Sarah E. Ladd: An Unconventional Lady

 By Kelly Bridgewater

 One woman works to expose a scientific fraud while also finding love in the latest sweet Regency romance by Sarah Ladd. Perfect for fans of Julie Klassen, An Unconventional Lady delivers what Publishers Weekly calls Ladd's "pitch-perfect blend of suspense and sweetness" (The Cloverton Charade).

She faces the worst ultimatum possible for a woman--marry a man she detests or lose the future she's always imagined.

Charming and headstrong, Ella Wilde always knew she was different than other women. Thanks to her unorthodox upbringing as the daughter of Keatley Hall School for Young Men's headmaster, Ella has long dreamed of opening a school for girls that would meet the needs of inquisitive, brilliant, unconventional young women just like her--girls who longed for the education exclusively reserved for boys. But there's just one catch: Unless she marries before her father dies, Keatley Hall will pass into the hands of a distant cousin. In that case, Ella will be left destitute, and at this point her only option appears to be an undesirable marriage.

Ella's family had long been proponents of phrenology, the belief that an individual's personality and dispositions were predetermined by the shape of their head. Shortly before her death, however, Ella's mother's views on phrenology changed, and she endeavored to expose phrenology as nothing more than a fraudulent parlor trick. Consequently, she earned the wrath of phrenologist community, who called her "unstable," "bizarre," even "dangerous"--and branded her daughter the same.

Now, renowned phrenologist Thomas Bauer is about to arrive at Keatley Hall to speak at the Natural Philosophers' Society gathering, and Ella embraces the opportunity to clear her mother's name--and her own--once and for all. And her partner in crime? None other than her childhood friend Gabriel Rowe, who's grown into an ambitious, handsome London solicitor.

Gabriel has his own scores to settle, and when he learns that Thomas Bauer is visiting Keatley Hall, he jumps at the chance to prove himself and right past wrongs. As he is drawn deeper into the unusual happenings, it's clear that he and Ella must work together if they want to unmask the truth. Over time, Gabriel's attraction to Ella's beauty and wit becomes impossible to ignore, and as the lines between professionalism and passion blur, they both must decide what they're willing to risk for happiness.

My Thoughts:

An Unconventional Lady by Sarah E. Ladd was a feel-good read. Readers will enjoy spending time with Ella and Gabriel. The slow-moving romance was built on a slow trust that developed as they tried to solve the case of Mr. Bauer. Ladd does a wonderful job at creating a romance that didn’t just happen, but developed over time, which I really enjoyed. As for the plot, I loved the mystery element of trying to figure out what was really going on. Ella and Gabriel knew something was off, but they just couldn’t put their finger on it. I loved how they worked together and defended each other throughout the entire story. As for the character of Ella, Ladd did a wonderful job at crafting a character who was strong and stayed true to her values even when others around her frown at her and what her mother was supposedly was. As for the setting, readers will fall in love with the boy’s school, but the possibly of a girls’ school that Ella wanted to create in memory of her mother. Overall, An Unconventional Lady by Sarah E. Ladd was a interesting, yet mysterious novel with sweet characters that readers will enjoy getting to know.

I received a complimentary copy of An Unconventional Lady by Sarah E. Ladd from Harper Collins Christian Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Elizabeth Camden: Beyond the Clouds

 By Kelly Bridgewater

 They lost each other once before; now the clouds of war may give them a second chance.

As teenagers, Delia Byrne and Finn Delaney fell in love while flying kites and dreaming of a future together--until betrayal tore them apart. Now, as America enters World War I, Delia works for peace as a paralegal and pacifist. Her values forbid her from supporting the war effort, but she volunteers for a relief organization trying to save millions of lives in famine-stricken Belgium.

Returning to America as a decorated war hero, Finn is eager to get back to the front but is assigned to use his fame to raise funds instead. To his surprise, this mission will bring him face-to-face with Delia, the only woman he ever loved and once hoped to marry. As their shared mission draws them together, old sparks of romance begin to stir--until duty sends them behind enemy lines in occupied Belgium. Will the greatest danger be the conflict raging around them--or the possibility of falling in love again?

