The Forever Cowboy- Jody Hedlund

 

Cowboys. I can't resist a cowboy. I love men in jeans, boots and cowboy hats. Fortunately, Sterling wore all three. Hard to resist.  But he was lacking one thing- a bride.

Violet Berkley was Sterling's bride to be. A few months ago,  she jilted him at the altar.  And he couldn't find himself able to forgive her.  

Now Violet and her sister show up at his cabin looking for help. Could he forgive her enough to help her out of a terrible situation?

I loved the story.

I received this book to review from the author.

#blogtour

#JodyHedlund

 

Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over fifty books and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle. Find out more at jodyhedlund.com.

Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

Jody Hedlund- The Favored Cowboy

 

Amelia was desperate. Becoming a mail order bride is her only chance of escaping her husband's killer.   

Thacher, the town's veterinarian,  is desperate for a companion.  After only  a few letters, he send away for one. 

Thatcher and Amelia marry as soon as she arrives.  It takes awhile before the truth comes out. And the truth threatens their future.

I enjoyed this story of mistaken identity.  You would think Amelia could have put two to two together right away. I'm sure she was nervous and was desperate.  

Thatcher was beyond understanding with Amelia's circumstances. She was fortunate that he was a good man but also hot!

I recommend this book.  Fast read. Lovely couple. Drama. Romance. 

Thank you, Jody Hedlund, for accepting me on your tour.

#blogtour

Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over fifty books and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle. Find out more at jodyhedlund.com.

Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

Sermons from a Soapbox

 

About the Book

Book: Sermons from a Soapbox

Author: Ladonna Shanks

Genre: Devotional, based on personal experience; Memoir; Adult Nonfiction; “Life Lesson Essays”

Release Date: April 8, 2025

“What is God like?

Does He even exist, other than as a figment of the imagination?

Or is He real, a part of daily life and our world?

In Sermons from a Soapbox, Ladonna Shanks shares her personal spiritual journey of more than seventy-five years. “I cannot write what I have not experienced,” serves as the base of her easy-to-read, anecdotal essays. The short “sermons” challenge the reader to think, question, search, and consider living where God is . . . in the spiritual, long-term, instead of humankind’s physical, short-term.

Excerpt from the Book

Absolutes and Precepts

The Basics of God

absolute: n. That which is independent of context-dependent interpretation, inviolate, fundamental. Adj. Certain, not to be doubted.

precept: n. A rule for action or behavior, esp. one based on moral consideration.

Absolutes make up the foundation of our planet, its functions, and cycles:

Each and every day, with surety, the ocean’s tide rises and falls.

Without exception, in a journey of approximately 365 days planet Earth rotates on its axis while circling the sun, the center of our solar system.

Weather remains a daily constant in the lives of humankind. While often unpredictable, and despite its importance in our lives, we hold no authority over it. Instead, every facet of weather regularly controls and influences us—how and where we live, our activities, the clothing we wear, and our emotional and physical well-being too.  

Every day, physical life begins when an egg and sperm meet, conception takes place, and a new life is created. The mother’s womb provides a cocoon for development and growth. Months later, when enough time has passed and life can survive independently, birth takes place.

On the other end of the spectrum, physical life ends daily worldwide.

Missed Any Excerpts, Go Here

Excerpt One: https://www.artistwriterandstudentohmy.com/posts/sermons-from-a-soapbox-book-spotlight/
Excerpt Two: https://www.simpleharvestreads.com/posts/sermons-from-a-soapbox-book-spotlight/
Excerpt Three: https://www.fictionbooklover.com/posts/sermons-from-a-soapbox-book-spotlight/
Excerpt Four: https://www.deniselbarela.com/posts/sermons-from-a-soapbox-book-spotlight/
Excerpt Five: https://lakesidelivingsite.wordpress.com/2025/10/11/sermons-from-a-soapbox-epic-book-launch/
Excerpt Six: https://nannie3.blogspot.com/2025/10/sermons-from-soapbox.html?m=1
Excerpt Seven: https://musingsbymaureen.blogspot.com/2025/10/celebrate-lit-epic-book-launch-presents.html

 

About the Author

Ladonna Shanks was born and raised in Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley. During her several decades of life, she has been an entrepreneur, a small business owner, and, most recently, a writer. Her first book, Tidbits and Pearls, A Book of Essays on Living Everyday Life with God was published in 2019. Ladonna’s family, including five grandgirls, and her commitment to God serve as her priorities.

