Tag Archives: historical romance fiction

Top 10 Tuesday — Bucket List Books!

17 Feb

Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT topic is books for the armchair traveler. Isn’t it great that a book can transport you to another place and time? I love it when a book makes me feel I am really there. I also love to add places to my travel bucket list after reading a book. I have had great experiences visiting places I first traveled to while reading — Alaska, the Shetland Islands in Scotland, Yellowstone, Zion National Park. Today I am listing a few books that make me want to get up out of my armchair and really experience in person their settings. Will I be able to go everywhere on my list? Probably not, but these books really make me want to! (I have 3 books set in Washington State — looks like I should really plan a visit.)

For more books for armchair travelers, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Bucket List Books

Beyond The Sound And Sea by Amanda Cox — the Outer Banks, NC

Heirlooms by Sandra Byrd — Whidbey Island, WA

Hope Harbor by Irene Hannon — the Oregon Coast

My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island by Carrie Fancett Pagels — Mackinac Island, Michigan

The Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett — Mt. Ranier National Park

The Secrets of Paper And Ink by Lindsay Harrel — Cornwall

Shadows of Lancaster County by Mindy Starnes Clark –Lancaster County, PA

Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard– the Washington Coast

Where The Fire Falls by Karen Barnett — Yosemite National Park

Where Trees Touch The Sky by Karen Barnett — Redwood National Park

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Top 10 Tuesday — The Love Boat!

10 Feb

Happy Tuesday! Today TTT bloggers are celebrating all things romance with a Love Freebie! After many years of creating these posts it is a bit daunting to come up with something fresh. Today I am featuring romance novels — contemporary, historical, and suspense — that have part or whole of their settings on boats. You know, The Love Boat! 😉 Extra points for those whose characters cement their love on the open seas. Come aboard, they’re expecting you!

For more Love Freebie fun, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Books with Love Boats!

The Choice by D. L. Wood

The Glass Bottom Boat by Laura Thomas

The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz

Love Overboard by Shannon Sue Dunlap

The Magnolia Duchess by Beth White

The Mayflower Bride by Kimberly Woodhouse

Midnight on The Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin

The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham

The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo

Stranded by Dani Pettrey

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Top 10 Tuesday — Typography!

3 Feb

Happy Tuesday! Today TTT is featuring book covers with interesting typography. What is typography, you may ask? From Google AI —

Typography is the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and visually appealing. 

There were a lot of different directions to go with this topic, but I finally narrowed it down to titles with two or more fonts. While some are more subtle than others, the visual interest really grabbed my eye. What do you think?

For more on the subject, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books with Interesting Typography

The Bounty Hunter’s Surrender by KyLee Woodley

The Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens

For A Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer

The Heart of Bennet Hollow by Joanne Bischof DeWitt

The Highland Heist by Pepper Basham

The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz

Lost Hours by Susan Sleeman

Midnight on The Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin

Specters in The Glass House by Jaime Jo Wright

Wicked is The Hollow by K. E. Ganshert

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Spotlight on Historical Romance — Texas Reclaimed

3 Feb

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Texas Reclaimed by Sherry Shindelar, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Texas Reclaimed

Title: Texas Reclaimed
Series: Lone Star Redemption #3
Author: Sherry Shindelar
Publisher: Wild Heart Books
Release Date: February 3, 2026
Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Can love blossom between a woman haunted by her family’s past and a man haunted by the trauma of war?

Cora Scott is determined to hold onto her family’s Texas ranch and provide a stable home for her young half-brother, Charlie, despite the mounting challenges of post-Civil War frontier life. But when a scheming creditor threatens to seize their land, she must accept help from Ben McKenzie, a former Yankee soldier sent by her late brother. Though Ben’s generosity and strength draw her, the man’s private struggle she stumbles upon—too reminiscent of her father’s alcoholism—makes her question whether she can trust her heart to him.

Ben McKenzie arrives in Texas intent on fulfilling his promise to his dying friend to protect Cora and Charlie. While using his inheritance to save their ranch, he battles not only the loss of their cattle but also his dependency on laudanum—a medicine that turned into a curse after his imprisonment at Andersonville. As his feelings for Cora deepen, he must choose between his promise to his father to take over their Philadelphia newspaper and his growing dream of a life with Cora in Texas.

When a Comanche warrior begins courting Cora and Ben’s responsibilities in Philadelphia threaten to tear them apart, they must decide if their love is strong enough to overcome their fears and forge a future together on the Texas frontier.

Excerpt

Ben’s fingers curled into a fist atop the bureau. A whole year he’d been home. Regaining his health. Working for his father. Courting Olivia. But falling short of everything he’d vowed to do when he’d hobbled out of the hell on earth that had been Andersonville.

