Beyond the Broken Places

Annabelle loved teaching.  But did she love it more than Damian and his son, Nate?  A decision needed to be made.  

Damian was a lawyer in town.  He was sure that he did everything he could for his friend.  But his friend still lost their farm.  It didn't settle well with him.  Something was off.  And it could involve Walter Thorne, the banker.

Now, Mr. Thorne is a piece of work.  He was two-faced and a liar.  He was only thinking of himself.  He didn’t care who he hurt.

I enjoyed the book.  I loved Annabelle and was routing for her and Damian.  

It was a great read.  This is a story that leaves you feeling good about the world.  Well, except for the Thorne character.  Lol!

Thank you Robin Lee Hatcher for the chance to read an early copy of this book.

Her Amish Christmas Memories

Can you imagine not remembering anything about your past?  You don't recognize your family or your friends.  You don't know the location of your home or what you did at work.

This sweet story is about regaining what you lost but also gaining what you did not have.  Her best friend, Jonah, loved Millie but she didn't return his feelings.  An accident happened and now he is trying to help her regain her memory.  This is not easy for him to do.  

Millie has a chance of a new beginning.  She will come to realize how important her family and friends are to her. And just maybe Jonah and Millie will be surprised how their relationship changes.  Too bad Millie had to be kicked in the head by a horse for this to happen.

I received this book to review from the author.  

#Amish

#PatriciaJohns

A Castle of Sand

Losing your faith as an Amish woman is something you keep secret.  How could anyone in your community really understand that you believe GOD deserted you?

Sharon, a recent widow, needed to get away.  She was wallowing in grief.  She lost hope.  She decided to go to Pinecraft, Florida for a few months.  Her mother wasn't too happy about that. 

Fortunately for Sharon, she met Iva and her nephew, Peter in Florida.  With time, she began to heal.  Her friendship with them opened up a whole new world.

It was a lovely story.  Sharon wasn't looking for love.  But she found so much  more.

Healing and God's grace. 

I received a complimentary advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Where to Buy

About the author (2026)

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 one hundred books, some translated into four languages. With nearly thirteen 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 widely 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, love for God, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her late husband, Richard, raised and were blessed with two grown children. Wanda enjoys spending time with her six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.

Wounds and Rescues

Rose Sinclair was a nurse at a maternity home.  She felt it was time to make a change. It was becoming more and more difficult for her to work there. She decided that it might be best to work with the orphan children.  She tried not to have favorites but the orphan twins, Nelly and Sam, found their way into her heart.

Caleb, a private investigator was on a mission.  He expected to find the lost twins for his client.  He didn't expect to lose his heart to Rose.

Both determined to return the children to their grandfather.  Drama unfolds when they found out the truth.  

Rose and Caleb were determined to keep their relationship professional.  But you can feel the connection between them.

I really enjoyed the story.  I know you will, too.

I received this from Celebrate Lit to review.

About the Book

Book: Wounds and Rescues

Author: Kathleen Rouser

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: October 6, 2026

A nurse with a wounded heart. A former lawman haunted by loss. An attraction neither can afford.

Rose Sinclair has built a careful new life in Stone Creek, hiding her painful past beneath a high lace collar. When private investigator Caleb Ellis arrives claiming he’s found a grandfather for two orphans she’s grown to love, she’s determined not to trust him—or let him take the children she’s come to cherish.

Caleb needs Rose’s cooperation to reunite the children with their family. But as questions begin to surface and shadows from Rose’s past reappear, it becomes clear someone is willing to do whatever it takes to keep the truth buried.
Forced to travel west posing as husband and wife, Rose and Caleb must protect the children while outrunning a past determined to destroy them. As danger closes in, Caleb must confront the faith he abandoned, and Rose must decide if she can risk her heart again.

Because this time, trusting the wrong person won’t just break them—it could cost them everything.

Perfect for fans of Karen Witemeyer and Mary Connealy, this faith-filled historical romance features a forced-proximity journey, blending danger, redemption, and a road that leads two wounded hearts toward love.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Kathleen Rouser is a multi-published, award-winning author of historical and contemporary Christian romance. She is a longtime member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of Faith, Hope and Love Christian Writers. She resides in southeast Michigan, a location which she often uses in her novels, with her hero and husband of forty-some years and two sweet cats who found a home in their empty nest.