Christmas Mail Order Brides Anthology

Not many more days to Christmas!  But reading this collection brought me closer to that wonderful season.  

I was excited to read this when I saw the cover and who the contributing authors were.  I wasn't disappointed.  I loved all three stories.  How could you not?

I think I enjoyed Amelia's story the best.  She was busy finding matches for all her customers. She was ready to retire, but she had one disappointing match that failed.  She had to correct this mistake.  And this led her right into the arms of a dear friend.

Great stories.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit to review.

#blogtour

About the Book

Book: Christmas Mail Order Brides, Anthology

Authors: Vickie McDonough, Carrie Turansky, Susan Page Davis

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 9, 2025

a's Marriage arrives by mail-order—just in time for Christmas.

Ride the transcontinental railroad as three mail-order brides head west in search of new futures. Annika arrives in Wyoming to discover her intended groom is missing. Jolie’s journey to Nevada is derailed by disaster, and Amelia travels to California to wrap up her final attempts at matchmaking. Will the holiday season be the ticket to spark love in unexpected ways?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Authors

Carrie Turansky has loved reading since she first visited the library as a young child and checked out a tall stack of picture books. Her love for writing began when she penned her first novel at age twelve. She is now the award-winning author of more than twenty inspirational novels and novellas. Carrie has won the ACFW Carol Award, the International Digital Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, Scott. They have five grown children and twelve grandchildren who bring them much joy. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her walking around the lake near her home, working in her flower gardens, cooking healthy meals for family and friends, or leading women’s ministry at her church.

Susan Page Davis is the author of more than 100 published novels and novellas in the romance, mystery, historical, and romantic suspense genres. She’s a winner of the Carol Award, Will Rogers Medallion, and the Faith, Hope, and Love Readers’ Choice Award, and a finalist in the Selah Awards and Willa Literary Awards. A Maine native, she now lives in western Kentucky with her husband, Jim.

.Vickie McDonough is the CBA, EPCA and Amazon best-selling author of 54 books and novellas. Vickie grew up wanting to marry a rancher, but instead, she married a computer geek who is scared of horses. She now lives out her dreams penning romance stories about ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and others living in the Old West. Vickie’s books have won numerous awards including the Booksellers Best, OWFI Best Fiction Novel Award, the Inspirational Readers’ Choice awards. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, making cards, gardening, and traveling.

More from Carrie

Bringing a Swedish Christmas to the American West

By Carrie Turansky

In my novella, A Trusting Heart, part of the Christmas Mail-Order Brides Collection, Annika Bergstrom, who is originally from Sweden, leaves her home in Chicago and travels to the rugged Wyoming Territory in 1880 to marry a man she’s never met. Though she carries only a small trunk, she brings with her something far more meaningful—cherished Christmas traditions from her homeland.

Swedish Christmas celebrations begin early with the first Sunday of Advent. Annika remembers her mother lighting a candle each week leading up to Christmas, filling their home with warmth and anticipation. In her new Wyoming home, she lights a candle, longing for connection and clinging to faith and hope as she begins this new chapter of life.

December 13 brings one of the most beloved Swedish traditions—St. Lucia Day. In Sweden, the youngest daughter dresses in a white gown with a red sash and wears a crown of candles, waking her family with coffee and saffron buns. Annika lovingly bakes these sweet rolls with her intended’s daughter, hoping it will draw them all closer.

