First Line Friday — The Targeted

22 May

Happy Friday! I am always excited to add a new suspense novel to my towering TBR stack. One of the latest to hit my ereader is The Targeted by Cara Putman. The Targeted is the third, and I believe, final book in Putman’s Secrets to Keep series. If you like suspense with added romance and legal drama thrown in, then check it out. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone, but with 3 out in the wild, you may just want to schedule some book-binge reading time!

Here’s the first line:

The man towers above me, and I want to stand firm.

Can she protect her gym students before her past catches up?

When Chloe Ainsworth’s older sister reappears after fourteen years, she brings with her the news that Chloe’s abuser is back in town. Chloe is a coach at her childhood gym and fiercely protective of her young gymnasts. She won’t allow them to suffer the way she did, but she’s desperate for an ally—one who can help her make her case.

Law student Dare Shepherd works at the local legal clinic, where he meets Chloe and hears her out. He believes her case but can’t get the clinic director on board. As he learns more about her story, he finds himself bound by a deepening personal care for Chloe.

They band together in search of answers, and suddenly the stakes skyrocket. It’s clear they’re onto something, but will they be able to find the answers before it’s too late?

Cara Putman is a professor, an attorney, and an award-winning, best-selling author of more than forty novels, including the Cornhusker Dreams series, the Hidden Justice series, and The Vanished.

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

Spotlight on Thriller/Romance — Now Until Forever

21 May
Now Until Forever JustRead Blog + Review Tour

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Now Until Forever by Lisa Phillips, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Now Until Forever

Title: Now Until Forever
Series: Brand of Justice #16
Author: Lisa Phillips
Publisher: Two Dogs Publishing, LLC
Release Date: May 6, 2026
Genre: Christian Thriller with Romance

**The Epic Stand-alone Finale**

Born into a legacy, Eliana must find her own brand of justice.

After moving to Chicago to work at the mysterious Shrine museum, Eliana is determined to uncover the family secrets she’s never been told. When she stumbles upon her first ever dead body, everyone around her believes she should try and solve the murder. But taking cases isn’t what she came here for. Despite her plans, things are about to turn far more sinister, and the path she’s on seems determined to drag her back into a nightmare.

Chicago PD Officer Carlos Ryson was born into a legacy of his own. He’s here to look for his missing sister, Luci, and wants to enlist Eliana’s help. This is a family problem, and only family working together can solve it. But Eliana has never forgotten the way Carlos shredded her heart. If he wants them to team up, he’ll have to confront the damage he did and find a way to repair it.

While the city around them descends into a chaos that resembles the end times, someone has seized the opportunity to get what they want from the Shrine. Only Eliana stands in their way, but if she’s going to figure this out she’ll need to trust that the people around her have her back.

Before it’s too late.

Now Until Forever is the stand-alone finale to the Brand of Justice series, and is set in the near-future. It features a happily ever after romance mixed with high-stakes suspense in this gripping crime fiction story.

Excerpt

She wanted to sit forward and lean the outside of her arm against his. Doing so would shift this to something else entirely, so she stayed where she was. Right around when she got comfortable with him being in her life again, he’d meet someone and she’d have to let him go.

It would be much safer to keep this thing firmly in the friends and family zone and keep her heart from getting shredded again.Who knew. Maybe she would be the one who met someone.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Buy from the Author | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

More in This Series


About The Author

Lisa Phillips

Lisa Phillips is a USA Today and top ten Publishers Weekly bestselling author of Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense, independently published series romantic suspense, and thriller novels. She’s discovered a penchant for high-stakes stories of mayhem and disaster where you can find made-for-each-other love that always ends in happily ever after.

Lisa is a British ex-pat who grew up an hour outside of London and attended Calvary Chapel Bible College, where she met her husband. He’s from California, but nobody’s perfect. It wasn’t until her Bible College graduation that she figured out she was a writer (someone told her). Lisa is a worship leader, tea aficionado, and dog lover of two crazy Airedales.

Connect with Lisa by visiting authorlisaphillips.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.