How could he expect to get a grip on his need for laudanum and bring an end to the war in his soul if he didn’t show himself a man by keeping his promises?

His chest squeezed as if someone had tightened a vise around it. He strode over to the window and threw up the sash, desperate for fresh air. Beyond the barren maples and winter-dead lawn, the western sky glowed orange above the tree-topped ridges. Maybe freedom lay somewhere out there. He had to get out of the house and away from Philadelphia. He couldn’t marry. Not yet. Not until he made things right. 

He stared down at the bottle still lying on the carpet. Surely, half a teaspoon wouldn’t hurt. Just enough to abate his symptoms until after he went downstairs and set matters straight with Olivia. 

With leaden feet, he walked over to the desk, bent down, and picked up the bottle. His palm tingled against the cool glass. He could almost hear the hiss of the serpent eating away at everything he had been. This is how it’d been last time he’d abstained. Except he’d made it for a whole week. Then he’d given in for one sip, followed by another, and another…until the fetter was fully fastened again. Dear God, no. Don’t let it be so.He marched back to the window, opened the bottle stopper, and drained the contents onto the bushes below. Lord, help me to be the man You’ve called me to be. He slung the bottle as hard as he could.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Wild Heart Books | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

More in This Series

Texas Forsaken
Texas Divided

About The Author

Sherry Shindelar

Originally from Tennessee, Sherry Shindelar is a romantic at heart who enjoys taking her readers into the past. She fell in love with writing when she was nine years old. Decades later, she is living out her dream of writing stories from her heart and sharing them with the world. Sherry is a multi-award-winning author: 2025 Maggie Award Winner, 2023 ACFW Genesis Finalist, and 2022 Crown Finalist. She currently resides in Minnesota with her husband of forty-one years. They have three grown children and three grandchildren.

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

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Texas Reclaimed and $40 gift card to winner’s choice of Amazon or Barnes & Noble!

Texas Reclaimed blog tour giveaway JustRead Tours

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 3, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 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/CAN 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

Tags: ,

Spotlight on Historical Romance — A Father’s Dream

22 Jan

A Father's Dream JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Father’s Dream by Heidi Ennis, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

A Father's Dream

Title: A Father’s Dream
Series: Columbia River Saga #1
Author: Heidi Ennis
Publisher: At the Foot of Mountains
Release Date: December 11, 2023
Genre: Christian Historical Romance

A young Swedish immigrant determined to survive.

A mountain guide haunted by his past.

In 1883, in the Pacific Northwest, their lives collide in a faith-filled historical romance of courage, forgiveness, and second chances.

Johanna Amalia Nilsdotter Oman has left everything she knows behind. By crossing an ocean and a continent, she now faces the two-hundred-mile journey up the Columbia River into Washington Territory. Her father purchased land near Lyle with dreams of building a sawmill, and Johanna is determined that nothing—not distance, danger, or loneliness—will stop her from reaching their new home.

John is a man running from everything. Haunted by shame and regret, he has chosen the wilderness as his grave, determined to vanish into the mountains and die alone.

But before he can disappear, he accepts one final job: guiding a Swedish settler named Nils Oman into the rugged foothills above the Columbia River. The promised twenty dollars will buy him freedom—or so he believes.

But God has other plans. When Johanna’s path collides with John’s, both must face the truth they’ve been running from. In the shadow of towering evergreens and the roar of the Columbia, they will discover that even in the darkest wilderness, God’s love brings redemption, healing, and the courage to begin again.

Fans of Christian historical romance, frontier love stories, and faith-filled pioneer fiction will be swept away by this tender story of hope, forgiveness, and second chances in the wild beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

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

Excerpt

And Johanna was an immigrant, an immigrant girl, a beautiful girl dressed as a man. Anyone with eyes could see that. Please, stay hidden, he begged the spirits or God or whoever was listening, if anyone was even listening.

“Come on, Captain,” the young one drawled and took a step forward. “Let me have a little fun? No one will even know.”

The officer held his hand up to stop him as they all heard the movement next to them. John just wanted to scream or kill them all. Maybe both.

“Is there a problem, sir?” Johanna stated in that ridiculous man voice. “If not, I will ask you to unhand my guide.”

The officer and the young man peered around John. Both tilted their heads to the side and their demeanors changed.

“Uh, Captain,” the young one began, “I’ve changed my mind.”

John had a plan. The one behind him was easy. The officer would be last. He would go for the young one first. Johanna would be the distraction. It was their only chance, and he would pay whatever price he needed to, even with his life.

