hope Love Christian Writers). Her stories have won two ACFW Genesis Awards (2017 & 2020), RWA-Georgia’s Maggie Contest (Unpublished, 2019), and a First-Place Selah Award for Romantic Suspense (2025). She writes for Harlequin/Love Inspired Suspense, and you can find her list of books on her Amazon page Amazon.com: Kerry Johnson: books, biography, latest update

Connect with Kerry by visiting kerryjohnsonbooks.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a copy of all four books in the Forest Ranger Rescuers series (Hunted in the Forest, Abducted in the Woods, Targeted in the Swamp, and Cold Case Arson Investigation) plus a scripture bookmark & tea bags!

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card!

Cold Case Arson Investigation blog tour giveaway JustRead

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 27, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 3, 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 only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

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Top 10 Tuesday — Halloween Freebie

27 Oct

Happy Tuesday before Halloween! Today’s TTT is a Halloween Freebie, and I am featuring books that are great to read when you want something a little bit twisty, or ghostly, or dark-ish, but are a fraidy cat. 😉 You can easily read these books after dark, but maybe with a nightlight burning. They are also certified non-gory. I hope you find one to read this Halloween.

For more Halloween fun, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books for Fraidy Cats 😉

The Bookshop of 99 Door/Tempest at Annabel’s Lighthouse by Jaime Jo Wright

Dark Design/Shattered Sanctuary by Nancy Mehl

Death Follows Her/Secrets Chase Her by Rachel Dylan

Deadly Currents by Elizabeth Goddard

The Girl Upstairs by Jessica R. Patch

Out of Time by Irene Hannon

Whiteout by Lynette Eason and Dani Pettrey

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Happy Release Day — The Remnants

26 Oct

Happy release day to Ann Marie Stewart! Her highly personal historical novel, The Remnants is now available.

The Remnants has been 45 years in the making, and with the current issue of Crimea/Ukraine/Refugees/Immigration, it couldn’t be more timely. Ann Marie Stewart’s grandparents left behind a child in the wake of their escape from Soviet Russian, that hard fact begs the question, At what cost is our freedom?

Out of 17,000 Germans trapped in Moscow in late 1929, 5,769 got out.  Only four were admitted to the United States.  That was her family.

Version 1.0.0

“If we don’t leave now, we may never get out.”

Lena and Nikolai Siemens dream of a simple life on the steppes of 1920s Crimea—farming their land, raising their children, and practicing their Mennonite faith in peace.

But as Stalin’s iron fist closes around Russia’s German Mennonite communities, Lena and Nikolai flee toward Moscow in a desperate bid for freedom. Surrounded by thousands of fellow refugees, they wait in disease-ridden camps, watching children die while bureaucrats deny their exit visas again and again.

After months of uncertainty, Nikolai is arrested. Lena takes refuge in a maternity home. And three-year-old Kolja is deported back to Crimea, fifteen hundred miles away.
Then the miracle happens: Exit visas. But only for forty-eight hours. No time to reach Kolja before the door closes forever.

Now Lena and Nikolai face an unbearable choice: Escape with their newborn and trust their family will be reunited . . . or stay in Russia and risk the wrath of Stalin.

Award-winning author Ann Marie Stewart crafts a meticulously researched historical family saga based on the true story of her grandparents’ resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. A powerful testament to the unbreakable bonds of family, The Remnants will captivate historical fiction fans and readers of The Nightingale and Before We Were Yours.

About Ann Marie Stewart:

I’m a sheep farmer, musical theater director, and voice teacher. And I also love telling, hearing, and writing stories with meaning. Stories that inspire me to consider characters and their dilemmas. Because, every good story begins with an underlying question that the reader needs answered by the end of the novel.

“What happens when the worst possible event happens to your family and it might be your fault?” (STARS IN THE GRASS).

“Is it always better to know the truth?” (OUT OF THE WATER).

“What price are you willing to pay for your family’s freedom?” (THE REMNANTS).

RE words capture my favorite themes in literature: reconciliation, renewal, redemption. I spend time writing or reading books that are READeemables–Quality reads that are worth the time to write and to read, and oh so satisfying.

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