 

My Thoughts:

Beyond the Clouds by Elizabeth Camden was a heartwarming story set against the horrors of World War I. Camden invites readers into a world of resistance that I was not familiar with. Camden has a gift for taking little known facts and weaving them seamless into a story so that readers are being educated, but in a fun and delightful way. It was interesting to read, and Camden does a wonderful job at creating a story that captures the imagination and does not let go. I love the setting of New York, then Long Island, then into the German territory. Even though it was a war situation, Camden still tugs at the heartstrings with Delia and Finn. Finn, the hero, was a brave man who really came from nothing but made something of himself that gave Delia something to see the change and fall for. Delia, also became a better person during the War. She realized her strengths and worth and used them for the good of American soldiers in captivity. Overall, Beyond the Clouds by Elizabeth Camden is a wonderful story with brave characters, horrible situations, and a romance that is delightful to watch unfold. I will own a paperback copy of this story for my personal library.

I received a complimentary copy of Beyond the Clouds by Elizabeth Camden, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Susan May Warren: Track of Courage

 By Kelly Bridgewater

 A hijacked plane. A pursuing killer. And a K9's instinct to help them make it out alive.

Pop singer Keely Williams's search for her biological mother in Alaska has been painfully unsuccessful. Now she just wants to escape this wild frontier and never look back. But when her plane is hijacked, she's suddenly plunged into a race against not only an Alaskan blizzard but also a killer who's on her tail.

After a career-ending injury, ex-cop Dawson Mulligan has only one friend--Caspian, the stray dog he adopted. Dawson just wants to figure out how to get his life on track, but during a flight home to Copper Mountain, he spots a downed plane and stops to help. Except, when his not-a-rescue dog runs off into the woods and discovers the trail of a missing survivor, it's up to the former cop to stage a rescue.

But Dawson has no idea he's being pulled into a deadly pursuit, or that Caspian is more than he seems. There might be redemption and second chances waiting for both Dawson and Keely if they have the courage to face their wounded pasts and fight for their future.

Join master storyteller Susan May Warren for a propulsive ride through the Alaskan wilderness, where love might be the riskiest--and most rewarding--adventure of all.

Prepare to experience edge-of-your-seat action combined with heart-stirring romance and heroic K9 companions in this exhilarating romantic suspense that will thrill fans of Lynette Eason and Elizabeth Goddard.

 

My Thoughts:

Track of Courage by Susan May Warren is a high action novel with romance blooming all over the pages for the main two characters. Warren does a wonderful job, like she always does, with her settings. Readers will feel the cold and see the blizzard as it bears down on the lodge up in rural Alaska. She does a good job at inviting her readers into the rustic log cabin lodge, that I want to live in, and allow them to be cozy by the fire while playing board games, eating cookies, and drinking cocoa and coffee. What is better than that! The action kept piling up more mirroring the snow falling outside. Warren kept the characters jumping as issue after issue kept ruining the growing emotions. And the dog! This dog, Caspian, kept shoving the characters into deeper trouble, but then it would turn around and help rescue others too. Silly dog! As for the romance, both hero and heroine had a hard time knocking down the walls that they have built around their heart and their lives, but they really wanted to. They wanted the love that they were experiencing, but it is hard. Warren does bring back a lot of familiar characters if readers are familiar with her other stories. But she has written so many stories that I remember reading their stories, but I could not really place them on who is married to who and what their issues were. Maybe someday, I’ll find the time to sit down and start from the beginning and re-read them all again in order. Overall, Track of Courage by Susan May Warren will capture the interests of Warren’s fans and help new readers who love adventure with moments of romance to find her stories. I will own this series with all my other Warren books. One of my favorite authors.

I received a complimentary copy of Track of Courage by Susan May Warren, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Track of Courage

Kim Garee: Pressed Together

 By Kelly Bridgewater

About the Book

Book: Pressed Together

Author: Kim Garee

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release Date: May 1, 2024

World War II is over at last, and the pier amusement park at Buckeye Lake, the "Playground of Ohio," is lit up, loud, and ready to welcome a summer of better days. The energy of dance hall and roller coaster, though, is disorienting for Sgt. Drew Mathison, weary from battle and trying to track down the one man who can testify in his brother's murder trial.

He's not in the mood to celebrate when he simply cannot find that witness. Especially when he suspects Emily Graham, publisher of the Buckeye Lake Beacon, is hiding him. Doesn't she understand the danger the fugitive has brought to Buckeye Lake?

Determined to save her childhood friend, the beautiful and quirky young woman manages to frustrate not just Drew but her family and community as she tries to fix a whole host of problems by herself.

