Falling for the Devoted Cowgirl

 

They’ve secretly loved each other for years. He’s hung up on their age gap. She can’t get him to see her as the woman she’s become. Will they let go of their fear to find true love?

When former pro bull rider, Adan Franco, discovers he’s been named the guardian of a twelve-year-old boy, his world turns upside down. He must head to New Mexico to settle the estate. As he fumbles through his new status as a single dad, he leans on the woman he’s secretly loved for years.

Solana Vargas is desperate for Adan to see her as something other than his best friend’s kid cousin. At twenty-five, she’s matured into a devoted friend and loyal member of the Vargas clan. If only Adan could come to see her as wife material, all her dreams could come true.

Will helping him settle into life as a single dad finally force him to see her in a new light? Will they ever take a chance on love together?

My thoughts: I jumped into this series with this book, so I didn't know the other Vargas family members stories, but this book worked as a stand alone. 
I enjoyed getting to know Adan and Solana, who have been friends for years and are thrown together again when Adan becomes a single parent to a pre-teen he doesn't really know. I love how the characters must work together to get Jet settled in to his new life. This story does a wonderful job of pointing to Christ and living for Him. I look forward to reading more books by Karen Baney! 

I received this book from Just Read. This is my honest review. 

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affiliate links.

The Tiny Crown

 

What if you woke up to the life you'd always dreamed of? Lucinda is discontent. At 16, she faces problems at home, challenges at school, and an aching emptiness where romance should be. Surely, everything would be better in England, right? A sudden trip to the Land of Hope and Glory offers more than Cinda has ever hoped for--and maybe more than she bargained for.

My thoughts: As my daughter gets older and starts picking up more advanced reads, I have started reading fiction with the thought in the back of my head about whether or not the book would be a good read for her. This story fits the bill as being a good one for her to read in a few years! I appreciated the main character and her struggles with everyday life, thinking that being in a different position would make life better. This story has a wonderful message and the fun aspect of having the chance to step into another world that makes one appreciate their own. I look forward to reading more by the author!
I received this book from Just Read. This is my honest review. 

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affiliate links.

Anything

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Anything by Kristina Welch, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Anything: A Romance for Jesus Freaks
Series: Mayberry University Series #1
Author: Kristina Welch
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: February 1, 2025
Genre: Christian YA Romance

​​Two guarded hearts.
He’s breaking down walls and she’s building them higher
A match made in Heaven, or a blueprint for disaster? 

After the fiery downward spiral of senior year, Kit Talbot crash-lands on a quirky college campus where traditions rule and dorm floors act more like family. It’s just weird enough to keep her mind off the wreckage she’s leaving behind. 

Enter Levi Whitaker, known as the swooniest guy on campus. Magnetic, confident, and far too much like the ex who sent her life into that PTSD-tainted nosedive. Levi seems to be everywhere, focused on her like she’s the only girl in the world—even indulging her sugar addiction with delivered treats. But Kit’s self-preservation instincts are sharper than ever, and she deflects him like Wonder Woman blocking bullets. 

That is, until Levi’s quiet faith and humble apology start to break down Kit’s defenses. He loves Jesus in the dreamiest way, looks like wow, and ... somehow triggers the flashbacks she fights so hard to avoid. Every minute with him is a risk she isn’t sure she should take. Should she protect them both from the chaos of her life or learn a bravery that feels irresponsible? 

As Kit fights to keep her life safe and manageable, she leans into her faith, clinging to the Bible verses God whispers to her heart. Clearly, he’s up to something, but the healing she prays for isn’t happening the way she wants.  

Why is God silent on the prayer she needs most?  

My thoughts: Kit has been through a difficult experience that left her struggling to adapt to living on a college campus and being around guys who remind her of her ex. I love her quiet faith and how she leans on Jesus through the difficult season of her life. The small college campus that she is on is fun and quirky. I enjoyed getting to know her friends as well! I thought that this was a delightful story that reminded me, somewhat, of being college age and my group of friends at that time. This is a wonderful start to the series and I look forward to reading more about the characters! 
I received this book from Just Read. This is my honest review.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

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About the Author

Photo by Brooke Ashlee Photography

When Kristina Welch isn't adventuring around the world with her husband and three little blondies, she's home near Denver, Colorado. She thrives on date nights, forest hikes, and peanut butter cookies. Her days include half-homeschooling her kids, thrifting for treasures, regretting DIY home projects, and babbling to Jesus wherever she is.

Connect with Kristina by visiting kristinawelchauthor.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a Book Hugger’s Bundle of leather bookmarks, Christian stickers, book tabs, reading light, signed copy of Anything, and a $25 B&N gift card!

(1) winner will receive a College Life Bundle of a notebook, pens, sticky notes, popcorn, mug, signed copy of Anything, and a $20 Starbucks gift card!

(1) winner will receive a Devo Time Bundle of a Bible, highlighters, book tabs, tea lights, signed copy of Anything, and a $25 Etsy gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 24, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 3, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

The Scarlet Ribbon

 The Scarlet Ribbon is a Revolutionary War re-telling of the story of Rahab, which is an interesting blend of stories. I thought that the author did a great job of bringing to life the historical time period and the battle for Stony Point, one that I didn't know a lot about when I started the story. My heart broke for Rebekah, since her circumstances left her to turn to prostitution to earn a living during the Revolutionary War. The story doesn't shy away from the horrible situation some women found themselves in back then, though it also handles it tastefully and doesn't give details. I would recommend this story for young adults and adults but won't let my daughter read it until she is much older.