Tour Giveaway

(3) winners will each receive a paperback copy of Now Until Forever and various book merch goodies!

Now Until Forever JustRead blog tour giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 18, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 25, 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 for print. If winner is outside the US, he/she will receive an ebook instead of paperback, along with some book swag. 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

Spotlight on Romantic Suspense — The Targeted

20 May
The Takeover JustRead Takeover + Review Blitz

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for The Targeted by Cara Putman, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

The Targeted

Title: The Targeted
Series: Secrets to Keep #3
Author: Cara Putman
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: May 19, 2026
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Can she protect her gym students before her past catches up?

When Chloe Ainsworth’s older sister reappears after fourteen years, she brings with her the news that Chloe’s abuser is back in town. Chloe is a coach at her childhood gym and fiercely protective of her young gymnasts. She won’t allow them to suffer the way she did, but she’s desperate for an ally—one who can help her make her case.

Law student Dare Shepherd works at the local legal clinic, where he meets Chloe and hears her out. He believes her case but can’t get the clinic director on board. As he learns more about her story, he finds himself bound by a deepening personal care for Chloe.

They band together in search of answers, and suddenly the stakes skyrocket. It’s clear they’re onto something, but will they be able to find the answers before it’s too late?

Excerpt

The drive back to Kedgewick took only forty-five minutes, but she would have sworn it extended for days. As the wheels spun over the road, Chloe tried not to call herself a fool. She’d spent the time in therapy and prayer to own the part of the past that was hers and push back the lies that paralyzed her. The constant work surprised her at times, but she’d done it. Then why had she frozen and bolted from the clinic?

She had prepared hard.

And it hadn’t mattered.

Her thoughts screamed that she had failed, when a part of her logical mind knew that wasn’t true. She had shown up, and that had taken supernatural courage. Next time maybe she could stay and get into her story.

When the man had smiled at her in that slightly goofy way, she’d experienced a flicker of something . . . interest? . . . and she’d bolted.

She couldn’t afford a distraction or any confusion. Not when she was risking everything to show up. If she allowed anything to pull her away, she would never move toward confronting Alex. It was too hard and too vulnerable. Who would want to invest time with someone so damaged anyway? Not when there were so many beautiful, unscathed women out there.

A whisper in the depths of her heart pointed to Janae and Margeaux and their beautiful, emerging stories, but she couldn’t go there. Not now. Not as the panic pushed further against her pounding chest.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Kregel Publications | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop

More Books from This Series:

The Vanished
The Accused


About The Author

Cara Putman

Cara Putman is a professor, an attorney, and an award-winning, best-selling author of more than forty novels, including the Cornhusker Dreams series, the Hidden Justice series, and The Vanished.

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


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of The Targeted and $20 Amazon gift card!

The Targeted 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 May 20, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 27, 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!

JustRead Publicity Tours

Top 10 Tuesday — Supporting Characters

19 May

Happy Tuesday! Today TTT’s topic is secondary, or as I like to call them, supporting characters. I see supporting characters as integral to creating a complete story. A reader gets an in-depth look at the struggles of the mains, as well as a richer reading experience. I’m not great at remembering secondary/supporting characters, so I did a search with the term in my blog reviews. I think you’ll find some great books to check out that have great supporting characters, and there’s a variety of genres that should appeal to any reading mood.

For more interesting characters, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books with Great Supporting Characters

Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner

Facing The Dawn by Cynthia Ruchti

The Forgotten Life of Eva Gordon by Linda MacKillop

The Foxhole Victory Tour by Amy Lynn Green

In Search of A Prince by Toni Shiloh

Memory Lane by Becky Wade

A Mosaic of Wings by Kimberly Duffy

A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton

Power Play by Rachel Dylan

The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton

Book Review: Della’s Song

19 May

Are you looking for a sweet romance to kick off your summer reading? Then Della’s Song by Donna Jo Stone is a perfect choice. This fairytale-inspired story set in the 1930s is full of nostalgia and spiritual truths. Check it out below.