As Drew and Emily square off amidst secrets and a dangerous game of hide-and-seek, falling in love might be the only way to save the summer ... and another life.

My Thoughts:

Pressed Together by Kim Garee is a historical romance story that has a hint of a mystery that takes place after World War II. The concept of a story that takes place after World War II captured my attention since I have not read many of them. I have read plenty of stories that take place during World War II. One of the glaring issues I had with the plot is that it could have happened today. While the story says that it takes place right after World War II, it read like a contemporary story taken place in a resort town with a woman reporter and a PTSD officer who is running from something but comes to this small town. It reads like a contemporary romance. Similarly, the mystery that forces Drew to this small town wasn’t really explained. The opening chapter does talk about it a little, but I’m confused with the head hopping in the beginning to understand what is going on. The romance takes over the plot with hints of the mystery woven in, but not enough to really lead the plot line. The characters were stock characters who just happen to fall in love while they spend time in the small town. I’m sure this novel is great for contemporary romance fans, but it was really slow for me. I wanted more action. Maybe the bad guy comes to town early on and actually tries to hurt or kill Drew. Or worse, spread rumors about incidents Drew was running away from. Overall, Pressed Together by Kim Garee appeared to be a nice, sweet story of a slower time that I wanted to enjoy, but sadly, it seemed to be just not for me.

I received a complimentary copy of Pressed Together by Kim Garee through Celebrate Lit Tours, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

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About the Author

Kim Garee is the award-winning author of The Together series, including Pressed Together (May 2024), Packed Together (December 2024), and Patched Together (September 2025). Set in Buckeye Lake, Ohio, just after World War II, these romances unfold at the height of the lake’s famous amusement park. Kim has worked as a journalist and college writing instructor. She loves her current work as a Library Innovation Teacher. She and her husband have three recently grown children and live in central Ohio.

 

 

More from Kim

Pressed Together, winner of a 2024 Angel Book Award for historical fiction, was inspired years ago when I was a newspaper reporter in Buckeye Lake. Historically, the lake was an “end of the line” stop for a railroad that featured a large amusement park, dance halls, and skating rinks. It was a favorite spot for the biggest of the Big Bands. A fire wiped most of the park out decades ago, but when I watched a crane pull old bumper cars out of the bottom of the lake, I knew the characters of this book series. I spent many happy hours in the historical society’s archives to accurately celebrate the post-war era in a small U.S. town that was also the “playground of Ohio.”

The Together Series represents the mystery, romance, and even humor of an era, even as it explores relatable faith challenges. Get ready to settle in with hilarious crowd draws, a flooded bait shop, a choking blue heron, and, of course, a hidden murder witness!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blog Stops

Devoted Steps, December 11

Pause for Tales, December 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 12

Texas Book-aholic, December 13

Stories By Gina, December 14 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 15

Life on Chickadee Lane, December 16

Cover Lover Book Review, December 17

Where Faith and Books Meet, December 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 18

For the Love of Literature, December 19 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, December 20

For Him and My Family, December 21

Devoted To Hope, December 22

Connie’s History Classroom, December 23

Tell Tale Book Reviews, December 24 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kim is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

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

ttps://promosimple.com/ps/3edc1/pressed-together-celebration-tour-giveaway

Ann Swindell: Love in the Castle Library

 By Kelly Bridgewater

About the Book

Book: Love in the Castle Library (In the Castle Library Book 2)

Author: Ann Swindell

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Release Date: October 15, 2025

Predictability and efficiency have marked Delphine DuVert’s orderly life as Castle Stewardess in the small European country of Lethersby—until she is tasked by the monarchy to hire a British researcher. Lethersby needs help solving the 100-year-old mystery of their Lost Queen, a young royal who disappeared into the night during World War I.

Delphine’s split-second decision to hire Jack Worthington, a doctoral student at the University of Oxford, has long-lasting consequences when he steps in to protect her from an angry colleague determined to ruin her life. The only catch? That protection looks like Jack posing as her beau.

Jack Worthington believes that his instinct to protect Delphine was the right one, but he’s determined to stay focused on his research for Lethersby—and keep his emotional distance after reeling from a broken heart. Yet as the clues to discovering the Lost Queen’s story unravel and the Delphine’s future hangs in the balance, both Jack and Delphine must step out in faith, choosing to trust that what God has ahead for them is worth any risk.

