Tuesday, October 6, 2026

The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson

All she wants for Christmas is a rejection.

Chloe Hollis is done being a people-pleaser. After one too many bad decisions--including a job that asked her to cross a line she couldn't--she's determined to change. Her plan? Collect ten nos before Christmas by asking strangers for the most ridiculous favors she can think of.

It should be easy.

But then? Then she meets James.

Instead of shutting her down, the charming out-of-towner keeps saying yes--to Christmas karaoke, to small-town holiday traditions, to every spontaneous, hilarious, totally chaotic idea she throws his way. And the more he says yes, the harder it becomes for Chloe to stick to her plan . . . or protect her heart.

Because James has a reason for saying yes to everything, too--and it might cost them both more than they bargained for.

As their opposite missions collide in a swirl of festive mishaps, unexpected courage, and undeniable chemistry, Chloe starts to wonder if the biggest risk isn't rejection after all . . . but saying yes to something real.

Amazon

About The Author

Melissa Ferguson is the bestselling author of titles including Meet Me in the Margins, Famous for a Living, and How to Plot a Payback. She lives in Tennessee with her family in their growing farmhouse lifestyle and writes heartwarming romantic comedies.

You can find her on her socials at @ourfriendlyfarmhouse.

My Review

This is a read that had me laughing out loud, it is full of chuckles!
Chloe Hollis is going home! She has a list she wants to accomplish before Christmas, and she meets the wrong person to accomplish this with.
We are given some sweet romance, some really feel good moments, and some that I know Chloe wished she could have taken back.
A fun holiday read! In the end we wonder if the two main characters, after all that happens and the truth comes out!
I received this book through #Net Galley and the Publisher #Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

The One I Didn't Expect: Fox Grove Series, Book 3 by Sara R. Turnquist

The last thing they need is another complication. The last thing they expect is each other.

Veterinary student Josephine “Jo” Mercer is heading home to Fox Grove for her ten-year high school reunion carrying more than an overstuffed suitcase. Beneath her smile lies a growing fear that the dream she's worked years to achieve may be slipping through her fingers.

Zoo Educator Ethan Langston has problems of his own. His career is at a crossroads, and no amount of careful planning seems able to fix it. The last thing he expects is to spend ten hours trapped in a car with his sister’s best friend—the girl he once secretly admired.
When one mishap after another derails their road trip, old assumptions are challenged, walls begin to crumble, and unexpected feelings start to take root. But as the miles pass, so do the opportunities to ignore the questions neither of them wants to face.

Will they keep clinging to the futures they’ve carefully planned—or trust God with a story neither of them saw coming?

Amazon

About The Author

'm a coffee lovin', word slinging, Historical Romance author who's super power is converting caffeine into novels. I love those odd little tidbits of history that are stranger than fiction. That's what inspires me. Well, that and a good love story.

But of all the love stories I know, mine is my favorite. I live happily with my own Prince Charming and our gaggle of minions. Three to be exact. They sure know how to distract a writer! But, alas, the stories must be written, even if it must happen in the wee hours of the morning.

Happy Reading!

Free e-book at http://SaraTurnquist.com/list

FB: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSaraRTurnquist

Twitter: @sarat1701

My Review

I have loved this series, and this is the final book. Each of these reads, including this one focus on Fox Grove's high school reunion.
There are recurring characters, and each spend some time in Fox Grove. Didn't exactly know what to expect when Jo's friend has her brother picking her friend and bring her to their hometown. Didn't realize but the more you think of it these two really had a lot in common. She is a Veterinary student and he is a Zoo educator!
This one has such sweet romance, that I wanted to continue in their lives.
I am so glad I read this series, and will be looking for more by each author!
I received this book through the Launch Team, and was not required to give a positive review.

Monday, October 5, 2026

Celebrate Lit Presents: Beach House Rescue Author: Hope Toler Dougherty

About the Book

Book: Beach House Rescue

Author: Hope Toler Dougherty

Genre: Christian Romance

Release Date: June 23, 2026

Two strangers. One beach house. Zero plans to share it.

Tessa Trask expects a quiet summer restoring a friend’s beach house—not waking up to an intruder and defending herself as best she can. Wyatt Henry isn’t a burglar, though. He’s just as surprised to find her there—and just as determined to stay.

Under protest, the two agree to an uneasy truce. Tessa is creative and spontaneous. Wyatt is disciplined and guarded. Keeping their distance should be easy…until a surprise visitor arrives and turns their temporary arrangement into something far more complicated.

As sun-soaked days lead to deeper conversations, irritation softens into a fragile peace and grows into something worth protecting. While Tessa begins to trust God’s leading for her future, Wyatt wrestles with a past that makes trust feel dangerous.

