My book club unanimously liked Spies, Lies, And Alibis by Natalie Walters. We met her in person at a book festival in our small town. After hearing from her in person we knew we needed to read this rom-com/suspense novel. It is as delightful as she is! If you haven’t read it yet, we recommend you do. And if you have and want more espionage in your reading time, please check out the four books I have recommended.
Book with Spies!
The Bachelor Spy by Pepper Basham — historical mystery with humor mixed in.
Midnight on The Scottish Shore — WWII spies
The Paris Betrayal by James R. Hannibal — a modern day spy novel inspired by the Book of Job
To Outwit Them All by Peggy Wirgau — the real life story of George Washington’s spy ring
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Sabotage Games by Danielle Grandinetti, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About The Book
Title:Sabotage Games Series:Di Stasio Giornaliste Agency #2 Author:Danielle Grandinetti Publisher: Hearth Spot Press Release Date: September 22, 2026 Genre: Historical Romantic Mystery
Who will pay the ultimate price for Olympic Gold?
LAKE PLACID, N.Y., 1932—Sports journalist Emma Hancock is determined to claim her place in the press box, despite the male colleagues who slam the door in her face. But when a mysterious illness begins systematically sidelining athletes, Emma’s gift for spotting patterns reveals a plot far more sinister than mere competition.
With the Games in his own backyard, Olympic sprinter Ryan Callahan laces up his speed skates to compete in his first winter games. He has no time for distractions—especially not the inconvenience of the beautiful female journalist staying as a guest in his family’s crowded home.
But when the pattern of sabotage deepens, Emma and Ryan must work together to follow the threads before they become the next targets to fall.
La Verità con Integrità. Truth with Integrity. The Legacy of a (Girl) Stunt Reporter.
A 1930s Historical Romantic Mystery
This page-turning novel offers a sweet, slow-burn romance mixed with cozy suspense. Set during the historic III Olympic Winter Games—the first year women’s speed skating was featured—it unfolds against the snow-covered, high-stakes press boxes of Lake Placid, New York, in 1932. Perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen and J’nell Ciesielski looking for an inspirational read.
Excerpt
“But as a journalist, I need facts, not suppositions.”
“You can’t prove a connection, though. It’s still guessing.”
“Not necessarily.” Emma held up a finger, then replaced it on his arm. “Take the 1919 Chicago White Sox baseball scandal. Several players conspired with a bookie to rig the World Series. It was a sports journalist, Hugh S. Fullerton, who noticed the pattern because of the anomalies. He had already predicted high-profile results in other baseball match-ups because he studied the statistics of the game. Like in 1906 when he picked the White Sox Hitless Wonders to beat the Chicago Cubs who had won 116 Games that season in the World Series. In fact, I clipped his 1910 article “The Science of Baseball” from The American Magazine and have it in my files back home.”
Ryan shook his head, not bothering to hide his grin. “You’re something, Emma Hancock.”
Red tinged her cheeks and deepened the cold-nipped pink of her nose. She looked positively adorable. He tucked a flyaway strand of hair behind her ear and tugged her hat back in place. Her lips parted as she raised her questioning gaze to his.
He ran his thumb over her cheek bone, watching the color spread. “You amaze me. Intimidate me a bit, too. Mostly, though, I wish others could see what I’ve come to see this past week. You’re absolutely brilliant, and beautiful, and brave, and bright, and amazing at baseball.”
Her smile lit up her face, drawing his gaze to her lips. Should he? He leaned in and she didn’t pull away, so he moved closer still until he could feel her coffee-tinted breath. He paused, wanting to kiss her, yet not wanting to send her running. Not to mention they were on a public street.
But … maybe … a simple … Ryan pressed his lips to hers.
Danielle Grandinetti writes award-winning 1930s historical romantic mystery and suspense. She is the 2026 Holt Medallion winner and a second-generation Italian-American. Fueled by tea and nature, she crafts hope-filled historical romance novels exploring immigrant heritage, found family, and cozy Midwest traditions. Find her at daniellegrandinetti.com.
