Tag Archives: Pepper Basham

August is National Romance Book Month!

13 Aug

It’s almost half way through August, but I’d be remiss not to post about Romance Book Month. I have seen bookstore and author celebrations across social media, so I knew I needed to get on board. Today, I am featuring some fun contemporary romances. These books are sweet and sassy with characters you will LOVE! Check them out!

For The Love of Joy by Janet Ferguson

For Emma Trinket, life is a delicate balancing act between loving her family and pursuing interests they don’t understand. When the opportunity arises to finally impress them with her job as a computer programmer, she jumps at it even if it means immersing herself in a world she’s despised since childhood.

Unfortunately the one man who could crush her prospects is also the best person to help her navigate the lessons she needs to be a success.

Artistic expression is both Carter Anderson’s safe space and his livelihood, but his fading inspiration has him worried about his place in life. His encounters with Emma spark a passion to create that he hasn’t felt in years and he isn’t ready to let go of his new muse even if she’s threatening the sanctity of his art world with her digital technologies.

As each tries to gain an advantage from the other, Emma and Carter discover they actually might be more compatible than they thought. Will that be enough to unify their opposing missions or will the real differences between pixels and paint tear them apart?

The Love Script by Toni Shiloh

A hollywood hair stylist

Nevaeh Richards loves making those in the spotlight shine but prefers the anonymity of staying behind her stylist chair, where no one notices her. But when a photo of Nevaeh and Hollywood A-lister Lamont Booker goes viral for all the wrong reasons, her quiet life becomes the number-one trending topic. 

The silver screen’s latest heartthrob

Lamont Booker’s bold faith has gained him a platform, and the authenticity of his faith is well known . . . until the tabloids cause the world to question everything he claims to be. With his reputation on the line, he finds himself hearing out his agent’s push for a fake relationship–something he never thought he’d consider in a million years.

A love that goes off script

With their careers at risk, Nevaeh and Lamont have to convince the world that their scripted romance is more than just an act. But when fake seems to turn into something real, can Nevaeh trust her heart in a world where nothing is ever as it seems?

Memory Lane by Becky Wade (book 1 in the Sons of Scandal series)

After surviving a trauma several years back, Remy Reed relocated to a cottage on one of Maine’s most remote islands. She’s arranged her life just the way she wants it, spending her time working on her wood sculptures and soaking in the beauty of nature. It’s quiet and solitary—until the day she spots something bobbing in the ocean.

Her binoculars reveal the “something” to be a man, and he’s struggling to keep his head above water. She races out to save him and brings him into her home. He’s injured, which doesn’t detract from his handsomeness nor make him any easier to bear. He acts like a duke who’s misplaced his dukedom . . . expensive tastes, lazy charm, bossy ideas.

Remy would love nothing more than to return him to his people, but he has no recollection of his life prior to the moment she rescued him. Though she’s not interested in relationships other than the safe ones she’s already established, she begins to realize that he’s coming to depend on her.

Who is he? What happened that landed him in the Atlantic Ocean? And why is she drawn to him more and more as time goes by?

There’s no way to discover those answers except to walk beside him down memory lane.

Pixels And Paint by Kristi Ann Hunter

For Emma Trinket, life is a delicate balancing act between loving her family and pursuing interests they don’t understand. When the opportunity arises to finally impress them with her job as a computer programmer, she jumps at it even if it means immersing herself in a world she’s despised since childhood.

Unfortunately the one man who could crush her prospects is also the best person to help her navigate the lessons she needs to be a success.

Artistic expression is both Carter Anderson’s safe space and his livelihood, but his fading inspiration has him worried about his place in life. His encounters with Emma spark a passion to create that he hasn’t felt in years and he isn’t ready to let go of his new muse even if she’s threatening the sanctity of his art world with her digital technologies.

As each tries to gain an advantage from the other, Emma and Carter discover they actually might be more compatible than they thought. Will that be enough to unify their opposing missions or will the real differences between pixels and paint tear them apart?

Some Like It Scot by Pepper Basham

Popular travel writer and podcaster Katie Campbell roams the world collecting other people’s stories. She’s built a career as “Miss Adventure,” known for saying yes to anything new–country, food, or experience–and predictably finding those adventures taking a downward turn into misadventures.

Offered the chance to explore her ancestral roots through a three-week Edwardian experience, Katie finds herself immersed in the beauty and eccentricity of Scotland. In her period attire, with traditional foods and activities, the opportunities for misadventures are endless, especially with the presence of a maniacal macaw, a jealous co-worker, and an all-too-surly Scotsman.