More from Kathleen

Joining an Orphan Home with Foster Care

Rose Sinclair makes a quick appearance in the third Stone Creek Brides novel, Scandals and Mercies as the head nurse at the local unwed mother’s home. With a tender heart and hurts of her own, she desires to help in a different way and moves to a nursing position at the town’s small orphanage. It is a loving sanctuary to around a dozen children and youth waiting for forever families.

During the era of orphan trains, the Child and Family Services of Michigan was established in 1891. They started “receiving homes” which cared for children with the goal of adoption. By 1906, the organization advocated for children to be placed in foster care when they couldn’t remain with their natural families. Thus began the trend toward foster care rather than orphanages.

The care received in the Anna and Jared Barrington Home for Children falls in between the two. In Rumors and Promises, the first Stone Creek Brides novel, readers see a glimpse into Gloria Myles’s life and how she became the guardian for her granddaughter, Elise. From this situation came her passion to care for orphans, as well as her desire to memorialize her daughter and son-in-law.

 While most orphanages were often harmful institutions, I’d like to think that there were places like the Anna and Jared Barrington Home for Children, though I may have taken a bit of literary license.

I thought about what might happen if some of the children had the opportunity to be reunited with a faraway relative. How may that have taken place? Enter private investigator Caleb Ellis, who has lost several people he loved. He’s on a mission to bring together the scattered family.

In Wounds and Rescues, Rose becomes deeply attached to orphans Sam and Nellie Tubbs. The childhood trauma she experienced prompts her to become fiercely protective of them. From small-town Michigan of 1903 to the hills of Montana, she embarks on a journey of forgiveness, healing, and facing the past.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 10

Books Less Travelled, October 11

Texas Book-aholic, October 12

lakesidelivingsite, October 13

Simple Harvest Reads, October 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

For Him and My Family, October 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 15

Betti Mace, October 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 17

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 17

Devoted To Hope, October 18

Jeanette’s Thoughts, October 19

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 20

Artistic Nobody, October 21 (Guest Review from Donna)

Holly’s Book Corner, October 22

Pause for Tales, October 22

Cover Lover Book Review, October 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathleen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

https://gleam.io/WuCup/wounds-and-rescues-celebration-tour-giveaway

Belle's Christmas Carol

 

Merry Christmas!  Okay, it's not Christmas yet but I love reading Christmas stories anytime of the year.

Scrooge makes an appearance.  He's humbugging around but it makes no difference to Belle.  She is determined to make Christmas as joyful as possible at the orphanage she just inherited. 

Rafe Munroe, a young lawyer, is searching for his dead sister's child.  In his search, his feelings for Belle have increased.  

Cricket, the cutest 5 year old, makes everyone happy.  He is treasured by Belle and now Rafe is enamored by this sweet boy.  But can Rafe's mother feel anything for him?

A cute story.  I enjoyed it.  Bah humbug, Scrooge, Belle is better off with Rafe. Your loss, Rafe's gain.

I received this book to review from Celebrate Lit.

#blogtour

About the Book

Book: Belle’s Christmas Carol

Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance

Release Date: September 1, 2026

While all of London waits for snow, an orphanage in need holds holiday cheer, sparks of love, and secrets waiting to be discovered.

When Ebeneezer Scrooge’s former fiancée, Belle Beaumont, unexpectedly inherits a struggling London orphanage, she dreams of giving the children of Haven House the most splendid Christmas they’ve ever known. But her vision of snowflakes and merriment quickly collides with reality: Fire damage has rendered part of the building unsafe, and the paperwork is years behind.

Barrister Rafe Munro is fighting to clear an innocent man and searching for a child, who may be his relative. His pursuit leads him to Haven House, where Rafe offers to help Belle sort through the chaotic records that might lead to the missing child. Amid the mayhem of running an orphanage full of mischievous children and eccentric staff, will Belle and Rafe find love and the answers they seek this holiday season?

With characters from Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, this festive historical romance Christmas novella of family and second chances from Michelle Griep is set in Victorian England and perfect for fans of Julie Klassen and Mimi Matthews.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Michelle Griep is an award-winning author known for her captivating historical romances. With a keen eye for detail, she pens tales that transport readers to the past where they’ll experience romance, adventure, and unforgettable characters. When she’s not writing, you can find her in her garden scaring away armadillos.

More from Michelle

Why I Gave Scrooge’s Belle Her Own Christmas Carol

Guest post by Michelle Griep

I’ve always been suspicious of characters who appear just long enough to break your heart and then vanish without so much as a forwarding address. Belle from A Christmas Carol is one of those.