As Christmas Eve—Julafton—arrives, Annika prepares a modest version of a Swedish smörgåsbord: roasted ham, root vegetables, and creamy rice pudding. She hides an almond in the pudding, smiling as everyone at the table eagerly searches their bowls. According to Swedish tradition, the one who finds the almond will marry in the coming year. Laughter and joy fill the room, and Annika feels a growing sense of belonging with her new family.

Swedish traditions add depth and richness to A Trusting Heart, reminding us that wherever we go, the light of Christmas can shine brightly—especially when carried by a trusting heart.

We hope you’ll enjoy reading Christmas Mail-Order Brides which includes three novellas: The Prodigal Groom by Vickie McDonough, A Trusting Heart by Carrie Turansky, and Mrs. Mayberry  Meets Her Match by Susan Page Davis. Each heartwarming story that will transport you back to a joyful, old-fashioned Christmas.

Blog Stops

Devoted To Hope, September 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 24

She Lives To Read, September 25

Pens Pages & Pulses, September 25

Leslie’s Library Escape, September 26

Vicky Sluiter, September 26

Simple Harvest Reads, September 27 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Bizwings Blog, September 28

Texas Book-aholic, September 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 29

Maureen’s Musings, September 29

Cover Lover Book Review, September 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 1

For Him and My Family, October 2

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 2

Blossoms and Blessings, October 3

Holly’s Book Corner, October 3

Jeanette’s Thoughts , October 4

Life on Chickadee Lane, October 5

Pause for Tales, October 6

Jodie Wolfe, October 6

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, October 7

Mary Hake, October 7

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, Carrie, Vickie, and Susan are giving away 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://sweepwidget.com/c/92608-x04cbuqz

Better Days on Dressmaker's Alley

Now, how can I pick a favorite character or moment in this story?  I loved it all but of course, the bad guys.  Boo! Hiss!  Lady Diane was exquisite. Susie was patient and hardworking.  Lily was talented and kind. Janice was gentle and loving.   This was just the women!

Dressmaking is a hard business. Susie put her life on hold for the company.  But there could be  terrible consequences in doing that. I guess I feel that work is work and you can be replaced there easily enough.  You can't be replaced by your family.

I read the previous book in this series so I knew the background of the characters in this one.  It could be a stand alone but I recommend reading it as a series.

A wonderful story. I enjoyed every moment, every page.

I received this from Boldwood Books to review.

#blogtour

#rararesources

Better Days on Dressmakers' Alley

London’s East End 1926

The girls of Dressmakers' Alley are busier than ever and Lady Diane’s business continues to thrive.

New recruit Janice Williams is one of the new seamstresses Miss Susie hires to cope with the work but on the day of her interview, Janice is injured in a roadside accident that will change her life forever.

Poor Winnie Collins’ pregnancy is beset with problems and under Doctor’s strict orders she is confined to bed rest. How will she cope when there is so much to do?

Susie Collins’ and Timothy Marsh’s relationship continues to flourish. But when will Susie find time to allow Timothy to make an honest woman of her?

Meanwhile business is blooming at the flower shop but Lily is concerned what her husband Jeb Jarvis and brother Joe Ross are up to. When something seems too good to be true, it usually is and none of them realise the danger it could bring.

Things are looking brighter on Dressmakers' Alley, but there are always those who want to cause trouble…

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

Author Bio – 

Rosie Clarke is a #1 bestselling saga writer whose books include Welcome to Harpers Emporium and The Mulberry Lane series. She has written over 100 novels under different pseudonyms and is a RNA Award winner. She lives in Cambridgeshire.

Social Media Links –  

Follow Rosie Clarke

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081537219193 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnneHerries 

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

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rosie-clarke 

Hidden Family Secrets

 

A Young girl leaves everything behind when she marries. She was frightened and doubted her choice.

Her husband was eager for the change.  He was excited for their future. He was proud of his new wife. She was a beauty.

Duncan and Meg move into the Todd's home to learn the weaving trade.  Duncan hoped one day to have his own business.