 

 

My Thoughts:

Love in Castle Library by Ann Swindell is a captivating romantic story filled with historical research and delight. I love the cover of the two books in this series. They capture my book-loving attention with the castle background and the idea of a story that has to do with uncovering a mystery of a missing queen. I have heard a lot of good things about the first book, so I was excited when I could read the second book. Now, I have not read the first book, so there might be some plot items that I am missing. However, as much as I wanted to follow a story with tons of research and work toward uncovering the historical aspects. The story does focus a lot on the romance between the stewardess and one of the added historical researchers. I was disappointed that the historical research was there, but it kind of played around on the edges of the story. The romance took the front seat of the plot, and the historical aspect took a back seat. Unfortunately, I enjoy a story where romance happens because of all the time they spend together researching and realizing how excited the hunt makes them, and the two characters grow close over this. While Swindell does understand a good story, I believe that fans of contemporary romance will probably adore the heavy romance aspect. On the other hand, I, personally, felt that the story dragged on and on. Overall, Love in the Castle Library by Ann Swindell is a delightful contemporary romance, but for me, it was a little over the top. I wished the historical research took precedent over the romance thread.

I received a complimentary copy of Love in the Castle Library by Ann Swindell, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Love in the Castle Library

About the Author

ANN SWINDELL writes stories that point to Christ’s presence in our day-to-day lives and the hope He brings to our hearts. She is the award-winning author of multiple books and the owner of Writing with Grace, where she teaches Christ-centered writing classes for women. Ann lives in West Michigan, and she enjoys adventuring with her family…usually with a cup of Earl Grey tea in hand.

 

 

 

 

More from Ann

Love in the Castle Library is set in two of my favorite places—one imaginary, and one real. When I started the In the Castle Library series, the main character’s journey in book one (Christmas in the Castle Library) takes her to Lethersby, a small, fictional European country full of tradition, beauty, and charm. I tried to put much of what I love about Europe into this fictional country that I wish existed. From what readers have told me, they wish it was real, too!

Book two, Love in the Castle Library, is also set in the castle in Lethersby, but I decided to make my hero and heroine take a jaunt to Oxford, England—my favorite real country outside of the USA.

I spent a summer in college studying abroad in England, and Oxford was the city that captured my heart. The “city of dreaming spires” is ancient, beautiful, and academic—a heady mix for a nineteen-year-old girl who traveled there for the first time. I even gave a nod to one of Oxford’s most well-known professors through the hero’s name, Jack.*

I had the gift of getting to go back to Oxford with my family over a decade ago, and while I’m aching to go again, including some of my favorite places in Love in the Castle Library helped me to enjoy the city vicariously through my characters. Look for some of my favorite places to eat—including Ben’s Cookies and the King’s Arms—when the characters visit. And if you ever have the opportunity to make it to Oxford, make the effort to buy one of those cookies (they’re sold by weight!) and enjoy some ice cream at G&D’s…the hero recommends chocolate of any kind (and so do I!).

I hope you love this story as much as I do, and that these tastes of beautiful places, both real and imagined, point your heart to the beauty of Christ that is at the heart of every story I write.

*Jack was C.S. Lewis’s nickname, and he taught at Magdalen College in Oxford from 1925-1954.

Blog Stops

To Everything There Is A Season, December 6

Mary Hake, December 6

Lily’s Corner, December 7

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 8

Where Faith and Books Meet, December 8

Leslie’s Library Escape, December 9

Inkwell Inspirations , December 10

Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, December 10

Devoted Steps, December 11

Texas Book-aholic, December 12

Holly’s Book Corner, December 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 13

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 14

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 15

Devoted To Hope, December 16

Stories By Gina, December 17 (Author Interview)

Lyssa Loves Books, December 17

Simple Harvest Reads, December 18 (Guest Review from Donna)

Raining Butterfly Kisses, December 19

The Bookish Pilgrim, December 19

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Ann is giving away the grand prize of a $50 gift card to Amazon and a signed paperback 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://promosimple.com/ps/3e375/love-in-the-castle-library-celebration-tour-giveaway

Stephanie Landsem: The Fault Between Us

 By Kelly Bridgewater

In this gripping new work of historical fiction from the award-winning author of Code Name Edelweiss, three sisters fight for their lives and for each other amid the danger of a cataclysmic earthquake that rips Yellowstone National Park asunder.

