Wednesday, January 15, 2025

What I Left For You

I literally just finished the book at 1:29 am. I can't sleep. I lay here thinking of how heart wrenching that this really happened.

I know first hand the havoc that occurred during WWII. My mother was a young child in England but she remembers the sacrifices that were made during this time. She remembers family members who didn't come home the same. She remembers the joy she felt when she had a bit of a egg. She remembers the sirens signaling the need to go into the shelters.

I can not even fathom how many survived and died during this war. Terrible things happened and we ask why? We don't have the answers. I'm sure many questioned their faith. Many others depended on their beliefs and prayed for the end of this terrible catastrophe.

Helena suffered greatly. Emotionally and physically. She held on to her faith that GOD will bring an end to this.

A powerful book. A book I won't forget.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit to review.

#Celebratelit #blogtour #LizTolzma

About the Book

Book: What I Left for You (Echoes of the Past Book Three)

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release date: December 1, 2024

A Family’s Ties Were Broken in Poland of 1939

1939
Helena Kostyszak is an oddity—an educated female ethnic minority lecturing at a university in Krakow at the outbreak of WWII. When the Germans close the university and force Jews into the ghetto, she spirits out a friend’s infant daughter and flees to her small village in the southern hills. Helena does everything in her power to protect her family, but it may not be enough. It will take all of her strength and God’s intervention for both of them to survive the war and the ethnic cleansing to come.

2023
Recently unengaged social worker McKenna Muir is dealt an awful blow when a two-year-old she’s been working with is murdered. It’s all too much to take, so her friend suggests she dive into her family’s past like she’s always wanted. Putting distance between herself and her problems might help her heal, so she and her friend head on Sabbatical to Poland. But what McKenna discovers about her family shocks everyone, including one long-lost family member.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping.

More from Liz

I stared at my computer screen in front of me. For years, I had been searching for my great-grandmother, Anna. I got no good information. Census records in the US weren’t helpful. Some listed her birthplace as Czechoslovakia, while others had it as Austria. I had heard before that she might have been born in Czechoslovakia before, but never Austria. There were no records that I had come across that listed the city or town where she was born.

Until that one day. While searching for my great-grandmother, I ran across a passport application recorded in Warsaw, Poland, for an Anna with the same last name, though spelled differently. Her birthday was listed as 1903, which matched the birth year I knew for my great-grandmother’s niece. As I read through the application, my heart was pounding. This Anna was born in the United States but went to Dubne, Poland, with her family in 1906. It was now 1923, and she wanted to return to the US, and she would be living with…

I started to cry when I saw who her sponsor was. My great-grandfather. The name and address were correct. There could be no doubt about it. It had taken me years, but I finally made the jump to Europe and discovered that my great-grandmother was not born in Czechoslovakia but in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire and is now Poland.

Of course, good little researcher that I am, I had to find out all I could about Dubne, the town they were from. That’s when I first came across the term Lemko. What on earth was that?

Lemkos are a Slavic people that settled in the Carpathian Mountains of Southern Poland, Northern Slovakia, and Western Ukraine. They are also known as Lemko Rusyns, Rusyns (especially those born in Slovakia, like my great-grandfather), and Carptho-Rusyns. The mountains kept the world at bay, and they developed their own language, customs, and form of Christianity. For the most part, they were very poor, many of them eking out a living from the rocky ground.

They lived in “black houses,” called that because the poorest people couldn’t afford to have a chimney built. The smoke from the cooking and heating fires stayed inside the house and covered the walls with black tar. If you look at the cemetery records from Dubne, you would be old if you lived into your fifties. Conditions were brutal.

The most the average Lemko could afford was one sheep or one pig. Since this was their most prized possession, they couldn’t take the chance of a wild animal or a neighbor taking it away, so it lived in the house with them.

With all of them. Up to eleven people would live in a two-room house. When I mentioned that in What I Left for You, my editor questioned if I had made a mistake. No, I didn’t. I have no idea how they fit all those people in there, but they did. As I was tracking one branch of our family tree, I kept coming up with people living in house 43. Over and over and over. They stuffed that house full. Grandparents, parents, and children all lived together. They may not have had much, but that forged the Lemkos into strong and resilient people.