A tragic loss, a silenced song, and a scattered family … one North Louisiana tea room offers an unlikely reunion.

In the wake of a devastating train accident, Della Swan’s world is shattered. Her father and brother are forever changed, and the Swan Family Gospel Singers have no choice but to depend on the charity of formidable Aunt Leticia, proprietor of the Hotel Fairwood.

Of Della’s six brothers, only two remain with her at the hotel: Quiet Max, the youngest, and Frank, the pianist who lost his arm—and his heart for music. The rest are sent away to school or work. Aunt Leticia believes the children must learn to make their way in the world, effectively banishing them.

During Father’s recovery, the repercussions of his head injury make one thing clear. Life as the Swans knew it, traveling the south and sharing music, may never return. Yet Della clings to the belief that God isn’t finished with her family or their calling and sets a plan in motion to bring them together again.

When she develops an unexpected bond with Clayton Miller, the hotel’s reserved, long-time employee, his steady presence reminds her there is often more to people—and situations—than meets the eye.

The Swan Family Gospel Singers are separated by tragedy, Della’s brothers scattered to the wind. With needle and thread, faith, and a song, she finds a way to stitch them together again.

A touch of fairy tale, a spoonful of history, and a teacup of hope.

Della’s Song is a stand-alone novel in the Apron Strings Tea Tales multi-author series, and a 1930s historical with romance retelling of “The Six Swans.”

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of historical, contemporary, and young adult fiction. 

Life is messy and beautiful. In everyone’s story, there is truth and hope. Donna Jo’s novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles.

When she’s not writing, she loves to read and talk about books, poke around in old bookshops and museums, and spend time with her family.

My Impressions:

I love a fairytale retelling! Della’s Song by Donna Jo Stone is inspired by The Seven Swans. With creative nods to the original story, Della is determined to reunite her family after tragedy has turned it upside down. Della is the lone sister in a large group of brothers. They were known as the Swan Family Gospel Singers before her father and older brother’s accident left her father with neurological difficulties and her piano-playing brother with only one arm. Della’s mission is to get the family back on the stage. She sees it as her one and only calling. I liked how her preconceived notions and tunnel vision are challenged. In a Google search of the original story, themes such as love, sacrifice, and perseverance are listed, and that’s what you get in Stone’s novel. The setting is charming, the characters are real and relatable, and the romance is sweet! Della’s dreams morph into a reality that is much more than she expected. It’s a quick read perfect for a lazy weekend sipping lemonade or sweet tea out on the porch! Be sure to grab a tea cake too. 😉

Recommended.

Audience: older teens and adults.

(Thanks to the author for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Happy Release Day — Secrets Chase Her

19 May

Happy release day, Rachel Dylan! The second book in the Deadly Justice series, Secrets Chase Her, is now available! If you haven’t read Death Follows Her, be sure to get both books. You need to read them in order. And I promise that once you finish book 1, you will want book 2 on hand. Find out all about this thriller/suspense below.

A brutal murder. A deadly secret. A lawyer who won’t back down.

When high-powered attorney Quinn Kelly finds her protégé brutally murdered, she’s plunged into a nightmare—one that points directly to a ruthless serial killer. FBI Agent Samira Haddad takes over the case, but her complicated past with Quinn threatens to cloud the investigation.

Blackmailed by a powerful tech mogul who holds incriminating evidence against her, Quinn is forced to take on his defense to keep him silent. But she refuses to sit on the sidelines while Samira hunts the killer who took her friend’s life. Quinn’s search for answers uncovers a chilling truth: someone close to her is in the crosshairs—and she may be the reason why.

The killer is watching and lying in wait. With trust in short supply, both women must decide how far they’re willing to go for justice—and survival.

Rachel Dylan is an award-winning and bestselling author of legal thrillers and romantic suspense. Rachel has practiced law for almost two decades, including as a litigator at one of the nation’s top law firms. Rachel lives in Michigan with her husband and three furkids—one loveable Labrador and two senior cats. Rachel loves to connect with readers.