Are their growing feelings worth the risk—or is walking away the only safe choice?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. She’s written seven novels and one novella. Forever Free, won the Faith, Love, & Hope Reader’s Choice Award for 2025. Beach House Rescue is her newest release. She and her husband live in North Carolina and delight in visiting their two daughters, twin sons, and new daughter-in-law.

More from Hope

Have you ever heard of Vinegar Pie? This interesting dessert is Tessa Trask’s snack in the first scene of Beach House Rescue.

Vinegar Pie is a real dessert created generations ago when creative cooks didn’t always have fresh ingredients like lemons. Sometimes they were also called “desperation pies.” They’re similar to chess pies in texture and in their use of whatever ingredients the cook could find in the pantry.

The pie became very popular during the Great Depression when money and ingredients were scarce, but Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about her mother’s vinegar pie in Little House in the Big Woods.

Even though I grew up in the South, I’d never tasted this pie until I visited my parents after I’d moved to Pittsburgh, PA. A local shop was called Vinegar Pie, and I was intrigued. The store sold southern items and baked goods, among them Vinegar Pie. I tried a slice and enjoyed it!

Don’t worry. The pie doesn’t taste like a pickle. The flavor teases the taste buds with the tang of lemon and offsets the sweetness of the sugar.

Here’s a recipe if you’re intrigued, too.

Vinegar Pie

Ingredients:

4 large eggs
1 ¼ C sugar
2 T vinegar (apple cider or white)
¼ C butter, melted and cooled
1 T all-purpose flour
1 regular pie crust (not deep dish)

Directions:

Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 350. Use beans or baking weights to keep the crust from puffing up.
While the crust bakes, make the filling. Whisk the eggs and sugar until combined.
While continuing to whisk, drizzle in the cooled butter and add the vinegar.
Pour into the crust (after removing the weights) and bake for 30-35 minutes. The filling should just be set. If it’s a little jiggly, but golden brown on top, the filling will firm up as it cools.

Enjoy straight or with some whipped cream or ice cream. Tessa, Wyatt, and Skylee would take theirs with ice cream, for sure!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 23

Simple Harvest Reads, September 24 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 25

Artistic Nobody, September 26 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 27

Guild Master, September 28 (Author Interview)

Devoted To Hope, September 29

Fiction Book Lover, September 30 (Author Interview)

Avid Reader Nurse, September 30

Fruitfully Planted, October 1

The Bookish Ledger, October 2 (Author Interview)

She Lives to Read, October 3

Cover Lover Book Review, October 3

For the Love of Literature, October 4 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, October 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Hope is giving away the grand prize of a $75 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of Beach House Rescue!!

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

https://gleam.io/8sIt8/beach-house-rescue-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, October 2, 2026

Celebrate Lit Presents: The Ballerina’s Bargain Author: Lorri Dudley

About the Book

Book: The Ballerina’s Bargain

Author: Lorri Dudley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 8, 2026

A burdened earl. A determined ballerina. Saving the theatre was part of their bargain. Losing their hearts wasn’t.

London, 1815

Emmeline Laurent has survived by grace and grit. After her parents’ execution in France, she has learned to live unseen as a humble ballerina instructing young pupils in a small London theatre. When whispers spread that the Danforth Theatre may be sold to an unscrupulous buyer, Emmeline fears not only for her livelihood but for the safety of her impressionable students. With no time and no options, she does the only thing she knows to do: leap into a moving carriage and bargain with the new lord who holds their fate.

Grant Atherton, the Earl of Quincy, has inherited the crushing weight of duty along with a failing theatre, an arranged engagement, two younger sisters to usher into society, and a mountain of his father’s secrets. Selling the Danforth is the only way to save his family from ruin. The last thing he needs is a beautiful, infuriatingly determined ballerina turning his careful plans upside down.

But when Emmeline’s hidden past begins surfacing and the danger circling the theatre proves far deadlier than either of them realized, Grant must choose between the life he planned and the one God may have been preparing all along.

For fans of Roseanna M. White and Jen Turano — a sweeping Regency romance about the grace found in surrender, the courage it takes to trust, and the God who makes a way when every door seems closed.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household.

More from Lorri

Many young girls dream of growing up to become a ballerina. There is a romantic whimsy to the airy skirts, graceful movements, and illusion of defying gravity as dancers balance en pointe and extend their limbs with such elegance that they seem almost infinite. While modern audiences often associate ballet with beauty and enchantment, behind the heavy stage curtains of Regency England’s opera-ballet lurked a darker reality.

Many of the ballerinas came from impoverished families struggling to put food on the table. Girls trained from a young age, long before the onset of womanhood, and were expected to endure grueling hours of rehearsal despite blisters, sore muscles, and bleeding feet. For some, ballet offered a better alternative for a working girl than scrubbing floors and emptying chamberpots as a scullery maid, laboring as a laundress near scalding water and hot presses or cleaning dangerous cotton machinery in a mill.