He took a deep breath through his nose, planted his feet to step back and then lunge, just as Johanna stepped around him and between them all.

A fawn amongst a pack of wolves.



More in This Series

About The Author

Heidi Ennis

Heidi Ennis writes Christian historical romance set along the Columbia River, where faith, hope, and love meet the rugged beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Her stories celebrate courage, redemption, and the resilience of the human spirit—woven into real history and the landscapes she cherishes.

When she’s not writing, you’ll find her sipping coffee with a dog or two at her side, exploring the outdoors, or sharing random PNW history facts with her family. Heidi loves languages, Pacific Northwest history, and telling stories that leave readers encouraged and inspired.

Follow her at atthefootofmountains.com for new releases, sneak peeks, and stories that lift the heart.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a print copy of A Father’s Dream (Book One) and An Echo of Courage (Book Two) plus a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

A Father's Dream JustRead Tours blog giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 19, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on January 26, 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. 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

Tags: ,

Mini-Book Review — The Christmas Book Flood

17 Dec

Bibliophiles will love Roseanna M. White’s holiday novella, The Christmas Book Flood. Set in Iceland (I have never read a book set there!) during WWII, it features the beginning of the Icelandic Christmas tradition of giving and reading books on Christmas Eve. This is a delightful historical romance with great cultural details. I now want to visit Iceland more than ever! The theme is pursuit of dreams and finding purpose in life. I loved everything about this book. The endearing characters and the easy prose made this a great book to read over the course of just a few nights. The only caveat is that it is available only on ebook and audiobook. If you are a dedicated reader of physical books, you are out of luck. But if you have an ereader or like audiobooks get this one as soon as you can.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

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

In this charming World War II historical romance novella inspired by Jolabokaflod, Iceland’s Christmas Book Flood, an author falls in love with a man who doesn’t know he is her editor.

Iceland. December 1944. Tatiana Eliasdottir is looking forward to welcoming her niece Elea for Christmas. She’s determined to give the little girl a joyful holiday and take her mind off troubles at home. Soon, however, the publishing house where Tatiana works is flooded with orders thanks to the first issue of a seasonal book catalog. With the war causing so many shortages, Icelanders are eager to give their loved ones something that isn’t rationed, and books are the perfect solution to their dilemma.

Anders Johannsson is an editor who shares Tatiana’s love for stories. While he wishes to know her better, he’s never dared pursue more than friendship. They are first and foremost colleagues. But when Tatiana’s attempts to cheer Elea fail, Tatiana recruits him to help, a plea he can’t refuse. He is, after all, not only an editor but a beloved children’s book author and devoted uncle to his adoring nieces and nephews.

As the two creatively bring Icelandic Christmas traditions to life for Elea and frantically work to meet the demands of the publisher’s holiday rush, Tatiana finds herself increasingly drawn to kind, thoughtful Anders. But if a love is to grow between them, she will need to reveal her closely held secret: she is the mysterious author of a popular new novel . . . and Anders is her editor.

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at http://www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

Tags: , , ,

First Line Friday — The Christmas Book Flood

5 Dec

Happy first Friday of December! Have you started your Christmas reading yet? If not I recommend you begin with The Christmas Book Flood by Roseanna M. White. This lovely historical romance set during the Christmas season in Iceland checks all the boxes for a holiday read.

Here’s the first line:

The ringing of the phone quite possibly kept Tatiana Eliasdottir from getting sacked.

In this charming World War II historical romance novella inspired by Jolabokaflod, Iceland’s Christmas Book Flood, an author falls in love with a man who doesn’t know he is her editor.

Iceland. December 1944. Tatiana Eliasdottir is looking forward to welcoming her niece Elea for Christmas. She’s determined to give the little girl a joyful holiday and take her mind off troubles at home. Soon, however, the publishing house where Tatiana works is flooded with orders thanks to the first issue of a seasonal book catalog. With the war causing so many shortages, Icelanders are eager to give their loved ones something that isn’t rationed, and books are the perfect solution to their dilemma.

Anders Johannsson is an editor who shares Tatiana’s love for stories. While he wishes to know her better, he’s never dared pursue more than friendship. They are first and foremost colleagues. But when Tatiana’s attempts to cheer Elea fail, Tatiana recruits him to help, a plea he can’t refuse. He is, after all, not only an editor but a beloved children’s book author and devoted uncle to his adoring nieces and nephews.

As the two creatively bring Icelandic Christmas traditions to life for Elea and frantically work to meet the demands of the publisher’s holiday rush, Tatiana finds herself increasingly drawn to kind, thoughtful Anders. But if a love is to grow between them, she will need to reveal her closely held secret: she is the mysterious author of a popular new novel . . . and Anders is her editor.