Happy Release Day — Della’s Song

19 May

Happy release day to Donna Jo Stone! Della’s Song, a fairytale-inspired story that’s part of the Apron Strings Tea Tales series, is now available. You won’t want to miss this historical romance based on The Seven Swans. Find out all about it below.

A tragic loss, a silenced song, and a scattered family … one North Louisiana tea room offers an unlikely reunion.

In the wake of a devastating train accident, Della Swan’s world is shattered. Her father and brother are forever changed, and the Swan Family Gospel Singers have no choice but to depend on the charity of formidable Aunt Leticia, proprietor of the Hotel Fairwood.

Of Della’s six brothers, only two remain with her at the hotel: Quiet Max, the youngest, and Frank, the pianist who lost his arm—and his heart for music. The rest are sent away to school or work. Aunt Leticia believes the children must learn to make their way in the world, effectively banishing them.

During Father’s recovery, the repercussions of his head injury make one thing clear. Life as the Swans knew it, traveling the south and sharing music, may never return. Yet Della clings to the belief that God isn’t finished with her family or their calling and sets a plan in motion to bring them together again.

When she develops an unexpected bond with Clayton Miller, the hotel’s reserved, long-time employee, his steady presence reminds her there is often more to people—and situations—than meets the eye.

The Swan Family Gospel Singers are separated by tragedy, Della’s brothers scattered to the wind. With needle and thread, faith, and a song, she finds a way to stitch them together again.

A touch of fairy tale, a spoonful of history, and a teacup of hope.

Della’s Song is a stand-alone novel in the Apron Strings Tea Tales multi-author series, and a 1930s historical with romance retelling of “The Six Swans.”

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of historical, contemporary, and young adult fiction. 

Life is messy and beautiful. In everyone’s story, there is truth and hope. Donna Jo’s novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles.

When she’s not writing, she loves to read and talk about books, poke around in old bookshops and museums, and spend time with her family.

First Line Friday — Mists over The Channel Islands

15 May

Happy Friday! My book club is discussing Mists over The Channel Islands by Sarah Sundin this month. It is a look at an unfamiliar (at least for us) chapter of WWII. It’s a fascinating story with characters you will love. Have you read it yet? We’d love to know what you thought.

If you haven’t, here’s the first line:

Words failed Dr. Ivy Picot, so she sketched her father with gray-flecked hair, packing to go to war.

Behind enemy lines, adversary and ally become impossible to distinguish. 

The German invasion of the British Channel Islands shatters Dr. Ivy Picot’s peaceful world, forcing her to shoulder the weight of her father’s medical practice and hold together a family unraveling under the strain of war. As conditions worsen in Jersey with the arrival of thousands of forced laborers, Ivy’s quiet allegiance to the Allies compels her to risk everything by providing medical aid to escaped workers–even as danger closes in.

Dutch engineer and resistance member Gerrit van der Zee volunteers to build fortifications for the Germans so he can secretly send maps and diagrams to the Allies. On his arrival in the Channel Islands, he crosses paths with Ivy, who shows him contempt for the uniform he wears. As tensions mount and their missions grow increasingly dangerous, Ivy and Gerrit must confront the cost of courage, the meaning of sacrifice, and whether love can survive in the shadow of war. Will their covert efforts turn the tide–or will they pay the ultimate price for defiance?

Renowned WWII fiction author Sarah Sundin crafts a compelling historical romance featuring enemies-to-lovers, wartime resistance, and medical intrigue–a tale of loyalty, resilience, and courage when love and duty collide.

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 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.

Spotlight on Small Town Romance — Loving Sarah

14 May
Loving Sarah JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Loving Sarah by Jo Huddleston, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Loving Sarah

Title: Loving Sarah
Author: Jo Huddleston
Publisher: Forget Me Not Romances, a division of Winged Publications
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: 1950s sweet small-town romance

Sarah wears William’s engagement ring. Then, Robert arrives in town.