This story has a beautiful message of redemption.

I received this book from the publisher. This is my honest review.

When Heaven Thunders

 WHEN THE DEVIL WEARS BLUE AND GRAY, DOING THE RIGHT THING CAN BE A THORNY MATTER.His family is missing. Bushwhackers are sleeping in his bed. This war just got a heap more personal for Union Sergeant Fin Dabney.

Fighting guerillas in your own neck of the woods comes at a high price. Neighbors, kin, and even Fin’s best friend are on the wrong end of a rifle. But not all battles are fought amid smoke and blood. When Fin faces a murderer from his past, flesh and spirit collide, but only one can prevail.

Melinda Jane has waited a lifetime for Fin to declare his intentions. But now she has moved on to other interests—with disastrous results. Her choices have cost her Fin’s love and possibly her life.

Why was it he could draw down on the enemy and look death in the eye, but he could not bring himself to deal plainly with Melinda Jane? He never told her how he feels. Now he may never get the chance.

My thoughts: I enjoyed returning to this series and seeing where the war takes the Dabney family. I also really like that Fin and Melinda Jane have know each other for a long time, and she is like a part of the family already when Fin tries to decide how to be honest about his feelings having grown into something more than thinking of her as a sister. I have a soft spot for stories with that sort of romance.
I've read a lot of books set during the Civil War, but this series is quickly becoming a favorite, since the author covers some different aspects of the time period. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
I received this book from Just Read. This is my honest review.

Seer of the Wildwood

 

She might be his prize, but she can see things he can’t, like a future together.

Marya Santelyn, pampered daughter of the Merchant’s Guild, hides a secret. A power stirs within her, one that could destroy everything she holds dear, or save it. When her ability to see the future becomes too apparent for comfort, the spunky Marya takes matters into her own hands and runs, right into the arms of the enemy.

Tam Randene, warrior of the ancient race that makes the mysterious wildwood their home, never expected one of his tribe’s sworn enemies to request his aid to escape her pursuers, but he swiftly recognizes Marya’s value. The land of Alyna hasn’t had a seer in generations. The man who protects her would have a powerful ally, and the man who wins her heart could well rule all.

Captive among his tribe, Marya begins to learn how to embrace her gift even as she begins to feel far too at home with Tam’s rambunctious family. As her visions become increasingly more dire, she and Tam realize that danger is coming to Alyna, danger that will require her people and his to band together to survive. Can she convince her people to listen, or will they tear her from Tam’s arms? Because her heart tells her something her visions never could: Nothing is more important than being together.

If you like closed door, swoon-worthy fantasy romance—featuring intelligent, determined heroines and untameable, honorable heroes; dual points of view (hers and his); and a happily-ever-after with ongoing world conflict—in a land designed to sweep you away, grab this series starter perfect for fans of Kenley Davidson, K.M. Shea, JA Andrews, and Tara Grayce.

My thoughts: I enjoyed reading this fantasy style story! Marya has a secret. She blacks out and sees visions, though she never remembers them when she wakes up and she is afraid that her so called gift will define her future and keep her locked away. But, secrets have a funny way of coming to the light, and hers does so at the most inconvenient time. When she becomes a captive, she has the opportunity to embrace her gift and learn to use it.

This story is wonderful! I enjoyed the characters, each of which are well written. The world was spectacular and I look forward to reading the next book in the series! 

I received this book from Just Read. This is my honest review.

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affiliated links.

Duets

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Duets by Jordan Saez, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Duets
Series: Honeybrook High (prequel novella)
Author: Jordan Saez
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: February 2025
Genre: Christian YA Fiction

No one gets me at all, except for Hester. And she’s not even real. She’s a woman from the 1800s, but she totally understands what it’s like to hide love. So, she’d understand why hiding text messages is super important. But, since my dad became a Christian and all, I have to be super careful. But my parents are hiding things too, like why my mom is riding the struggle bus while she’s expecting my baby brother or why dad is talking to the other woman at the office.  

My thoughts: I enjoyed reading this novella and the different perspectives that it provided! I could only imagine what it would be like to be in Candy's place, with her world changing. I love that the story is told through the POV of both Candy and her mom, Leslie, since then I got to know both of them. I look forward to reading more about this family and where the series takes them! 

I received this book from Just Read. This is my honest review.

GET A COPY OF THIS FREE NOVELLA: sign up for the author's newsletter  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Everand | Amazon | AppleBooks

More Books In This Series

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About the Author

Jordan Saez is a God-lover, author, and avid reader. She thinks that chocolate should totally be considered healthy! When she's not writing stories, you can find her watching movies with her family (and eating chocolate) or baking homemade goodies (with chocolate!)

Connect with Jordan by signing up for her newsletter or following her on Instagram or TikTok.

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Tour Giveaway

(5) winners will receive a $10 gift card to their choice of either Amazon or Spotify!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 18, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 25, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!