Blog Tour and Giveaway: Embergold by Rachelle Nelson

About the Book

Book: Embergold

Author: Rachelle Nelson

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release date: March 18, 2025

Fire dreamed of water, but the first sip would be its last.

Gilde has spent her life isolated in the wild marshlands, a place too wet for the dragon to go. She’s safe there, according to her father. So why is he asking her to leave with him now that she has come of age? There is more to Gilde’s family than she knows, and debts need to be paid.

Betrayed and shattered, she wakes in a crumbling mountain castle with the beast of her nightmares. Except this dragon speaks like a man and reads books. His kindness confuses her and opens a forgotten longing in her heart, all while Gilde plans her escape from a mountain full of secrets.

This place can unveil her past and why she was sacrificed to the beast —truths that may put both their lives in danger if they can’t learn to trust each other. But how can Gilde ever trust again? Especially after she discovers what dragons truly are.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Rachelle Nelson grew up reading fantasy novels and getting her clothes muddy in the pine forests of Idaho. These days, she still loves hiking through forests and libraries, though she’s a bit less fond of mud. Her debut novel, Sky of Seven Colors, released through Enclave Publishing, and won both the Carol Award and Christy Award. Rachelle doesn’t write true stories, but she does write about truth. When she’s not doing that, she sings in a band with her husband who makes her happier than should be legal. If you like good food and honest conversations, you’re her favorite kind of person.

 

 

More from Rachelle

For the past decade or so, I have been a volunteer youth leader for teen groups. Some of my favorite memories have come from that position. Camp pranks, hilarious games involving edible mealworms, scavenger hunts, singing together at the top of our lungs, and speaking life into the lives of young women. When a girl sees herself through the eyes of Jesus, everything changes.

Some of my hardest moments have come from being a youth leader, too. There’s a kind of hurt that happens when we watch someone suffer, and we cannot take the suffering away. I have cried tears with teens who have been wounded by betrayal, carelessness, and abandonment. Those wounds go deeper when they come from a parent.

The truth is, God is the only perfect father, and we’re meant to be parented by Him. Learning to trust Him is a process, even if we had a pretty great (if imperfect) example of an earthly dad. But we live in a fatherless generation, when so many have experienced separation and pain in their family from divorce, or addiction, or generational cycles of pain. I’ve seen what that kind of pain can do to a heart, and how trusting others becomes almost impossible.

Almost.

Embergold is a story about betrayal and abandonment. It’s about two young people who never expected to find kindness in a harsh world. It’s about the healing of hearts.

I wrote it for myself, to remember what is possible. I wrote it for the young people I have loved. And for the parents who are still recovering from their childhoods.

Sin and brokenness happen in community. But, the amazing thing is, God designed the healing to happen in community too, among people. We need each other.

Blog Stops

Fiction Book Lover, April 8 (Author Interview)

CeCe Reads and Sings, April 8

Texas Book-aholic, April 9

MinReads and Reviews, April 9

Wishful Endings, April 10

The Lofty Pages, April 11

Blossoms and Blessings, April 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 13

Blogging With Carol, April 14

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 15

Devoted Steps, April 16

Madi’s Musings, April 17

Labor Not in Vain, April 18

Guild Master, April 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 20

Simple Harvest Reads, April 21 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachelle is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card, a hardcover copy of the book, and an envelope of fun goodies, including a signed bookplate and a pewter dragon bookmark!!

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/00adcf54195

My Review

I have had the pleasure in reading previous books from Rachelle Nelson and was looking forward to reading her next release, Embergold. I thought it was a good read. It was full of adventure, action, suspense and mystery. It was an honor to spend a few hours with Gilde and finding out how it would all end for her. It was not easy to predict and I never knew what happen would happen from scene to scene.

I am going to give Embergold four and a half stars. It would be worth reading for those who enjoy books from the clean young adult fantasy fiction. I am curious to see what other books that Rachelle Nelson will be releasing in the future.