In this love-triangle story, Sarah cheerfully manages the candy shop she inherited from her mama. Being engaged to be married to Gatlinburg, Tennessee’s most eligible bachelor, makes her life pretty much perfect. But then she meets Robert and has an unexplainable sense they’ve met before.

Robert travels from Michigan to operate Gatlinburg’s main-street SkyLift attraction while his dad recovers from a fall. He’s miserable being relocated to this Tennessee mountains hick town. That is, until he meets Sarah and feels an instant attraction to her. He’s unaware that the town’s biggest secret involves him.

Although she’s engaged to another, Sarah and Robert are mysteriously drawn to each other. This woman and her beloved mountains curb his desire to return to Michigan. Will Sarah give in to her feelings for Robert or be true to the man she’s promised to marry?

Loving Sarah is steeped in the easygoing culture and traditions of the Smoky Mountains in the 1950s. The story is a sweet, small-town romance with a heart-wrenching battle to make the right choice. This book will keep you turning pages with its mix of loyalty, betrayal, uncertainty, and emotional stakes.

Excerpt

Having grown up in these parts, Sarah knew many local people, but she wondered about this handsome stranger. He appeared extremely familiar, but she couldn’t put a name to him or remember where she might have met him. She didn’t want to be caught staring at him, but she continued to cautiously study him. Maybe it would come to her where she had seen him before.

Being engaged to William didn’t stop her from taking notice of a good-looking man near her age. It was like her frequent window shopping—she looked but didn’t choose to buy anything. After all, he didn’t wear a wedding ring.

His dark auburn hair held just enough curl to flip up in the back over the top of his white shirt collar. Many women in Detroit probably yearned to run their fingers through those curls, so unlike the shorter haircuts of the local men. The stranger didn’t appear to be from around here, with his expensive-looking suit, his shiny leather dress shoes, and the standoffish way he carried himself.

He unnerved her slightly by being near him. Alone in the waiting room, they were seated a respectable distance apart. Nevertheless, something like electricity buzzed between them in the small room. The sensation was like a magnet pulling them together. Once, he took a sideways glance at her. Did he feel the vibrations as well? His leather shoe tapped the floor continuously.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub


About The Author

Jo Huddleston

Jo Huddleston writes sweet Southern romances set in the 1950s, where you can escape into wholesome, faith-based love stories of deep commitment, hope, and happily-ever-after endings. Readers describe Jo as a wonderful storyteller whose books are sure to inspire and entertain you. Reviewers say her books should be Hallmark movies.

She likes to laugh with people, but not at people. The beach is her favorite vacation spot. She’s a spectator fan of several sports, with tennis being her favorite. She doesn’t enjoy being in the dark and is fearful of snakes!

Jo holds a BA degree with honors from Lincoln Memorial University (TN), where she is a member of their Literary Hall of Fame. She earned the MEd degree from Mississippi State University.

Please visit Jo’s website and get a free book when you sign up for her newsletter.


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card + eBook of Loving Sarah!

(2) winners will each receive the eBook of Loving Sarah!

Loving Sarah blog tour giveaway JustRead Tours

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 12, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 19, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. No delivery restrictions. 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

Spotlight on Small Town Contemporary Romance — A Brewed Awakening

13 May
A Brewed Awakening JustRead Takeover + Review Blitz

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

A Brewed Awakening

Title: A Brewed Awakening
Author: Pepper Basham
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Small Town Contemporary Romance

Daphne dreams of Mr. Darcy. Finn serves up pints and rock music. Can opposites attract when a tea shop princess meets her pub-owning rival?

In the charming mountain town of Wisteria, North Carolina, Daphne Austen clings to tradition like cream to a scone. She’s built her life–and her late grandmother’s tearoom, Tea Thyme–around all things English: delicate china, Jane Austen novels, and the comforting predictability of routine. The only thing threatening her perfectly ordered world? The loud, aggravatingly handsome Brit opening a pub next door.