Reclusive and protective Graeme MacKerrow doesn’t venture far from his island home. A stoic Scotsman, Graeme’s comfort zone has always been family, and after his sister’s death, he’s even more determined to save the MacKerrow ancestral home and keep those he loves close. The sudden intrusion of a six-foot-one American lass, famous for her traveling misfortunes, was far from his plan.

As this world of folklore, community, and woodworkers-in-kilts tempts Katie to discover her own story, could this one grand series of misadventures lead her directly to where she belongs? And would a settled-in-Scot ever risk loosening his grip on what’s familiar to allow a wanderlust writer a home in his heart? How could their very different worlds share the same page of life’s story when “home” is in two very different places? But maybe home–and the future–isn’t quite what either one imagined it would be. Maybe home is less about a place . . . and more about a person.

Stealing Magnolias by Leslie Kirby DeVooght

When Wren Frazier heads south to honor her grandmother’s final wish, she finds five unexpected challenges, one grumpy (but handsome) neighbor, and maybe—herself.

Although an artist, Wren packed away her brushes and paints and sought a practical career as an interior designer in Chicago. She’s always put herself last, happy to please everyone around her. But with a team of dedicated co-workers and a small town of quirky characters supporting her, she’s forced to give herself a little attention. As her artistic heart starts to awaken, Wren finds herself rediscovering the joy of creation and living authentically.

But while she’s exploring the enchanting Georgia Low Country, creating beautiful paintings, and taking a chance on love, she uncovers a secret that shakes the foundation of her newfound happiness. With the revelation threatening to ruin the delicate balance Wren has only begun to realize, will she give up her fairytale and return to her reality?

First Line Friday — The Highland Heist

27 Jun

Happy Friday! Today I am featuring the newest book in Pepper Basham‘s Freddie and Grace Mystery series, The Highland Heist. This series is delightful — history, mystery, and romance abound. I love that Pepper focuses on married romance — Frederick and Grace never seem to end their honeymoon!

Here’s the first line:

June 23, 1914

Perfect husbands were rare, except perhaps in fiction, but Grace Percy, Countess of Astley, had married the real life equivalent, she was certain.

Grace Storms a Scottish Castle to Save her Sister
 
Lord Astley surprises his wife with a trip to America to see her family before they end their honeymoon adventures. But just as they arrive, they find Grace’s sister, Lillias, is the prime suspect in her husband’s murder. To add to the confusion a solicitor arrives to tell the sister’s they are needed in Scotland immediately to claim their mother’s inheritance.
 
The clock is ticking to clear Lillias of suspicion, but someone is determined to keep the sisters from reaching the Scottish Highlands. When Lillias disappears, Freddie and Grace race to Scotland, sure the answers will be found in a long-forgotten castle.
 
With a ghost from Frederick’s past leaving threatening clues along the way, the mysterious Mr. Kane waiting in the wings to grab the inheritance for himself, and an apparition haunting the infamous castle, Lord and Lady Astley must capture the castle, save Lillias, and not die in the process.
 
The Highland Heist is a Freddie and Grace Mystery, sequel to The Mistletoe Countess, The Cairo Curse, and The Juliet Code.

Pepper Basham is a best-selling 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.

You can learn more about Pepper and her books on her website at http://www.pepperdbasham.com.

Top 10 Tuesday — Summer TBR

17 Jun

Happy Tuesday! Is it hot where you are? It is here in the sunny South, so that means it is officially Summer! of course, it is often hot here in the Spring and Autumn as well, but Summer is a special kind of hot. Some refer to it as Satan’s front porch. 😉 And let’s not even talk about the humidity! But the AC and ceiling fans that are obligatory here keep our reading environment cool and dry, so don’t feel too bad for us. Today bloggers are listing their Summer TBRs. I have a few projects that are keeping my pleasure reading at a minimum, but I do have a few books that will be well deserved breaks. I’ve only listed a few, but they are highly anticipated.

What are you reading this Summer?

For more Summer TBRs, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books on My Summer TBR

Becoming Madame Secretary by Stephanie Dray

For A Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer

The Highland Heist by Pepper Basham

The Light on Horn Island by Valerie Fraser Luesse

Top 10 Tuesday — Changes

13 May

Happy Tuesday! Today in TTT bloggers are talking about the changes their blogs have undergone since they began. Can you believe I have been blogging for 15 years?! I missed this milestone anniversary last November; I probably need to do something about that. 😉 My blog has changed in a lot of ways, but in basics it has stayed the same.