I received a digital copy of Rachelle Nelson's Embergold from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Review: Fair Haven by Laury A Egan

 

Fair Haven

by Laury A Egan

A picturesque riverside town. A safe, serene, friendly place. And then, one sunny summer afternoon in 1994, Sally Ann Shaffer is electrocuted in her hot tub. Who did it? One of her many lovers? Her husband? A thief? A jealous colleague at her tennis club? Fair Haven is suddenly embroiled in suspicion, interpersonal conflict, blackmail, financial fraud, and murder.

Fair Haven shares sympathies with the British crime drama, Midsomer Murders, because of its small-town setting and its diverse cast, any of whom could be the killer (except Cagney, the beagle, who leavens the plot). The primary characters include Chris Clarke, hired to photograph the crime scene and involved with Kate Morgan, a woman fighting for custody of her son (Kate has a past history with Sally Ann Shaffer); the police chief, Ray Mackie, an experienced cop who must step aside in the investigation in favor of Vincent Rivera (Rivera reports to the Major Crimes Bureau). Other players are Detective Dave DeMarco, who is coordinating the local police effort; Harry Fallon, Kate Morgan’s drunken ex-husband and a long-time lover of Sally Ann; and R.J. Baines, a realtor hiding her lesbianism and her affair with the deceased. The relationships between these characters, as well as with a tennis pro, husband, priest, and a financial fraudster, provide rich opportunities for intrigue and moments of quiet humor.

“The pace never lagged, and I was as invested in the character dramas as I was in the murder mystery itself. Which is great, given how much the story is really about those people and their community and their ties to one another…a delightfully messy tangle of motives and reasonable suspects. Classic murder mystery shenanigans. Fair Haven [is] a very worthy entry in the genre.”—Jennica Dotson, author of “A Reaper’s Folly”

Enigma Books. Pub Date: January 11, 2025 / 6 x 9 inches. Paperback and eBook. Cover design by Laury A. Egan and Andrew May. Cover photograph by Mark Schwartz.

Meet the Author:

Photo by Vicki DeVico

Laury A. Egan is the author of fourteen books of fiction: Jack & I; The Black Leopard’s Kiss & The Writer Remembers; The Psychologist’s Shadow; The Firefly; Once, Upon an Island; Wave in D Minor; Doublecrossed; Turnabout; The Swimmer; The Ungodly Hour; A Bittersweet Tale; Fabulous! An Opera Buffa; The Outcast Oracle; and Jenny Kidd, with two titles forthcoming in 2025: Fair Haven and a new story/play collection, Contrary. Her stories have been collected in Fog and Other Stories, and her short fiction and poems have appeared in 85 literary journals and in multiple anthologies. Two full-length poetry volumes, Snow, Shadow, a Stranger and Beneath the Lion’s Paw, were issued in limited edition, as were two chapbooks, Presence & Absence and The Sea & Beyond. Laury is also a fine arts photographer, a former book designer, and a reviewer for The New York Journal of Books. She lives on the northern coast of New Jersey. 

Connect with the Author:

https://www.facebook.com/laury.egan/

https://twitter.com/eganlaury

https://www.instagram.com/laurya.egan/

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Laury-A.-Egan/author/B005IDKXRY

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4090464.Laury_A_Egan

My Review: 

I have had the joy of reading Laury A Egan's books in the past. I was honored to have the opportunity to read their newest release, Fair Haven. Oh my goodness. I was far from being disappointed. It was full of so much mystery and suspense. I was left guessing of who done it up until the last few pages. Once I was thinking I had it all figured it out, another twist happens. There was no way I would have been able to predict the ending. 

I am going to give Fair Haven a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who love to read suspense filled mysteries. I believe they will love it as much as me. 

I received a digital copy of Laury A Egan's Fair Haven from the author, but was not required to write a review, nor a positive one. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.  

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Reunion Crossing: The Underground Book Readers (Book Seven) by Terry Overton

About the Book

Book: Reunion Crossing: The Underground Book Readers (Book Seven)

Author: Terry Overton

Genre: Middle Grade Fiction

Release date: January 7, 2025

Leena, Kahn, Casey, and the other Underground Book Readers continue their journey to the free land. They encounter strangers in the forest, discover new mysterious towns, and face new challenges for their safety. Their travels lead them across treacherous landscapes and through enemy territory, where danger hides deep in the forest and valleys. Weathering harsh conditions, encountering unexpected allies, and enduring long, perilous paths, the Underground Book Readers rely on their faith and each other to persevere. Their goal is to reach parts of the United States not under the control of the World Force. They long to find a place to live in peace and see their families. But as they approach the mysterious Reunion Crossing, one question remains: will they finally reach the free land—and what will be waiting for them when they arrive?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Terry Overton is a retired university professor of educational and school psychology. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Psychology.