After his ex-wife broke his heart and his business partner nearly destroyed his career, Finn Dashwood packed up his six-year-old daughter and left England behind. He’s looking for a fresh start, and the last thing he needs is a fussy, tea-obsessed neighbor criticizing his every pint and playlist. It doesn’t matter that she’s ridiculously kind (to everyone else) and that his daughter is utterly fascinated by her. Finn’s heart is not open to being broken again.

But disagreements turn into prank wars and then a competition when a high-profile wedding needs a last-minute caterer. The townsfolk are thrilled–Wisteria hasn’t seen this much excitement since the county fair lost a goat.

When the wedding demands both sweet and savory fare, Daphne and Finn are forced to put down their swords and pick up their serving trays. Between burnt pastries, brewing tempers, trending hashtags (#SipsAndSpats, anyone?), and one very adorable little girl, rivalry soon gives way to reluctant friendship–and maybe something that feels suspiciously like chemistry.

Can a tea shop princess and a pub owner with a past mix their lives as seamlessly as clotted cream and jam . . . or will their differences keep them steeped in rivalry forever?

Excerpt

Finn Dashwood stood in her doorway, looking both out of place and frustratingly at ease, a small container in his hands. His presence alone seemed to dwarf the dainty decor, and the contrast of his dark jeans and fitted gray Henley against the pastel paradise of her tea shop was almost laughable.

He wasn’t a Darcy. Or a Knightley. Or a Brandon.

So he shouldn’t make it work.

And yet . . . he did.

Her gaze drifted to the container he carried, and her heartbeat skittered. Had he actually brought her something?

Could it be that the jerk had a conscience?

“Good afternoon, Miss Austen.”

His voice! That unfair, glorious British accent dipped in baritone.

“Welcome to Tea Thy—” Rosemary’s greeting cut off as her pale-green eyes locked onto Finn. “Goodness. Sakes. Alive.”

“Don’t start,” Daphne muttered under her breath, shooting Rosemary a look, but it wasno use. The woman stared with sheer appreciation and absolutely no self-control of her facial muscles. Nothing like reinforcing Finn’s ego with Rosemary’s impression of a cartoon character who’d just seen a twelve-foot sandwich.

Finn’s grin crooked, clearly missing nothing from the little exchange and Rosemary’s near hyperventilation.

“That new creation looks very suspiciously unlike tea.” He nodded toward the milkshake in her hand.

The residual chill from the ice cream evaporated beneath the sudden flush in her cheeks.

“I happen to serve many things in my shop besides tea, Mr. Dashwood. If you’d taken the time to ask rather than tossing around uninformed critiques, I’d have been happy to enlighten you.”

Why did he seem to bring out her snarky side? And why did she suddenly want to go cook three batches of dark-chocolate croissants.

And why did he have to possess such expressive eyes? Her fingers tightened around the glass in her hands. Tea should only prove a temptation in liquid form.

Not eye color.

“Now, Daphne-honey, that ain’t no way to talk to our new neighbor.”

Granny D had made remarkable speed from her table to the door, clicking her tongue like a chicken on the hunt. “Lord have mercy,” she exclaimed, fanning herself dramatically with a weathered hand adorned with tarnished silver rings. “If you’d told me handsome was comin’ to town, I’d have worn my good teeth.”

Finn turned, brows high, then broke into a slow, amused grin. “Good afternoon, ma’am.” He offered his hand. “Finn Dashwood.”

“You sound as good as you look, don’t ya’?” Granny D hummed her appreciation as she circled him, making no attempt to hide her appraisal. Why did Daphne feel as if the woman was one step away from checking his teeth like a prize stallion at auction?

She almost whimpered.

There were wonderful things about small southern towns.

And then there were . . . these moments.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Thomas Nelson | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | BookBub | Bookshop

Also Available:

Authentically, Izzy
Sense and Suitability
Some Like it Scot


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

(2) winners will receive a signed copy of A Brewed Awakening, and winners choice of a Literary Beverage Mug or a Storming Castles mug!

A Brewed Awakening 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 May 13, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 20, 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!

JustRead Publicity Tours