Tour Giveaway
(2) winners will each receive a paperback copy of Undercover Wish & Eyewitness Sketch!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 22, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 29, 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.
Happy Friday! Today I am featuring another great book by Leslie Kirby DeVooght. The Heartfelt Formula is a fun way to kick off the Christmas holidays, whether you begin your holiday reading in December or you can’t wait to skip all the pumpkin spice frenzy. 😉 A sweet, sassy, Southern romance I can’t wait to read, The Heartfelt Formula releases October 22, but you can preorder now.
Here’s the first line:
The Kiss.
She’s got a formula for love… but real life isn’t a Christmas movie.
After another breakup, Atlanta attorney Hope Elliot decides to stop waiting for her happily-ever-after and write it herself. Inspired by her beloved Christmas romance movies, Hope crafts The Heartfelt Formula: a foolproof plan including snowball fights, cookie baking, and a perfectly timed first kiss.
Trading the big city for coastal Georgia, Hope sets out to find her small-town soulmate. But the actors in her carefully plotted scenes keep shuffling—especially when Brennan Taylor, her ambitious co-counsel continues to fill in for Cole Walker, the carefree furniture maker, who Hope cast as her hero.
Between courtroom drama, a mismatched leading man, and a mistletoe mishap, Hope must decide if she’ll trust her formula or accept a plot twist that might leave her all alone, or perhaps, with happiest ending of all.
A faith-filled romantic comedy for anyone who believes love, like Christmas, can still surprise you.
PW Best-Selling Author Leslie Kirby DeVooght writes women’s fiction inspired by romcoms, coastal Georgia, and fried okra! While Leslie and her family live in Jacksonville, Florida, they often visit her hometown of St. Simons Island, Georgia, where she loves to go for long walks on the beach. A graduate of Florida Southern College and Mercer Law School, Leslie is always revising her life from prosecutor to judge to PTA president to author of happily-ever-afters.
Happy Tuesday! Today TTT bloggers are sharing books that have nationalities in the title. I had more books than I expected to choose from my shelves, but I did a bit of googling to round out my list. Asterisks denote books that I don’t own. Let me know if I should add them!
Happy Tuesday! Is Christmas in July still a thing? Well today on By The Book it is! Today’s featured first line is Christmas in The Castle Library by Ann Swindell. My copy came courtesy of a book swap by my book club. I haven’t read it yet, because I generally start my Christmas reading mid-November. But that should probably change. What do you think? When do you start reading Christmas books?
Here are the first lines:
Ellie Sawyer looked at the time in the corner of her computer screen. One minute left.
Ellie Sawyer has always felt more comfortable with books than people, which explains why she’s a PhD history student neck deep in research and trying to complete her doctoral dissertation in time to graduate. But the final books she needs are half a world away in the tiny European kingdom of Lethersby, and the only time she can access the secretive Royal Castle Library is during the Christmas holiday.
Ellie is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery that has eluded Lethersby scholars for more than 100 hundred years by figuring out what happened to their long-lost queen, a young royal who disappeared shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. With the help of Mark, a handsome castle staff member who shares her love of history, she might be able to unravel the queen’s story. But Mark is keeping his own secret from her, and what they discover together could change everything for Ellie—and the entire kingdom.
Ann Swindell and her writing have been featured widely by The Gospel Coalition, Risen Motherhood, (in)courage, Proverbs 31 Ministries, and many other publications. She is the owner of Writing with Grace (where she teaches Christ-centered writing courses), and holds an MA in Writing from DePaul University and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing from Seattle Pacific University. Ann lives in West Michigan with her pastor-husband and their children. Learn more at annswindell.com.
Can an unexpected turn lead her right where she belongs?