Scrooge, of course, gets the full treatment. Ghosts. Doom. Moral terror. A dramatic overnight transformation. Turkey delivery. The works. And yes, yes, it’s all very moving. But Belle? Come on. All she gets is one aching goodbye and then is shoved neatly into Scrooge’s past. So, excuse me, Mr. Dickens, but I have questions.

What became of the woman who loved Ebenezer before greed got to him? Did she regret walking away? Did Christmas ever sting? Did she build a fine, sensible life or did some little corner of her heart still ache for him or not? That wondering became Belle’s Christmas Carol.

In my story, Belle Beaumont unexpectedly inherits Haven House, a struggling London orphanage with fire damage, muddled ledgers, eccentric staff, and children who are more than rambunctious. Naturally, Belle decides she will set everything to rights and give the children the most splendid Christmas imaginable because—like me—apparently the woman has never heard of pacing herself.

Then along comes Rafe Munro, a handsome barrister searching for a missing child, and Belle’s tidy plans start to change. Oh, did I mention he’s single? That’s because I wanted Belle to be more than Scrooge’s lost love. I wanted her to have grit, flaws, hope, purpose, and a future all her own.

Because sometimes the story doesn’t end with goodbye. Sometimes that’s where the real story begins.

Blog Stops

Where Faith and Books Meet, October 6

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 6

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , October 7

The Avid Reader, October 7

She Lives To Read, October 7

Texas Book-aholic, October 8

Devoted To Hope, October 8

Betti Mace, October 9

Inkwell Inspirations , October 9

The Lofty Pages, October 9

For Him and My Family, October 10

Romances of the Cross, October 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 11

Jeanette’s Thoughts , October 11

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 12

The Vine and The Branch, October 12

Maureen’s Musings, October 13

Fruitfully Planted, October 13

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, October 13

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 14

Mornings at Character Cafe, October 14

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 15

Simple Harvest Reads, October 15 (Guest Review from Donna)

Cover Lover Book Review, October 16

Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, October 16

Devoted Steps, October 17

Lily’s Corner, October 17

Holly’s Book Corner, October 18

Mary Hake, October 18

Blossoms and Blessings, October 19

Pause for Tales, October 19

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

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

https://gleam.io/KNJXt/belles-christmas-carol-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

Lessons in Love

 

Leonora lives a life of sacrifice.  She gave everything to her sister, her nephew and to her family.  Her dreams and wishes took a back seat.

She would love to be married and have a family of her own.  If that is not possible,she would love to be a teacher. In teaching, she becomes very close to her pupils and to one father who is dealing with his own loss.

A lovely, touching story.  You can't help loving young Finn.  Heartbreaking to see his grief unfold and Leonora's part in his healing.  

Love can heal your heart.  Only if you let it.

About the author

Kelly Irvin

Best-selling novelist Kelly Irvin's the author of more than 30 books and a dozen novellas in Amish romance, romantic suspense, and women's fiction. Her latest novel, A Daughter's Choice, debuted in November 2025. She is a two-time winner of Selah Awards and Readers Choice Awards. Her women's fiction novel, The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos won Selah's for both women's fiction and audiobook.

Kelly also writes romantic suspense novels. Her most recent forays into this genre include Trust Me, Her Every Move and Closer Than She Knows, all set in San Antonio and South Texas. Publishers Weekly says of Closer Than She Knows, "this brisk, smoothly written thriller from Irvin pits court reporter Teagan O’Rourke, a murder mystery lover, against a cunning and vicious serial killer. Fans of serial killer fiction with a Christian slant will be satisfied."

Of Tell Her No Lies, The Library Journal says, "Irvin creates a complex web with enough twists and turns to keep even the most savvy romantic suspense readers guessing until the end. Known for her Amish novels, this two-time Carol Award finalist shows that her talents span subgenres from tranquil Amish stories to rapidly paced breathless suspense.”

The Kansas native is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers,, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Texas League of Writers, and Women's Fiction Writers Association.

A graduate of the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism, Kelly wrote nonfiction professionally for thirty years. She studied for three semesters at the University of Costa Rica, learning the Spanish language. As a journalist, she worked six years in the border towns of Laredo and El Paso, where she was exposed to culture and language that serves as fodder for her fiction writing.

Kelly retired in 2016 from her position of 22 years as public relations manager for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department. She writes full-time. She and her husband live in Texas. They have two children and four grandchildren. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories and poetry, read books by her favorite authors, and visit the babies.