I’m proud to be Lemko-Rusyn, and I’m thrilled to share this story with you. I infused Helena, the historical heroine, with as much of the Lemko spunk and spirit as I could. Last October, my daughter and I had the privilege to travel to Poland and Slovakia and see the Lemko homeland for ourselves. It helped me to write a better, richer story because I now understand where they came from and who they were. Enjoy Helena’s story and her journey during WWII and beyond. I hope you come to understand and appreciate the Lemko people as much as I have.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 7

lakesidelivingsite, January 7

Lots of Helpers, January 8

Pens Pages & Pulses, January 8

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 9

Life on Chickadee Lane, January 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 10

Texas Book-aholic, January 11

Connie’s History Classroom , January 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 13

For Him and My Family, January 13

Stories By Gina, January 14 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, January 14

Holly’s Book Corner, January 15

Betti Mace, January 16

Jeanette’s Thoughts, January 16

Bigreadersite, January 17

Blossoms and Blessings, January 17

Pause for Tales, January 18

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, January 18

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, January 19

Lights in a Dark World, January 19

Cover Lover Book Review, January 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and a print copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54125

Saturday, January 11, 2025

A Stolen Kiss

One kiss. That's all it took and their lives were changed forever. A cute story of two Amish people who never expected to find themselves in this predicament. It's ard to comprehend that one kiss could cause such an uproar.

Ben had no plans to settle down any time soon. LeEtta was not expecting to ever marry. Ben felt he needed to prove himself from his poor behaviors of the past. LeEtta felt responsible for her father's sorrow.

There were wonderful characters included in this story. It's difficult to pick one I liked more than others. Aunti Oneida probably was my favorite. She was so joyful and loving. Her personality felt like getting a warm hug.

It was a delight to read this. I will be looking for more books by Mindy Steele. I rate it 5 stars.

I received this book to review from Celebrate Lit.

#blogtour

#Amish

#CelebrateLit

#MindySteele

About the Book

Book: A Stolen Kiss (The Heart of the Amish Book 7)

Author: Mindy Steele

Genre: Amish/Christian Fiction

Release date: December, 2024

Who Kissed Who First?

Full of faith, hope, and romance, the series takes you into the Heart of Amish Country.

LeEtta Miller has never done anything spontaneous before, but when a girl is the last one at everything, sometimes she has to take the reins into her own hands. What harm could come from kissing a stranger she’ll never see again?

Benuel Ropp isn’t sure he can ever forgive his father for giving away his inheritance. Taking work far from home, Ben hopes to earn enough to build his future, but nowhere in his plans did he predict being kissed by a beautiful stranger – or having to marry her. To save both their reputations he has little choice but to accept the elder’s demands. Well. . .if LeEtta thought he’d flinch, letting her boldness ruin the future he had all mapped out, she was mistaken. He has a dream to work for, and if he has to make sacrifices to reach them, so will she.

Who kissed who first? He couldn’t even remember anymore.

Click here to get your copy!

More from Mindy

The Story Behind the Story with Mindy Steele

A Stolen Kiss

I’m always seeking the not-so-ordinary plot for one of my stories. So, when our youngest son and his intended traded a look one evening, something struck a cord in my always moving imagination. Mind you, Blake told me when he was ten, riding a new bus to a new school, that he met the girl that he was going to marry. So cute, yet, they married in May, eleven years later. A Stolen Kiss is not love at first sight. It’s not even love over-the-years, but that one moment birthed a new character. LeEtta Miller. Not all love stories are as beautiful as our son’s, but all love stories are worth telling.

I’m an author of romance, love inspired stories weaving through rural landscapes where characters unveil themselves into realistic people most of us are glad to know. Romantic fiction gives readers what no other genre seems to offer. It’s an escape, a hope. Hope across illness, loss, despair, and uncertainty. Its community, knowledge, a gathering of friends, unity, while representing comfort.