Her professional experience includes teaching public school, teaching at the university level, and being a college dean.

She has two children, seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

Her previous writing and publication experiences include textbook and journal articles in the fields of special education and school psychology. She now seeks to answer God’s call to share the good news and grow the church by writing Christian books and devotionals.

Over the years, Terry’s books have won the Mom’s Choice Award, Christian Indie Award, Firebird Book Awards, American Writing Winner Awards, Bookfest Winner Awards, Pencraft Award, Reader Views Silver Reviewers Award, and International Book Award Finalist. Her writing examines real world events with a Christian worldview. She enjoys writing for young children, middle grade readers, YA fiction, and adult level novels.

Terry’s background in teaching adults and children shine through her stories that often include a character with educational or learning challenges. Her Christmas series, The Oddball Ornaments, features a box of misfit ornaments who first learn the meaning of Christmas and then discover the meaning of forgiveness. In The Underground Book Readers series, one of the main characters is on the autism spectrum yet is one of the leaders of the group of teens. Book one of a new series, The Messiah Brigade, features an awkward middle school nerd who helps his school turn around a bully gang of kids. Adoption and family issues are the focus of her new book, Charlotte McMaster and the Messenger Angel.

More from Terry

This book is book seven of The Underground Book Readers series. The series was inspired by talking with librarians about the concept of book banning and how Christian books are no longer predominantly displayed in school or community libraries. The series is designed to place kids in a different world where many things we take for granted or no longer available: books, schools, churches, freedom, and even parents. The book series stresses Christian family values and weaves Scripture in with the dystopian action-adventure series.

This book is being used in homeschool classrooms and church schools. A learning guide and free worksheets will soon be available to guide parents and teachers through the series.

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, April 5

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, April 6

Artistic Nobody, April 7 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 7

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 9

Texas Book-aholic, April 10

Guild Master, April 11 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 12

Fiction Book Lover, April 13 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 14

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 15 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, April 15

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 16

Simple Harvest Reads, April 17 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For the Love of Literature, April 18 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Terry 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.

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54193/

My Review

Reunion Crossing: The Underground Book Readers is the seventh installment from the series by Terry Overton. I have enjoyed the previous books in The Underground Book Readers series and this one is by far my favorite. I wanted to find out what these teens will find out in the end. It was honor to take this adventure for awhile.

I am giving Reunion Crossing: The Underground Book Readers a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who are between the ages of eight and thirteen and enjoy reading dystopian fiction. I am hoping there will be more to come like the The Underground Book Readers series to come from Terry Overton.

I received a paperback copy of Terry Overton's Reunion Crossing: The Underground Book Readers from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Rancher's Unexpected Bride by Lauralyn Keller

 

About the Book

Book: The Rancher’s Unexpected Bride

Author: Lauralyn Keller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: March 25, 2025

In the rugged Montana Territory, a Boston socialite’s bid for freedom collides with a rancher’s quest for a family.

According to Boston’s elite society, Ella Mountbatten has it all: status, prestige, and a bright future. What they don’t know is that her life as a socialite has become a gilded cage of abuse and oppression under the control of her cruel fiancé and domineering parents. Desperate to escape, Ella flees Boston and seeks refuge in the small town of Harmony Springs, Montana Territory, where her former friend now resides as the sheriff. But with her family determined to drag her back to Boston, Ella’s hard-won freedom—and her very life—hang precariously in the balance.

Rancher, Cody Brooks, is ill-equipped to be the guardian of three orphaned children. But that’s the situation he’s in after the death of his best friend. Now, what he needs is a wife to help provide love and stability to his makeshift family. So when a runaway heiress arrives in need of protection, it seems a marriage of convenience may be the answer to both their prayers.