For more changes in blogging, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Changes in My Blogging/Reading

I still review mostly CF and clean fiction. Nowadays I rarely review non-fiction.

I have cut way back on the number of books I review. I started blogging when my kids were at home, I was working part time, and my husband was working full time. Now we are empty nesters, I’m retired, and my husband is semi-retired. More time means less time for the blog.

I am reading less too. It seems weird that having more free time translates to less reading, but in my case it does, since I have more opportunity for other pursuits.

I am reading what I like. In the early years of blogging I took any and all books publishers were willing to send me. Now I am more choosy.

I read almost exclusively on my Kindle. It’s easy and portable. I never thought this would happen, but it also allows me access to more books, especially through NetGalley.

While I have contemplated phasing out my blog, I am still really attached to the book blog community. I love engaging with other readers and reviewers from all over the world. Who knows how long my blog will go on . . .

Because I can’t stand not referencing books in the TTT posts, here are a few books I have read recently. I am still an eclectic reader! I love reading my go-to authors books and discovering new authors.

Spotlight on Contemporary Romance

10 Apr

Some Like it Scot JustRead Takeover + Review Tour

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Some Like it Scot by Pepper Basham hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Some Like it Scot

Title: Some Like it Scot
Author: Pepper Basham
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: April 8, 2025
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

She lives her life on the fly. His heart is double-knotted to home. Can two different souls create a life together?

Popular travel writer and podcaster Katie Campbell roams the world collecting other people’s stories. She’s built a career as “Miss Adventure,” known for saying yes to anything new–country, food, or experience–and predictably finding those adventures taking a downward turn into misadventures.

Offered the chance to explore her ancestral roots through a three-week Edwardian experience, Katie finds herself immersed in the beauty and eccentricity of Scotland. In her period attire, with traditional foods and activities, the opportunities for misadventures are endless, especially with the presence of a maniacal macaw, a jealous co-worker, and an all-too-surly Scotsman.

Reclusive and protective Graeme MacKerrow doesn’t venture far from his island home. A stoic Scotsman, Graeme’s comfort zone has always been family, and after his sister’s death, he’s even more determined to save the MacKerrow ancestral home and keep those he loves close. The sudden intrusion of a six-foot-one American lass, famous for her traveling misfortunes, was far from his plan.

As this world of folklore, community, and woodworkers-in-kilts tempts Katie to discover her own story, could this one grand series of misadventures lead her directly to where she belongs? And would a settled-in-Scot ever risk loosening his grip on what’s familiar to allow a wanderlust writer a home in his heart? How could their very different worlds share the same page of life’s story when “home” is in two very different places? But maybe home–and the future–isn’t quite what either one imagined it would be. Maybe home is less about a place . . . and more about a person.

Excerpt

Graeme

And then my attention settled on Katie Campbell. Her gown appeared less elegant than the others, and so tight it easily highlighted her curvy silhouette. But her profile held the real mesmerizing quality. Shaded beneath that muckle hat of hers, all smiles had faded. She wore an intriguing look, distant. 

Lost? Lonely?

I shouldn’t care, truth be told. 

And she shouldn’t draw my attention like she did. No more than the rest of the group with their fancy dress and saucer-sized hats. But she did. In a bathersome way. My attention kept pulling back to the ginger in the ill-fitting frock and an expression filled with unvoiced emotions. 

Suddenly, her entire body stiffened, and she turned, eyes wide. 

And I heard it. 

The sound of Kirsty’s bicycle bell. 

Och! How on earth did the little imp plan these things? Did she keep watch for victims from her Grannie’s front porch?

The girl made sport of scaring strangers and with the last week of Summer Term in place, she’d likely have even more freedom. Usually, her antics weren’t a problem because she rarely disturbed the natives anymore, but when tourists came it was like she had a radar out to find them. Wild one, she was. But with naught but her aged grannie for family, she was left to her own devices…and amusement most of the time. 

“What’s all the noise?”

Mum’s question fell on deaf ears as Katie grabbed a man’s arm near her, clearly trying to get his attention about mad Kirsty. In one quick movement, the man shocked to attention moving away from Kirsty’s trajectory, but in the process knocked Katie back. Katie stumbled, attempted to keep her balance with arms flailing about like propellers, and then—my breath seized in my chest—she tumbled over into the loch.