We all want to add more love to our lives. After all, it is the greatest gift God has given us. Gentle or fast moving, we are sucked in to reach those glorious chapters of a first kiss and a promising tomorrow.

But, what if the kiss came sooner? What if love isn’t fast moving, but something earned and quietly obtained through slow familiarity.

LeEtta Miller is quite the rule follower and people pleaser. I’ve shaken my head at her quite often as I got to know her. LeEtta also feels as if life is passing her by. How many times have we’ve been in those pair of shoes? In one bold moment, she’ll through caution to the wind, and act, impulsively. Thus we get introduced to Benuel Ropp, who’s visiting his grandparents, hoping to earn enough money to buy his own land, back in Ohio. As events escalate, from a chance meeting to an binding union, these two young characters are thrown into new roles neither of them intended. I’ve never laughed more writing LeEtta and Ben’s story, and hope it brings joy, hope, and a wiliness to accept that the mistakes we make in life, are only rocky paths leading us to where we belong.

May you never stop making mistakes and following love’s calling,

Mindy

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, January 9

Texas Book-aholic, January 10

Lighthouse Academy Blog, January 11 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Stories By Gina, January 12 (Author Interview)

Jeanette’s Thoughts, January 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 13

The Avid Reader, January 14

Life on Chickadee Lane, January 14

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 15

Artistic Nobody, January 16 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 18

Vicky Sluiter, January 19 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, January 20

Holly’s Book Corner, January 21

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 22 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mindy is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and a print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54127

About the Author

Mindy Steele is the award-winning author and bestselling author of over a dozen novels and novellas in Christian fiction. Raised in Kentucky timber country, Steele has been writing since she could hold a crayon on the wall and lives in northeastern Kentucky—where many of her stories are set.

Friday, January 10, 2025

Samantha Price- Dread

Trust. It sure is difficult to "trust" Trust. She never seems to learn. She is in one mess after another.

Jack from the FBI wants to believe her but come on...

Trust wants to lead a honest life. She wants to belong. She even has some interest in Jack. But what chance is that? A law abiding officer with a former crook?

You never know what is going to happen next. It is quite a page turner. Just one book to go in this exciting series. ☹️

Samantha Price knows how to entertain you. I've loved every book that I've read.

I received this from the author to review.

#blogtour

#SamanthaPrice

About the author

Samantha grew up in the Brethren community and has a deep affinity for the Amish way of life, which she has studied in detail during over a decade of dedicated research. Her stories radiate authenticity and heart, transporting readers into the peaceful and inspiring world of the Amish community. Samantha is also an animal lover. She shares her home with two spoiled dogs and a rescued cat who thinks she's also a dog.

Samantha loves hearing from her readers. Connect to:

SamanthaPriceAuthor dot com

Dark Times for the Clark Factory Girls

Historical Fiction at its best. I think that this is my favorite genre. I was introduced to May Ellis a few years ago. I have enjoyed every book (this is the 3rd of the series) and loved getting to know Kate, Louisa and Jeannie even more. They work together at the Clark Factory and have become the closest of friends.

The book continues with the girls attempting to survive the losses of their loved ones. The continuing war brings more heart break and fear.

I will wait, but not so patiently, for the next book. I need to know how the girls forge ahead during these difficult times.

Thank goodness the Clark Girls have each other.

I received this book from Boldwood to review.

#MayEllis

#blogtour

#BoldwoodBooks

#Rararesources

Dark Times for the Clarks Factory Girls

1916: As fighting in Europe continues, the Clarks Factory Girls find themselves caught in a divided community...

With the country in the grips of conscription, the pacifism at the heart of Street village comes under scrutiny, and when Kate befriends Gerald, a young Quaker arrested for refusing to fight, she starts to understand the true dilemma the community finds itself in.

Still grieving the loss of her sweetheart Mattie, Louisa finds herself at odds with her parents, who refused them the chance to marry. As her mother’s attempts to find Louisa a husband show no signs of abating, Louisa takes solace in her friendship with Jeannie’s brother Lucas, but could an unexpected opportunity offer a solution to both their problems?