But with danger closing in from Boston and the challenges of building a new life together, Cody and Ella must confront their deepest fears and desires. Can their marriage of convenience blossom into true love, or will the shadows of Ella’s past tear apart the fragile hope they’ve found in Harmony Springs?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Lauralyn Keller loves to combine history and romance in stories that touch the heart. She lives in beautiful Colorado and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, hiking, and reading.

 

 

 

 

 

More from Lauralyn

Stories have a funny way of percolating in my mind. I’ll be driving or doing dishes or some other mundane activity, and all of a sudden, an idea pops into my head. What my mind does with it then determines the course of a story.

Here’s a peek at my thought process for The Rancher’s Unexpected Bride.

Marriage of convenience stories are fun—maybe I could write one. Oooh, and I love Montana. It should take place there. Historical, of course, since stepping back in time is also fun. Hmmm….who should the characters be? Maybe a socialite….or an heiress….where would someone like that be from? Philly? New York? Ooh, I know—Boston! Yeah, Boston. Let’s see, her name can be Ella, though that doesn’t sound terribly high society. Maybe Ariella, but she prefers being called Ella. And she wants to leave town because she feels that society life is suffocating her. Hmmm, that doesn’t quite seem like a strong enough reason. Oh! She comes from a stuffy family….with harsh parents….and an abusive fiance. That’s why she runs away. I can iron out the details later. Okay, so Ella runs from Boston to Montana. Now, who’s her love interest? A farmer might work, but why would they agree to a marriage of convenience? I suppose Ella could be a mail-order bride….hmmm, no, that might not work. She needs to leave in a hurry (the why to be determined later). Maybe the guy (let’s call him Cody—that’s a good name) is a widower raising young kids and needs a wife to help. Or….no, he took in the kids after their parents died. That’ll create an immediate need for a wife. Perfect! Actually, I think he should be a rancher instead.

And just like that, a story is born. Sometimes it comes to me in moments, other times in weeks. This story developed over a couple of years. I wrote one draft, decided it was too fluffy, and ended up giving it a complete rewrite. I’m very happy with how Ella and Cody’s story turned out. It’s a sweet, love-comes-softly romance, and I hope you enjoy it.

Blog Stops

Maureen’s Musings, April 1

Texas Book-aholic, April 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 4

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 5

Devoted To Hope, April 6

lakesidelivingsite, April 7

Stories By Gina, April 8 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, April 8

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 10

Simple Harvest Reads, April 11 (Guest Review from Melissa)

For Him and My Family, April 12

Holly’s Book Corner, April 13

A Reader’s Brain, April 14 (Author Interview)

Bizwings Book Blog, April 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lauralyn 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://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54189/

My Review

The Rancher's Unexpected Bride is the first book from the Second Chances in Harmony Springs series by new to me author, Lauralyn Keller. I thought it was a good introduction for me. I enjoyed getting to know the main characters, Ella and Cody. The two took me on a adventure that was suspenseful and dangerous at time. It was not a long story to read and I easily had it read in one sitting.

I am going to give The Rancher's Unexpected Bride four and a half stars. I recommend it for fans of clean historical romance. I am curious to see what happens in the next installment from the Second Chances in Harmony Springs series, The Reverend's Second Chance. 

I received a paperback copy of Lauralyn Keller's The Rancher's Unexpected Bride from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Daughter of Rome (The Emissaries Book 3) by Angela Hunt

About the Book

Book: The Daughter of Rome (The Emissaries Book 3)

Author: Angela Hunt

Genre: FICTION / Christian / Biblical

Release date: March 4, 2025

In Nero’s Rome, Calandra helps her father, a renowned sculptor, complete the most significant commission of his illustrious career. But then a catastrophic fire nearly destroys the imperial city, leaving Calandra reliant on a group of Christians–unusual individuals unlike any she has encountered before. Intrigued by their worship of the Son of an invisible God, Calandra grapples with her mistrust, only to find herself indebted to these believers as they help her rebuild her shattered world.