Adultery, lies and deceit changes the course of all their futures. These  "Hidden Family Secrets" can ruin their families and the world as they know it.

I loved the story with all the twists and turns.

I received this book from Boldwood Books to review.

#rararesources

#blogtour

Hidden Family Secrets

Can a long-kept secret ruin the future happiness of two families?

Paisley, Scotland 1745

Meg and Duncan Montgomery move to the flourishing Scottish town of Paisley to find work in the thriving weaving industry. Soon, Meg is expecting their first child, Margaret.

To make ends meet, they live in Peter Todd’s household, Duncan’s employer and Meg’s days are filled with domestic duties. But soon Meg and Duncan find themselves caught up in the intricate lives of the Todd family and when a tragic accident causes further conflict, a decision is made to keep a terrible secret from Meg.

As Margaret grows older, she despairs of the town’s inequality and becomes an advocate for the poor. While her philanthropic ideals are tolerated, even accepted by her understanding parents, Margaret’s affection for her childhood friend William Todd is greeted with disapproval.

But Margaret wants more from life than marriage and is overjoyed when she is taken on as a teacher at the local hospital.

As a dark secret from the past looms over the lives of both families,threatening to tear apart their futures, the younger Todds and Montgomery’s must decide between following in their parents’ footsteps or forging their own paths.

The start of The Paisley Women saga series from Evelyn Hood, the original bestselling Scottish saga writer.

Previously published in paperback as The Silken Thread

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

Author Bio – 

The Sunday Times bestselling author of 28 published novels, Evelyn Hood had a variety of jobs, including being a journalist and a poultry farmer. She was a full time writer, best known for her family sagas, set mainly in her home town of Paisley (Renfrewshire) and on the Clyde coast, where she also lived.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16YScQLN3J/?mibextid=wwXIfr 

Instagram: @evelynhood52author 

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/evelyn-hood 

The Queen's Necklace

 

I love Tudor History. This is why I wanted to read this.  It started a little slow for me but it quickly picked up. Adrienne Chinn did a excellent job.

The book has two timelines. Anne and Mary Boleyn are sisters vying for attention in the 1500s.  Bryher and Marnie are sisters doing the same in 2025. Bryher and her sister are distantly related to Mary Boleyn. 

Both timelines are quite similar. I was not fond of Anne or Bryher. They were both the younger sisters. They came across harsh and at times, mean. They were in competition against their sibling. I guess it happens in families.

I did like the ending of Bryher's story. She learned from her mistakes in time to change her behavior. Anne Boleyn realized too late to make any amends. If you know history, Anne found herself in a hot mess and lost her head and life because of this. 

It was quite an interesting story. The cover and the title was what interested me at first. 

I received this book from Boldwood to review.

#blogtour

#rararesources

The Queen’s Necklace

The most famous necklace in the world has finally been found…

Bryher Finch’s life isn’t just a disaster, it’s a catastrophe, until a chance invitation to chart her family tree changes everything. As Bryher uncovers the ancestry she never knew about, she stumbles on the find of the century – Anne Boleyn’s ‘B’ necklace, as enigmatic as Henry VIII’s most notorious Queen herself.

But Bryher isn’t the only one who wants the necklace…

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Queens-Necklace-Adrienne-Chinn/dp/0008643822/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

https://www.amazon.com/Queens-Necklace-Adrienne-Chinn-ebook/dp/B0DRZ9BNZQ

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-queens-necklace-adrienne-chinn/1146772161

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-queens-necklace/adrienne-chinn/9780008643829