Meanwhile, Jeannie finds herself torn between her heart and her faith. With each other’s help, can the girls hold true to what they believe in, even as the village enters its darkest days yet?

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/DarkTimes

Author Bio –

May Ellis has been a legal executive, registered childminder, professional fund – raiser and a teacher. She has travelled the world, including trekking in mountains, deserts and the Great Wall of China, as well as helping build a house in Thailand. She went to university in her forties and gained a first class degree and an MA while still working full – time. Her first book, a contemporary romance, was published in 2014. Since then she has had five more novels published, including another romance and a YA time travel adventure. The last three are gritty dramas set in the 1960s/70s published by Darkstroke Books. She lives in Somerset, within sight of Glastonbury Tor, volunteering at her local library and for the Alfred Gillett Trust (custodians of the Clark’s archives). Her current series, based on the factory workers at Clark’s Shoes was inspired by her move to the area and her love of social history.

Social Media Links –

Newsletter Sign Up: bit.ly/MayEllisNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/may-ellis

Sunday, January 5, 2025

Family Ties on Beamer Street

Life isn't always what we expect. Things can happen that will change the course of our lives.

Peggy was proud of the life she made with her husband, Dar. But one terrible accident changed everything.

Peggy was stronger than she thought. When times got tough, she got tougher. She had to provide for her family.

I really liked Peggy. She was determined to give her children a better life than she had. She was determined to save her home. She didn't waste time in questioning "Why me?".

Beamer Street was a great place to live. Neighbors became family. They were there to help each other out. Sadly, you don't see that much today. I have neighbors that I have never met.

I loved the book. Peggy was a character that you can root for.

I received this book from Boldwood Books to review.

#rararesources

#BoldwoodBooks

#blogtour

Family Ties on Beamer Street

Set against the backdrop of The General Strike, difficult lines have to be crossed…

Liverpool May 1926

Peggy and Dar Tenant’s dream for security and respectability has been their driving force since they married. Just as they prepare to buy their own home, tragedy strikes, when Dar is involved in a devastated accident at the docks and Peggy’s world crashes around her.

With Dar seriously ill in hospital Peggy’s reduced to scrimping and saving to keep a roof over her family’s head having to revisit the hardships of her youth that she dearly wanted to escape from.

As summer days turn to winter the overwhelming struggle begins to take its toll and Peggy is forced to swallow her pride, as the good people of Beamer Street come to her rescue. She also seeks help from her formidable sister, Violet, little knowing that Violet holds a dark secret that has cast a shadow over Peggy’s whole life.

Love, lies and recriminations will be uncovered as Peggy tries to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, and finally reconcile the shadows of her past?

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/familytie

Author Bio –

Sheila Riley wrote four #1 bestselling novels under the pseudonym Annie Groves and is now writing a saga for Boldwood under her own name. She has set it around the River Mersey and its docklands near to where she spent her early years.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @sheilarileyauthor

Twitter: @1sheilariley

Instagram: @sheilarileynovelist

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/SheilaRileynews

Thursday, January 2, 2025

Roost in Peace

What a cute cover! How could I resist reading this charming, cozy mystery.

Ettie and her sister, Elsa-May, are once again in the middle of another murder investigation with the help of their friend, Maggie, and Detective Kelly.

These stories are just what I need. Short. Sweet. And Surprising!

I enjoy Samantha Price's books. I have never read one that disappoints. So cluck on over and pick this one up!! Don't be a chicken.

#blogtour

#SamanthaPrice

About the author

Samantha loves hearing from her readers. Connect to:

SamanthaPriceAuthor dot com

Monday, December 30, 2024

December 30, 2024

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Where did this year go?

We spent quite a few days watching our grandkids in all their activities. They are busy swimming, cheering, playing football and one being in the marching band as drum major. Two Christmas concerts and one play ended the year.

We took a fantastic trip in September with my Mom to Canada. We visited my Dad's grave and we were sad to see the small graveyard so run down.😞 We met up with many of my paternal cousins. And for Mom, she got to have her roast beef and yorkshire pudding.