Pregnant, single and stranded in a storm with her two young kids, Olive Hart is out of options—until gruff mechanic Hank Valentine comes to their rescue. When her housing falls through, he reluctantly offers them shelter at his ranch in exchange for help at his garage. It’s just a temporary arrangement…but Olive’s chaotic, lovable crew begins to warm his guarded heart. They’ve both been burned by the past, but can they find the courage to build something lasting…together?
Excerpt
“Hank, I—”
“Olive, please—”
They spoke over each other. He lifted a hand, palm up. “Ladies first.”
That earned him a tiny grin and a win in his book.
“I hate to be a burden—”
He opened his mouth, but she stopped him with the same look he’d seen her level on her kids when they misbehaved.
“As you probably figured out, my family needs a place to stay a bit longer—”
She licked her lips—a mouth he had no business noticing—then brushed a hand over her ponytail. At first glance, she looked young, but exhaustion clutched her like an extra layer.
He was too old—and too worn down himself—to be getting any ideas. Wasn’t he?
“So the sooner I can start work at the garage—” she took a deep breath, then exhaled “—the sooner I can pay our way.”
“Look, Olive, you’re—”
She didn’t miss the flicker in his eyes toward her ample middle.
“I’m what…pregnant?” Humor laced her tone.
He shrugged. “Well—yeah.”
Her bottom lip jutted out. Way too full, if you asked him.
Olive squared her shoulders and sat a little taller on her chair. “I’m starting on Monday.”
Chris Maday Schmidt is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author who writes contemporary inspirational romance—real-life fairy tales filled with hope, humor, and heart. A member of Faith, Hope & Love Christian Writers, she is the author of the Love Inspired Sweetwater series for Harlequin, including her latest release, A Mother’s Prayer (June 30, 2026). Her debut novel received a 5-star review in the 2024 Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews and Award Contest.
Connect with Chris by visiting chrismadayschmidt.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a book tote, a B&N gift card, and a signed print copy of A Mother’s Prayer!
(1) winner will receive a Sweetwater, Arizona book bundle: A Father’s Vow, The Fire Chief’s Surprise, and A Mother’s Prayer! (print for US winner, ebooks if winner is outside the US)
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 30, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 7, 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 copies & book tote. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Happy Tuesday and happy summer! Today TTT is featuring bloggers’ Summer TBR Lists. Mine is short, but sweet 😉 . I do have a favor to ask of you, though. I need to pick something for my book club to read in August. I’ve presented 3 choices — please tell me which you would choose and why. Thanks so much!
Happy Friday! Today I am featuring Eva Marie Everson’s newest novel, Miss Beth Bettencourt, which releases later this month. So you are getting a sneak peek! The book is billed as a Bynum, Georgia novel, so if you read The One True Love of Alice-Ann (I did and loved it!), you will again be swept away to this charming South Georgia town.
Here’s the first line:
Why do all the bad things happen at night?
Will an unlikely romance tear down Beth’s walls of indifference?
It’s 1962 in Bynum, Georgia, and Beth Bettencourt’s world is turned upside down when she wakes to a man snoring in the guest bedroom.
She’s home alone; her parents are traveling abroad, grieving her twin sister’s unexpected death. Instead of accompanying them, Beth stayed in Bynum to tend to her kindergarten and closely guard her own heart.
A beautiful and beloved member of the community, Beth is an unusual specimen for her time as she nears thirty and remains unmarried. She holds deep-seated unforgiveness toward her twin, Elise, who ran off with Beth’s beau. To make matters worse, Elise took their grandmother’s ring, which had been promised to Beth.
But now a stranger enters her home and her world. David Patrick Martin seems ready to break down her walls of indifference and find the core of Miss Beth Bettencourt. But can he be trusted with Beth’s past, her present, and more importantly, her future?
Eva MarieEverson is an ECPA bestselling and multiple award-winning author and speaker, including an ECPA Gold Medallion. She is a Christy finalist, and a Silver Medallion winner. She has won a Carol, several Maggie and Golden Scroll awards, and an Inspirational Retailers Choice Award. Born and reared in Georgia, Eva Marie and her husband make their home in Central Florida where they are owned by one very spoiled cat and two hearts full of grandchildren.