1959. Claire, Bridget, and Frannie Reilly were once as close as sisters can be. Though their mother left when they were young, their loving father raised them with everything they could want. But when Claire marries a handsome cowboy and settles out west, a thousand miles away, the sisters’ strong bond begins to unravel.

Claire struggles to adjust to a life utterly unlike her upbringing, and surprising revelations about her husband’s past make her wonder if she’s made a terrible mistake. With a new baby and a shoestring budget, the last thing she needs is her family’s interference.

Sensing something isn’t right, Bridget takes a temporary nursing assignment in Yellowstone, promising her father she’ll bring Claire home―with or without her husband. When Frannie, the rebellious youngest sister, is sent along in hopes it will corral her behavior, the Reilly sisters reunite on the eve of a seismic event that rips Yellowstone apart, tests their survival, and exposes the ever-widening rift in their relationship.

Based on real events of the 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake and inspired by true stories, The Fault Between Us is a suspenseful exploration of the bonds of sisterhood, the depths of family drama, and how hidden wounds can only heal when they’re brought into the light.

My Thoughts:

The Fault Between Us by Stephanie Landsem was a moving story about sisters, relationships, and hope. Readers will love how Landsem built up each individual character through a good portion of the story so that readers will know them personally. Landsem does a wonderful job at diving into their hurts, pains, and lives that they felt like they could be my sisters. She does tell the story from several different characters’ perspective, which I believe strengthens the storyline. The setting is very important to the story. It could not happen at any other time. Plus, Landsem does a wonderful job at crafting the setting, so readers do get lost in Yellowstone. The title does have a few different meanings to the plot of the story, and I really liked this aspect. My favorite part is when the climactic moment happened that I knew these characters so well because Landsem built them up that I enjoyed seeing the transformation of each character. Overall, The Fault Between Us by Stephanie Landsem is a moving tale that I enjoyed losing myself in, and the plot and the characters will stick with me long after I finished the novel.

I received a complimentary copy of The Fault Between Us by Stephanie Landsem from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Purchase The Fault Between Us

Jennifer Graeser Dornbush: What Darkness Does

 By Kelly Bridgewater

 Dr. Emily Hartford finds herself dredging the depths of Lake Isabella—and her own past relationship—in What Darkness Does, the next thrilling mystery from Jennifer Graeser Dornbush.

Called in to investigate the body of a young mother found floating in a small Michigan lake, Freeport coroner Dr. Emily Hartford quickly determines that Samantha Browdey was murdered. Among the many questions circling this horrifying event is one that yanks hard on Emily’s heartstrings: Where is Samantha’s infant daughter? Working alongside police detective Isode Aditson, Emily becomes ferociously determined to find the missing baby, Brooklyn.

At the same time, Emily’s longtime boyfriend Nick Larsen has reappeared—after being missing, presumed dead, for over a year. But Nick has changed. Badly injured and severely traumatized, the ex-cop turned FBI agent is a different man, one who has endured unimaginable brutality and then buried his secrets deep. Nick has a long road ahead … but he’s not a patient man, and catching a sadistic killer seems like good enough therapy to him.

Emily has her doubts, but what’s clear is that a cruel killer’s reign of terror must be stopped, one way or another. Their foe is formidable, increasingly bold, and brutally reckless. To catch this monster, Nick must battle his own demons, while Emily puzzles together the mystery of Brooklyn’s whereabouts, in hopes of giving a grieving family a happy ending.

 

My Thoughts:

What Darkness Does by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush is a thriller novel that I really enjoyed. However, as a word of caution, there are some scenes that are graphic and brutal to read and a couple of bad language words. One thing I enjoy about mysteries is discovering who the villain is. What feels cheap to me is when the author shows who the villain is. Personally, I like to see clues and see if I can find out who this person is before the end of the novel. What Darkness Does is a novel where early on, the readers will know who the person is and will watch him brutally hurt several people along the way. Even though I prefer to guess, the readers will have the chase of wondering if the villain will be captured and how. As for the heroine, Emily, it was nice to catch up with her again. This time, if readers are familiar with all the stories in this series, Nick takes on more of an important role in capturing the villain. I enjoyed the story and the chance to capture the villain because there were plenty of moments of action and suspense, which is the way I like my thriller stories. I do recommend this book, and I am excited that there are more to come.

I received a complimentary copy of What Darkness Does by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush from Blackstone Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase What Darkness Does