We had a great time in Holland, Michigan with our daughter who lives in Tennessee. We had some very special moments with our great grandson as well as one of our grandsons and grand daughter.

Mike and I took a cruise in May. We visited the Upper Peninsula for a few days. In Berlin, Ohio we visited Amish stores and had a yummy dinner. We went to Shipshewana, Indiana to see Clay Walker and Tracy Lawrence in concert. And to Toledo, Ohio to see Donny Osmond. Wow, I love him!!

This year we have spent special moments with our friends. Two of my girlfriends came to Michigan for a quick visit. It was great to see my friends and meet them for lunch. We have had many lunches with a dear couple this year. Much laughter and thrifting!

After many years, I finally heard from my Uncle. He lives in England. We lost touch for some reason. It is great to catch up with him now.

We spent a lot of time at Greenfield Village. We live so close. We enjoy having a membership.

We also experienced being in a suite at a U of M football game. What an experience!! Thanks, Matt.

Christmas was special this year. We had a great time opening our Christmas crackers and blowing our whistles! Go ahead and ask me about that.

My love for my husband continues to grow. We now have been married 17 1/2 years. We have been blessed.

Whew! What a year.

I pray for continued great health for my Mom, our siblings, our extended families, our children and grandchildren/great grandchild.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year.

PS:

What was I thinking!!! We also added a new member to our immediate family when our grandson married his bride in October. We travelled to Tennessee for the wedding. It was different as it was on Halloween.

We then went to Georgia to visit Mike's brother and his wife. We had a great time seeing them.

Friday, December 27, 2024

Amish Friends Comfort Foods Cookbook

I am not known as being a cook. I am usually the one that brings the pop or napkins to a party. I sure don't expect to be the next Food Network star.

I just received this cookbook from one of my favorite authors- Wanda Brunstetter. I love the layout and how it lays flat on the counter top. It contains fantastic and pretty easy recipes to follow. I can find quite a few that will grace our kitchen table in years to come.

I highly recommend this cookbook. It would make a fantastic gift for the new bride, the mother who needs something to feed her family and even me who doesn't particularly love being in the kitchen.

A great collection for all to enjoy.

I received this cookbook to review from Wanda's Clippity Clop Club.

About Author

New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written more than 100 books translated in four languages. With over 12 million copies sold, Wanda's stories consistently earn spots on the nation's most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards.

Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.

When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, birdwatching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Samantha Price- SECRET

Trust finds herself once again risking everything. One false step she'll be in jail again.

This book was more exciting to me than the others in this series. I can't figure out why Trust finds herself in one bad situation after another. Is it the thrill? When will she learn? What will it take for her to stop? She's really not that bad! You can see that she does have a heart. She does a great job of hiding her soft interior.

I received this book from the author to review.

#blogtour

#SamanthaPrice

About the author

Samantha loves hearing from her readers. Connect to:

SamanthaPriceAuthor dot com

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Cloaked in Beauty

Letty Hood lived life free from obligations and societal rules. She had no one but her grandmother and her trusty friend, Rusty. Letty loved Rusty with all her heart. What was strange was that Rusty was a wolf. She was hidden away from others because she was in danger. Her mother went to great lengths to protect her. Her grandmother gave up everything to keep her safe.

Philip was hired by Letty's mother to bring her home and to keep her safe. But was she even safe from Philip and his affections?

The story was quite similar to Red Riding Hood. But in this story the Big Bad Wolf wasn't bad. The red cloak was her protection. She wasn't in danger when she was with grandma but when she left her.

The woodsman, Philip, was still the one who saved her. He was there to protect her and bring her home.

It was an exciting book. I loved it. You never knew what to expect from one page to another. Letty's grandmother often quoted Bible verses that gave Letty wonderful advice. It gave her strength and courage to go forward.

I loved her grandmother the most. She made sure that Letty knew that GOD had plans for her and was by her side at all times.

I received this book from the author to review.