Did catastrophe follow the woman!

“Good heavens, Graeme!” Mum called.

I rushed to the door and flung it open, Mum on my heels. Dodging two ladies in fancy dress, I ran the distance to the loch, passing the daft man she’d saved as he stared into the water without one step to help. 

“I…I didn’t know. I…didn’t mean…”

The loch wasn’t especially deep at the water’s edge, perhaps 12 feet, but deep enough.

Katie didn’t emerge, but I could see her silhouette below the water, her arms frantically moving but not making progress to the surface. Jerking off my jacket and tugging off my shoes, I drew in a deep breath and plunged into the loch near her. 

The cool water soaked through my t-shirt and jeans as I turned in Katie’s direction and waited for the bubbles from my dive to dissipate. A pale arm flapped toward me through the bubbles and then her gaze met mine. So wide, so vulnerable, pleading for my response. 

And my heart squeezed an answer. 

She pointed below to her skirt and I swam lower, noting the trouble. 

The bottom of her dress had interwoven with an old, disposed oyster cage. I dove lower and found the tangle, ripping the knotted lace to free her. With the last tug of snagged cloth, I rose, wrapping my arm about her waist on the way to the surface. 

Her arms wrapped around my neck, her body flush against mine, as we broke above the water line. I may have freed the tangle of her cloth, but the knot in my chest only tightened as she coughed against my shoulder, her cold cheek pressing into my neck. 

Greer had looked at me with such fear, once. 

Only once. 

Near the end.

And I’d been helpless to save her.

But Katie trembled against me, a mingle of breaths and coughs assuring me of her fitness, and…well, I fought rising emotions until they stung at my eyes. I was a bloomin’ fool, I was.

With a sweep of my arm, I brought us close to the rock well lining the water’s edge and steadied us against it. She coughed once more before shivering into my side. My hold instinctively tightened around her and with one long sigh, her head dropped against my shoulder, fully trusting me and my strength.

The pressure in my chest tightened to the hurting spot. Don’t trust me to keep you safe, I wanted to say, but the words refused to form. Instead, I went completely doolally and held her a little closer. 

Because…truth be told. She was safe now.

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

Also Available:

Authentically, Izzy Positively, Penelope Loyally Luke


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 Asheville, NC, where she is the wife of a fantastic pastor, the mom of 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 print copy of Some Like it Scot and hairy coo themed gift box!

(1) additional winner will receive a print copy of Some Like it Scot!

Some Like it Scot 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 April 9, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on April 16, 2025. 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 — Spring-y Covers

8 Apr

Happy Tuesday! Spring has definitely sprung around my house. The azaleas are in full bloom now and the dogwoods are showing off. Our blueberry bushes are full of blossoms and seem to have escaped any late frosts! Yay! Along with the beauty outside my windows, I’ve got some book beauties on the shelf. Today’s TTT topic is Spring-y Book Covers. The covers are lightening my mood and adding some really pretty granny squares to my 2025 book blanket project. Find new releases and oldies — I have a bountiful mix on my shelves — below.

For more, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Spring-y Book Covers

Always Green by Patti Hill

Always on My Heart by Iola Goulton

A Gardin Wedding by Rosey Lee

Hope Like Wildflowers by Pepper Basham

Hope Springs by Lynne Hinton

The Light on Horn Island by Valerie Fraser Luesse

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry

Sunrise Reef by Irene Hannon

What The Mountains Remember by Joy Callaway

When The Jessamine Grows by Donna Everhart

Top 10 Tuesday — No Fooling, These Books Are Great!

1 Apr

Happy Tuesday! Since it’s April Fool’s Day, this week’s TTT topic is you’d be a fool not to read these books. My list contains books I have read this year that I highly recommend you read. As always there’s a variety of genres so you can easily find your next favorite book. Enjoy!