I have long been a fan of Eva Marie Everson. Her novels include women’s fiction and romance, both contemporary and historical. I think her strength as an author is writing authentic female characters her readers can easily identify with — those facing real life struggles. Her latest book is Miss Beth Bettencourt. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Find out all about it and my thoughts below.
Will an unlikely romance tear down Beth’s walls of indifference?
It’s 1962 in Bynum, Georgia, and Beth Bettencourt’s world is turned upside down when she wakes to a man snoring in the guest bedroom.
She’s home alone; her parents are traveling abroad, grieving her twin sister’s unexpected death. Instead of accompanying them, Beth stayed in Bynum to tend to her kindergarten and closely guard her own heart.
A beautiful and beloved member of the community, Beth is an unusual specimen for her time as she nears thirty and remains unmarried. She holds deep-seated unforgiveness toward her twin, Elise, who ran off with Beth’s beau. To make matters worse, Elise took their grandmother’s ring, which had been promised to Beth.
But now a stranger enters her home and her world. David Patrick Martin seems ready to break down her walls of indifference and find the core of Miss Beth Bettencourt. But can he be trusted with Beth’s past, her present, and more importantly, her future?
Eva MarieEverson is an ECPA bestselling and multiple award-winning author and speaker, including an ECPA Gold Medallion. She is a Christy finalist, and a Silver Medallion winner. She has won a Carol, several Maggie and Golden Scroll awards, and an Inspirational Retailers Choice Award. Born and reared in Georgia, Eva Marie and her husband make their home in Central Florida where they are owned by one very spoiled cat and two hearts full of grandchildren.
My Impressions:
Everyone knows everyone in the small town of Bynum, Georgia. And they certainly know your business, all in the matter of a few hours! Beth Bettencourt knows this full well as she seeks to live a quiet, purposeful life in the face of past heartache. Little does she know that on one fateful night (in a life derailed by another fateful night), just how much her world will change. Miss Beth Bettencourt by Eva Marie Everson is a quiet novel set in an ordinary Southern town in 1962. It seems not a lot happens there, yet below the calm surface lie regrets and grief. Beth has a lot of those until Marty enters to break down the walls she has built around her heart. Marty, a newly discharged soldier, makes a mistake when he sleepily stumbles into Beth’s home, but it is soon apparent that God has His hands all over the breaking and entering. The book is told through the first person perspectives of Beth, Marty, and Molly, the Bettencourt’s longtime housekeeper, giving the narrative a completeness. Beth and Marty discover forgiveness, redemption, and a chance at a future neither expected. I loved how trust and respect slowly develops between the two. This is just such a sweet story! There’s a bit of a mystery, and of course no fictional (or real-life) relationship exists without a few obstacles. But by the end of the book the two have grown in profound ways. I also loved secondary character, Molly, as she guided Beth with her wisdom and wit. Molly cooks throughout the book, and I was delighted to find her recipes shared at the conclusion. Yum! Can’t wait to try those and make a return to Bynum.
If you like well-developed characters facing real-life challenges wrapped up in a charming setting, then Miss Beth Bettencourt is a book for you!
Recommended.
Audience: Adults.
(Thanks to the author for an ARC of the novel. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Happy Tuesday! Today I just was not feeling the TTT topic — bucket list books. I have done a couple of these posts and didn’t really want to do the research on books and destinations, so instead I am sharing the latest additions to my NetGalley Shelf. A few of these have already released, so I need to get going on my reading. There is also a good mix of genres — I hope you find one to love.
Many of the books I review are provided to me free of charge from publishers, authors, or other groups in return for a review. The opinions expressed in the reviews are mine and mine alone. No monetary consideration is given. This disclaimer is in accordance with FTC rules.
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