When Emperor Nero begins constructing his opulent Golden House, the people of Rome grow resentful, suspecting him of starting the fire in order to clear the land for his immense palace. Needing a scapegoat, Nero points at those who follow the Jewish Messiah, forcing Calandra to make an impossible choice between right and wrong, friends and family, love and death.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Angela Hunt is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 160 books, with nearly 6 million copies sold worldwide. Angela’s novels have won or been nominated for the RWA RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Christian Book Award, and the HOLT Medallion. Four of her novels have received ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Award, and Angela is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from both the Romantic Times Book Club and ACFW. Angela holds doctorates in biblical studies and theology. She and her husband make their home in Florida with mastiffs and chickens.

More from Angela

Dear Reader:

Thank you for joining me on this blog tour for THE DAUGHTER OF ROME, book three in the Emissaries series. The book stands alone, but it includes characters from books one and two, so people who have read those books will have a fuller understanding of who those people are. But no worries!  If you haven’t read the first two books, you’ll still have no problem reading THE DAUGHTER OF ROME.

When I shaped the idea for this series, I had just finished The Jerusalem Road books, which centered on Jews who lived during Jesus’ life and ministry. I wanted to keep writing in this time period, so I shifted my focus from the Jews to the Gentiles—specifically, the people who came to faith through Paul’s ministry.

The first book in the series, THE WOMAN FROM LYDIA, is concerned with the seller of purple who hosted the Philippian church in her home. The second book, THE SISTERS OF CORINTH, features two competing sisters who lived, naturally, in Corinth. And the third book, THE DAUGHTER OF ROME, is about a young sculptress who lives in Rome during the time of Nero.

I have been fascinated by this time period ever since reading THE SILVER CHALICE and THE ROBE in my childhood. What would it have been like, I wondered, to live in a time when you could be executed simply for saying you believed in Jesus? Americans don’t really know what that’s like, but people in other parts of the world still deal with that danger today. The Bible tells us that this kind of danger is not going away—it will be prevalent during the end times as well. So I wanted to explore the world of the ancient Romans, and hoped to pull some lessons from it that will apply to us today.

I’ve also been amazed at what we can still see of ancient Greek and Roman art—how did they sculpt those massive statues? One such work, the Colossus, was so large it stood in the harbor and ships reportedly entered beneath it!

THE DAUGHTER OF ROME features one other fascinating element—a question that garners as much debate as “who killed JFK?” The story takes place during the time that the Great Fire of Rome nearly leveled the entire city, and to this day, no one is certain how it began. The people blamed Nero, Nero blamed the Christians, and it may have been a kid illegally cooking his dinner at the racetrack.

I hope you’ll enjoy reading the story as much as I did writing it. Thanks for coming along on the tour!

Angela Hunt

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 4

Batya’s Bits , April 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 5

Mary Hake, April 5

Texas Book-aholic, April 6

Inspired by Fiction, April 7

She Lives To Read, April 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 8

Lily’s Corner, April 9

Lots of Helpers, April 9

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 11

EmpowerMoms, April 11

Devoted To Hope, April 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 13

Books Less Travelled, April 13

Devoted Steps, April 14

Sylvan Musings, April 15

Holly’s Book Corner, April 15

Cover Lover Book Review, April 16

For Him and My Family, April 17

Pause for Tales, April 17

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Angela is giving away the grand prize of a $25 gift card to Baker Book House’s website and a 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.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54192

My Review

I enjoyed the previous two books from Angela Hunt's The Emissaries series, The Woman from Lydia and The Sisters of Corinth, and was excited to get my hands on the third installment, The Daughter of Rome. I believe one is my favorite of the three. The author does not hold back on historical details to bring this story to life. I loved seeing her vision of how Calandra lived and felt like I was part of it.

The Daughter of Rome will be getting a very well deserved five plus stars from me. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean Biblical Fiction. I am hoping that there will be more to come The Emissaries series. 

I received a paperback copy of Angell Hunt's The Daughter of Rome from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Embers of Truth by Avrie Swan

 

About the Book

Book: Embers of Truth

Author: Avrie Swan

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 15, 2025

A fiery heroine teams up with a gruff detective to catch a thief, but the real danger may be trusting each other.

With her family nearing destitution and her home on the brink of foreclosure, Carina Clarke has little left to lose. Yet in one fateful evening, the 1871 Peshtigo Fire destroys the last of all she holds dear and separates her from her sister and friend. Carina vows to find them—even if it means moving to a different city and taking up work at a textile mill while she searches.