For more bloggers’ choices, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Recommended Books I’ve Read So Far This Year

Before The King by Heather Kaufman

Break My Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn

The Hunted Heir by Jayna Breigh

The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz

Indigo Isle by T. I. Lowe

Memory Lane by Becky Wade

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

Of Love And Treason by Jamie Ogle

Some Like It Scot by Pepper Basham

The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray

Mini-Book Review — Some Like It Scot

26 Mar

I finally met Pepper Basham in person in January at the Turning A New Page Book Festival in Perry, GA. What fun it was to sit in on the two panels she was on, as well as, talking with her face-to-face! She is so sweet! And funny! If you are a fan of her romcoms you probably would have guessed that already. I also had the great fortune of receiving an ARC of her latest book, Some Like It Scot. It is a fun romp through the Scottish countryside with sheep, a hairy coo, and a swoony hero in a kilt. Main character Katie Campbell is a popular travel writer that has endeared her audience with misadventures. Katie is sweet, kind, and prone to harrowing near death experiences, with this trip to the Isle of Mull no exception. She is also burdened by family dynamics leading her to a flight response in her personal life. I loved Katie. She is a relatable character, even if you’ve never been chased by a cow or fallen off a cliff. 😉 She meets her dream man, but it is definitely not love at first sight for either of them — at least that’s what they tell each other. I really liked how the romance develops between the pair. There are plenty of zany situations and quirky, but lovable characters. I especially fell in love with Lachlan, a young boy wise beyond his years, and Mirren, a woman who nurtures Katie in ways her own mother never did. I also now want to return to Scotland to experience the misty lochs and quaint towns found on Mull.

Some Like It Scot was a quick read with lots of romance, but it also conveys godly wisdom for anyone reading it. It’s definitely a recommended read!

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

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

She lives her life on the fly. His heart is double-knotted to home. Can two different souls create a life together?

Popular travel writer and podcaster Katie Campbell roams the world collecting other people’s stories. She’s built a career as “Miss Adventure,” known for saying yes to anything new–country, food, or experience–and predictably finding those adventures taking a downward turn into misadventures.

Offered the chance to explore her ancestral roots through a three-week Edwardian experience, Katie finds herself immersed in the beauty and eccentricity of Scotland. In her period attire, with traditional foods and activities, the opportunities for misadventures are endless, especially with the presence of a maniacal macaw, a jealous co-worker, and an all-too-surly Scotsman.

Reclusive and protective Graeme MacKerrow doesn’t venture far from his island home. A stoic Scotsman, Graeme’s comfort zone has always been family, and after his sister’s death, he’s even more determined to save the MacKerrow ancestral home and keep those he loves close. The sudden intrusion of a six-foot-one American lass, famous for her traveling misfortunes, was far from his plan.

As this world of folklore, community, and woodworkers-in-kilts tempts Katie to discover her own story, could this one grand series of misadventures lead her directly to where she belongs? And would a settled-in-Scot ever risk loosening his grip on what’s familiar to allow a wanderlust writer a home in his heart? How could their very different worlds share the same page of life’s story when “home” is in two very different places? But maybe home–and the future–isn’t quite what either one imagined it would be. Maybe home is less about a place . . . and more about a person.

Pepper Basham is a best-selling 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 Asheville, NC where she is the wife of a fantastic pastor, mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. She loves connecting with readers and other authors through social media outlets like Facebook & Instagram.

You can learn more about Pepper and her books on her website at http://www.pepperdbasham.com.

Top 10 Tuesday — Book Blanket Update

25 Mar

Happy Tuesday! I was not feeling the TTT topic today — DNF (did not finish) books. Didn’t we just post about that topic? I typically finish all the books that I start primarily because I am pretty picky about the books I choose to read — mood reading, favorite genres or authors, etc. So today I am posting an update about my 2025 book blanket. Below are the books I have recently read and the granny squares I have made to remember them by. And in good conscience, I have to confess that I may be choosing books based on pretty covers. 😉 Do you have any bookish projects going on?

For more on-topic bloggers’ lists please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

2025 Book Blanket Update

Top 10 Tuesday — Spring TBR

18 Mar

Happy Tuesday! How is it already Spring? Now, I am not complaining. The winter here in the Sunny South was cold by our standards. But how has the time gone so quickly!? While my reading isn’t as quick as it used to be, I am steadily making progress on my TBR list. TTT helps me get it in line too. So here’s my Spring TBR, a mix of review books, book club selections, and just because. Wish me luck! 😉

For more bloggers’ Spring TBR lists, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Spring TBR

Always by My Side by Iola Goulton

Cold Dead Night by Lisa Phillips

A Gardin Wedding by Rosey Lee

Guilty Until Innocent by Robert Whitlow

Midnight on The Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

The Other Sister by Jessica R. Patch

Some Like It Scot by Pepper Basham

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry

Sunrise Reef by Irene Hannon