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at http://www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

Tags: , , ,

Book Review — The Wish Book Christmas

4 Dec

Have you started your Christmas reading yet? I generally wait until Thanksgiving before cracking open the holiday books, so it was with great expectation that I chose The Wish Book Christmas by Lynn Austin for the first novella of the season. It’s also my book club’s December selection. Find out all about it, plus my thoughts below.

From bestselling author Lynn Austin comes a nostalgic and endearing holiday sequel to If I Were You that reminds us that sometimes the most meaningful gifts are the ones we least expect and don’t deserve.

Best friends Audrey Barrett and Eve Dawson are looking forward to celebrating Christmas in postwar America, thrilled at the prospect of starting new traditions with their five-year-old sons. But when the 1951 Sears Christmas Wish Book arrives and the boys start obsessing over every toy in it, Audrey and Eve realize they must first teach them the true significance of the holiday.

They begin by helping Bobby and Harry plan gifts of encouragement and service for those in their community, starting by walking an elderly neighbor’s yellow Lab—since a dog topped the boys’ wish list for Santa. In the charming tale that follows, Audrey and Eve are surprised to find their own hearts healing from the tragedies of war and opening to the possibility of forgiveness and new love.

Award winning author Lynn Austin was a former teacher who now writes and speaks full time, has won eight Christy Awards for her historical fiction. One of those novels, Hidden Places, has also been made into a Hallmark Channel movie. Lynn and her husband have raised three children . Now that the children are now grown she’s experiencing the joy of grandchildren. She lives in Western Michigan where the woods and beaches of Lake Michigan inspire her every day.

My Impressions:

The Wish Book Christmas by Lynn Austin was the first book I chose to read this holiday season. First off, it is a sequel to If I Were You, so if you haven’t read that novel (like me), I recommend you do that first. There are a lot of spoilers. With that said, I plunged ahead. No real regrets here. This historical fiction set in America in the early 1950s follows two British friends who have left England for a new start in America. The women are now sharing a home and raising their kindergarten-aged boys alone. When the two boys discover a Sears Catalog Wish Book, the two women decide to teach them about the real gifts in life. What they don’t expect is to be reminded of the gifts that they have received from God. The novella-length book is filled with nostalgic details and a strong Christmas-vibe. The theme of real gifts is a reminder to the reader of the true meaning of Christmas. God is strongly portrayed as the giver of all good gifts — “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow” (James 1:17). I loved the message, the characters, the blend of poignant and humorous scenes, the romances, and the setting of a hope-filled era. I can’t wait to discuss The Wish Book Christmas with my book club!

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

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

Tags: , , ,

Top 10 Tuesday Freebie!

2 Dec

It’s Freebie time at Top 10 Tuesday! While the possibilities are endless, I decided to list the Christmas books (0r Christmas-adjacent) I am reading this month (and a couple I read during Thanksgiving week). I am in full Christmas spirit mode which is surprising for me because I am generally a Scrooge until mid-December. But I’ve already started shopping and I put the wreath on the door yesterday 😉 . The books have certainly jump-started the season for me. I hope you find a book to love!

For more TTT Freebie posts, head to That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Christmas Books I Am Reading This Month

The Christmas Book Flood by Roseanna White

Christmas with The Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb

Frostbite by Christy Barritt

Headwater Holiday by Hannah Hood Lucero

Hidden by Hope Welborn

Once Upon a Christmas Carol by Melody Carlson

Version 1.0.0

Whiskers, Wreaths, And Murder by Kathy Manos Penn

The Wish Book Christmas by Lynn Austin

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Top 10 Tuesday — Thanksgiving Freebie

25 Nov

Happy Tuesday! This week TTT bloggers are posting about Thanksgiving and thankfulness. I have done a lot of these posts through the year and just couldn’t seem to come up with anything fresh. So . . . I am spelling out THANKGIVING with titles from books I am thankful for. The authors created books that made me smile, laugh out loud, and cry. They made me think and examine and ponder. They entertained and educated. So a big thanks to all on my list!

Top Book Titles That Spell Thanksgiving

T — Truth Be Told by Patricia Raybon

H — The Heart of Bennet Hollow by Joanne Bischof DeWitt

A — The All American by Susie Finkbeiner

N — The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

K — The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

S — The Stories We Carry by Robin Pearson

G — Guilty Until Innocent by Robert Whitlow

I — The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz

V — The Vanished by Cara Putman

I — Indigo Isle by T. I. Lowe

N — Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright

G — Gardins of Edin by Rosey Lee

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

← Older Entries