Oliver Ramhurst is determined to make his father proud of his work as a Pinkerton detective. His assignment to capture a thief at a textile mill in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, could be the opportunity he needs—if the feisty Miss Clarke will stay out of his way. When the clever woman offers to help him ferret out the culprit, Oliver reluctantly agrees. But does she want more from him than she’s saying?

As the danger grows and they draw closer to discovering the true identity of the thief, Carina and Oliver realize that nobody is who they seem. Carina must decide who can be trusted and who may be a villain in disguise—for when the hour grows dark, trust may be the only thing that can save her.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Avrie Swan is a Christian author and avid reader with a love for all things historical. Having grown up exploring antique stores and museums, she eventually decided to combine her interest in history with her love for writing and began working on her first full-length novel at the age of fourteen. She especially enjoys writing stories that focus on themes of family, faith, and growth through difficult times.

When Avrie is not writing, she is watching old movies, collecting antique books, and hunting for agates. A native Wisconsinite, she enjoys spending the cold winters indoors with her cat on her lap and a good book in her hand.

 

 

More from Avrie

Hello, folks!

What do you do when you run out of your favorite type of book at the local library? Well, in the case of sixteen-year-old me, you sit down and try to write one yourself. Thus was born the first iteration of Embers of Truth, followed shortly thereafter by the second and third. After countless revisions and many cups of coffee, I finally achieved what I wanted—a book filled with mystery and action, with a main character tenacious enough to weather the storms I tossed her way. Carina’s story was a joy to write, and I know sixteen-year-old me would be happy to read it if she could.

In this first book of The Peshtigo Fire Chronicles, I decided to explore the theme of trust and learning to accept help. Carina has difficulty trusting others, an issue born out of past experiences. However, as she comes to learn, we cannot let bad experiences affect the way we see others. Have you ever unjustly judged someone because of something that happened to you, even if it was unintentional? I have. It’s easy to do!

In addition to exploring themes of trust, Embers of Truth also examines what it means to put our goals before helping others. Oliver is determined to impress his father, and while he takes the mill case to help the workers there, he also secretly hopes it will finally make his father approve of his occupation. Putting our needs above others is a part of human nature, but that doesn’t mean we can’t change. Watching Oliver realize this is one of my favorite parts of the story.

Much like Oliver, I also realized several things while writing Embers of Truth. The first was that I would never handwrite a novel again, a decision my right wrist thanked me for. The second was that God is incredibly, incredibly gracious. The third and final thing I realized was that I would have made a terrible Pinkerton detective. I’m much more suited to sitting bundled up under warm blankets with a book than going undercover to find a criminal!

I encourage you, dear reader, to follow along with Oliver and Carina as they traverse snowy Milwaukee and decide whether you could be a detective. Make sure to curl up with a nice cup of coffee or tea and a blanket as you enjoy this intriguing, romance-filled story. God bless you!

Sincerely,

Avrie Swan

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 1

Holly’s Book Corner, May 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 2

Texas Book-aholic, May 3

Blogging With Carol, May 4

Simple Harvest Reads, May 5 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 6

Blossoms and Blessings, May 6

Book Looks by Lisa, May 7

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 8

Betti Mace, May 9

Stories By Gina, May 10 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 10

Cover Lover Book Review, May 11

Pause for Tales, May 12

Devoted To Hope, May 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 13

For Him and My Family, May 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Avrie 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.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54210

My Review

I found Embers of Truth to be a great debut for author, Avrie Swan. It is, also, the start to her, The Peshtigo Fire Chronicles series. I enjoyed going back in time to 1871 to when the real event of the Peshtigo Fire  and meeting the main characters, Carina and Oliver. The two made a great team trying to solve the mystery surrounding the events after the fire. They were faced with danger, mystery and suspense. I liked their story.

I am going to give Embers of Truth four and a half stars. I recommend it for fans of clean Christian Historical Romance. I am curious to see what happens next in the The Peshtigo Fire Chronicles series.