#blogtour

#KarenWitemeyer

For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Voted #1 Readers' Favorite Christian Historical Author in 2023 by Family Fiction Magazine, Karen is a multiple award-winning author and a firm believer in the power of happy endings. She is an avid cross-stitcher, tea drinker, and gospel hymn singer who makes her home in Abilene, TX with her heroic husband who vanquishes laundry dragons and dirty dish villains whenever she's on deadline.

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Never Forgotten

Simon left his home in England in a fury. He was not marrying Georgina. No way. He was going to America to escape his father's expectations. He didn't look back. But life events change and he found himself right where he started.

Georgina couldn't forget what happened in the library. She needed to escape but fear kept her from moving forward.

A great story. It had twists and turns in every chapter. I never could tell what was going to happen next.

I have read some of Hannah Linder's books before. She never disappoints and she always delivers.

It was difficult for me to say goodbye to Simon and Georgina. But I'm more than positive the next book of Ms. Linder's will be just as great.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Celebrate Lit.

#blogtour #CelebrateLit #HannahLinder

About the Book

Book: Never Forgotten

Author: Hannah Linder

Genre: Christian Fiction / Historical / Regency Romance

Release date: November, 2024

All He Wanted was Justice. All She Wanted was His Heart.

Georgina Whitmore, not accustomed to any man being unaffected by her charms, is plagued with the disappearance and rejection of Simon Fancourt. Twelve years later, Mr. Fancourt returns to British society with two children and a mad hunger for justice.

Racing against time, Simon works to uncover the men responsible for his wife’s horrific murder, protect his children, and fulfill his father’s unexpected will by marrying Georgina—the last thing in the world he wants to do.

Though her heart throbs to accept, she would rather lose him again than have his name without his love. She denies his proposal of matrimony, knowing it will cost them both. But as tragedies unravel and secret enemies narrow their sights on Simon, Georgina risks her life—and her reputation—to protect him and the children. Will the danger scorch them alive? Or will it, for the first time, open his heart to her?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels filled with passion, secrets, and danger. She is a four-time Selah Award winner, a 2023 Carol Award semi-finalist, a 2023 Angel Book Award third place winner, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Also, Hannah is an international and multi-award-winning graphic designer who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, and international bestsellers. She is also a self-portrait photographer of historical fashion. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments—piano, guitar, ukulele, and banjolele—songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, square dancing, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse.

More from Hannah

We seldom know anyone. I mean, really know them. We brush hands with people, laugh with them, tell them our stories, listen to theirs, and think we know them.

But we don’t.

We have no idea what thrums in their heart, late at night, when they burrow their face into a wet pillow. We have no idea what they fear. We have no idea what beautiful thoughts dance in their mind, or what ugly mysteries harden like lava in the pit of their chest.

“We all have secrets,” Georgina Whitmore, our heroine in Never Forgotten, once said to Mr. Simon Fancourt. He didn’t understand. He didn’t even suspect.

Because he’d sat beside her a hundred times.

Played whist with her.

Rode alongside her in summer carriage rides.

Smiled at her—emptily—and cringed a little when she smiled back.

If you had asked him, at seventeen years old, if he knew Georgina Whitmore, he would have been earnest in his answer. “Yes.” Lovely. Soft. Teasing. Ridiculous. Shallow. All attributes he professed to know only by their brief, passionless courtship.

She was more than he had ever noticed.

Deeper than he had imagined.

Perhaps if he had looked longer, prodded harder, he might have seen a glimpse of what dwelled in the heart of the woman he was betrothed to marry. How long is too long? How many years may blindness, ignorance, and prejudice be forgiven? Even if Simon finally discovers the loveliness of her heart, will it be too late?

If you walk away from Never Forgotten with nothing else, I hope you feel challenged to look deeper. As you’re brushing hands, laughing, telling stories—I hope you stare into people’s eyes and search for a bit of their soul.

We’re all more than what we seem.

We all have secrets.

Like Simon, you may discover the people around you are more beloved, dear, and wonderful than you ever imagined.