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=IWv50AEACAAJ&source=gbs_book_other_versions

https://www.whsmith.co.uk/Product/Adrienne-Chinn/The-Queens-Necklace/15620348

Author Bio – 

Adrienne Chinn was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, grew up in Quebec, and eventually made her way to London, England after a career as a journalist. In England she worked as a TV and film researcher before embarking on a career as an interior designer, lecturer, and writer. When not up a ladder or at the computer writing, she often can be found rummaging through flea markets or haggling in the Marrakech souk. Her debut novel, The Lost Letter, was published in 2019. Her second novel, the international bestseller, The English Wife, was published in 2020. Her third novel, Love in a Time of War, the first in a series of four books in The Three Fry Sisters series, was published in 2022. The second book in the series, The Paris Sister, was published in 2023, and the third book, In the Shadow of War, was published in March 2024. Her next book, an historical timeslip novel, The Queen's Necklace, will be published in September 2025, followed by the fourth book in The Three Fry Sisters series, set during WWII, in 2026.

Social Media Links – 

https://www.adrienne-chinn.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/adriennechinnauthor/

https://www.instagram.com/adriennechinn/

https://x.com/adriennechinn/with_replies?lang=en&wptouch_preview_theme=enabled

A Season of Grace

Mysteries unfold but Grace keeps her mouth shut.  She is often called a blabber but not this time.  Her lips are sealed.

I absolutely love this family.  Wilma opens her door and yes, even her heart to all.  She just wants her family to be happy and settled down.  At times, Wilma and her friend, Ada, get a little too involved in their family's business. 

I adore these sweet stories. I love that I have gotten to know all the characters. It could be a few months between books but I can just pick up where I left off. 

Samantha Price needs to know how much I look forward to each book.  I'm hoping that Matthew will eventually find his own happiness. Maybe this will be in the next book!!! 

I received this book from the author to review.

#blog #Amish #SamanthaPrice

Samantha Price

About the author

Samantha Price is a USA Today bestselling author of Amish romance and cozy mysteries. Raised in the Brethren faith, she writes with a heartfelt understanding of the Amish way of life.

When she’s not writing, Samantha enjoys quiet moments at home with her rescue cat and her fluffy white dog, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Snowy from the Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries.

Find a full downloadable and printable Series-Reading-Order at: SamanthaPriceAuthor dot com

The Irish Midwife

Loved this story. Educational, riveting and a love story all in one book.

This is a new author for me. I love being introduced to new authors.  Another plus is when the book is actually good.

Peggy loved helping her Aunt deliver babies. The community depended on them.  Then one day, a terrible incident occurred. The life Peggy knew was no more. 

A few years later Peggy found herself studying to be a midwife in Dublin.  Far from home. She knew that she had secrets that couldn't be revealed.  Secrets that could ruin everything. And if she got too close to Dan Sheridan Jr. It could mess things up.

A great book. I loved learning about midwifery in Ireland.  It was really sad when I was done with this story. I wasn't ready for the book to be over.

I received this book from Boldwood to review.

#raresources

#blogtour

The Irish Midwife

Can she finally put herself first, in order to find love?  Peggy Cassidy is a milly, working in the Belfast linen mills to just about get by. But Peggy also has another job - a secret one. She works as a handywoman - an illegal midwife, tending to the women of her community in their time of need.  When Peggy is offered the chance to leave Belfast to receive formal midwifery training in Dublin, it sets off a chain of events that will change her life forever.  But amongst her middle-class colleagues, Peggy must keep the truth about her past secret at all times. If the realities of her life in Belfast are revealed, she could lose everything she has worked for.  And when she meets a well-to-do doctor down in Dublin, she must make a decision: should she protect her family and her history? Or can she let herself fall in love? 

The first book in a heartwarming new historical romance series, for fans of Dilly Court, Anna Jacobs, Rosie Goodwin and Call the Midwife.

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

Author Bio – 

Seána Tinley is an Irish author of saga historical romance. She also writes regency romance as Catherine Tinley.

After a career encompassing speech and language therapy, Sure Start, being president of a charity, and managing a maternity service, she now works as NI Country Director for a leading UK charity.

Seána was appointed as chair of the Romantic Novelists’Association in August 2024.

Social Media Links – https://lnk.bio/seanatinley