I received a copy of Avrie Swan's Embers of Truth from the publisher but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Dawn of Grace: Mary Magdalene’s Story by Jill Eileen Smith

About the Book

Book: Dawn of Grace: Mary Magdalene’s Story

Author: Jill Eileen Smith

Genre: FICTION / Christian / Biblical

Release date: February 18, 2025

From her earliest days, Mary Magdalene has known fear and loss at a level so deep she has no hope of surfacing. Bound to the demons within her and incapable of freeing herself, Mary walks in shadow–until one day she encounters a healer, a rabbi who is radically different from the religious leaders and family members who could do nothing to help her. One touch from Jesus and Mary is never the same.

Now Mary’s one mission in life is to serve the one who freed her. She is determined never to leave his side, fearing that if she loses him, she’ll return to her former bondage. Even when the unthinkable happens and her savior is arrested and sentenced to execution, she cannot abandon him as so many others did. Let her be buried in his tomb, for she cannot live without him.

On the brink of despair, Mary is about to discover that while the life of faith is never perfect, perfect love casts out fear–and Jesus makes all things new.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling and award-winning author of the biblical fiction series The Wives of King David, Wives of the Patriarchs, and Daughters of the Promised Land, as well as The Heart of a King, Star of Persia: Esther’s Story, Miriam’s Song, The Prince and the Prodigal, Daughter of Eden, and The Ark and the Dove. Her research has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in biblical times. Jill lives with her family in Michigan.

 

 

 

More from Jill

Dawn of Grace, Mary Magdalene’s story, is a biblical novel based on the life of Mary Magdalene. Step into first century Israel during the time of Jesus Christ and meet the woman whom Jesus healed from demon possession. See how her life went from one of despair to one of grace.

We learn, through Mary’s point of view, what it might have been like to follow the rabbi, Jesus, throughout Galilee and Judea for at least part of His ministry. She is with Him as often as possible, and one of the few women in His circle who stayed with Him all the way to the cross—and watched Him die.

In her grief, Mary learned where they buried Him and determined to return after Shabbat to anoint His beloved body one more time. But when she arrived, He was not where they had lain Him. Distraught, Mary searches for answers until she hears Jesus call her name. She is the first to see the resurrected Messiah, and she is never the same again.

In Dawn of Grace, we imagine how the things we read about in the gospels might have played out through Mary’s eyes. The Bible tells us that she helped support His ministry out of her means, and she is mentioned often as one of His devoted followers. What emotions did she experience as she went from learning about a coming kingdom to hearing her Messiah speak about His coming death and resurrection? The men didn’t understand. Did she? What did she feel in that moment when she thought all hope was lost?

I hope you will gain a new perspective of what it might have been like for one of the New Testament’s most famous women, one who lived in a world where women were not given much notice or status. Yet Jesus included them, and even elevated them. The Scriptures tell us that there is no difference between male and female in God’s eyes. He loves us all. Mary got the chance to see God’s care for her and all women in a way she never expected. God’s love for all is the same today.

Blog Stops

Inspired by Fiction, April 3

Lights in a Dark World, April 3

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 4

Texas Book-aholic, April 5

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 6

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 7

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 8

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 9

Life on Chickadee Lane, April 9

Stories By Gina, April 10 (Author Interview)

Devoted Steps, April 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 11

Cover Lover Book Review, April 12

For Him and My Family, April 13

Pause for Tales, April 14

EmpowerMoms, April 14

She Lives To Read, April 15

Holly’s Book Corner, April 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jill is giving away the grand prize of a $15 Amazon gift card and a 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.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54191

My Review

I have officially found my new favorite book written by the talented Jill Eileen Smith. I have always loved her Biblical stories and was excited to have the opportunity to read her newest, Dawn of Grace" Mary Magdalene’s Story. I loved seeing the visual of how Mary Magdalene lived and struggled in her life. The author does a fantastic job bringing to life and showing how her life changes when she meets Jesus.

Five stars is what Dawn of Grace: Mary Magdalene’s Story deserves. I highly recommend it for readers who love to read clean and well written Biblical Fiction. As always, I will be on the look out for more releases from Jill Eileen Smith in the future. 

I received a paperback copy of Jill Eileen Smith's Dawn of Grace: Mary Magdalene’s Story from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.