At least the stage held the possibility of applause—if the performance was well received. If it wasn’t, audiences could be merciless. Performers might be shouted down, heckled off the stage, or pelted with food. Fights occasionally erupted among patrons in the pit or upper gallery, while disreputable men gathered in the front row of what was known as Fops’ Alley in hopes of catching a scandalous glimpse of the ballerinas’ ankles.

Their wealthy counterparts could become a ballerina’s sponsor, gaining special access to backstage rooms where they could ogle the dancers and receive in-person introductions after a performance. These men were known as protectors, though the title was a misnomer. In exchange for a ballerina’s exclusive attention, they offered gifts the young women could scarcely afford themselves, like new ballet slippers, ribbons, bracelets, or other trinkets.

While saving the theatre and its ballerinas from these so-called “protectors” forms the premise of The Ballerina’s Bargain, the novel doesn’t dwell on the darker details of these backstage arrangements. Instead, it focuses on the heroic efforts of its protagonists to spare the young ballerinas from a wretched fate. However, the tension of what may happen should they fail lingers in the wings throughout the story.

Enjoy!

Blog Stops

Devoted Steps, September 19

The Lofty Pages, September 20

Books Less Travelled, September 20

Devoted To Hope, September 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 21

She Lives To Read, September 22

Texas Book-aholic, September 23

Melissa’s Bookshelf, September 23

Fruitfully Planted, September 24

For Him and My Family, September 24

Sydney Schmied Books, September 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 25

Connie’s History Classroom, September 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 26

Simple Harvest Reads, September 27 (Guest Review from Donna)

Sylvan Musings, September 28

Leslie’s Library Escape, September 29

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, September 30

Cover Lover Book Review, September 30

Holly’s Book Corner, October 1

Pause for Tales, October 2

To Everything There Is A Season, October 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lorri is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

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

https://gleam.io/aa58y/the-ballerinas-bargain-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, October 1, 2026

Celebrate Lit Presents: The Missing Captive Author: George Lapin

About the Book

Book: The Missing Captive

Author: George Lapin

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: February 28, 2025

An unforgettable journey of faith, courage, and personal transformation

Swept into the treacherous French-allied territories of eighteenth-century Canada, a young English translator embarks on a dangerous quest through the wilderness to uncover the fate of his captive sister in this tale of survival, faith, and self-discovery.

Gideon Bates must confront his deepest fears, navigate complex tribal politics, and forge unlikely alliances as he searches for his sister seized during a devastating raid. Torn between his father’s missionary ambitions and his own yearning for freedom, Gideon’s journey will test his courage, challenge his faith, and lead to an unexpected reckoning with his past.

Rich in historical detail, The Missing Captive is a tale of love, loss, and the indomitable power of the human spirit. Don’t miss this saga of courage, self-discovery, and the transformative journey of one man in a time of colonial upheaval. It is a historical adventure that will captivate fans of colonial American history and transport you to a bygone era.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

George Lapin is a beginning writer with a focus on Christian Historical Fiction. His first book titled The Missing Captive is set in early colonial America in a tumultuous period decades prior to the French and Indian War. The story explores the struggles, faith and resilience of the individuals in this time period. With a passion for history and Christian values, George’s writing offers a unique perspective on the lives of early Americans and the spiritual challenges they faced.

George retired as a construction executive and discovered that he had a desire to write fiction. He possesses a vivid imagination and believes that he can use that gift to write an intricate plot.

George realized that most of the historical fiction novels he read centered on the French and Indian War or later. It seemed that there was such a rich history in early colonial America that was being overlooked, so George decided to write about that time period with all of its political and religious conflicts. The changes in North America during this era could help produce an interesting story.

More from George

I tried to make the story protagonist, Gideon Bates, unique in a different sort of humorous way. Born into a Puritan Missionary Family in early America, Gideon’s mother raised him to aide others when they were in need.

Gideon had no desire to be a missionary but desired to be in the military. He learned many fighting moves from his uncle who was currently a ranger in the New England Militia. He also participated in village wrestling matches and usually won.

However, whenever he got into a fight and the foe was vanquished, Gideon’s mother’s teaching kicked in. He would attempt to help his foe recover by giving him a helping hand or leaving a little money for lunch.

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, September 18 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 18

Devoted To Hope, September 19

Artistic Nobody, September 20 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, September 21 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 22

Fiction Book Lover, September 23 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Ledger, September 24 (Author Interview)

Books Less Travelled, September 25 (Author Interview)

Books You Can Feel Good About, September 26

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 27

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, September 28 (Author Interview)

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, September 29 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 29

Vicky Sluiter, September 30 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Pilgrim, October 1

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, George is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

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

https://gleam.io/p5Nek/the-missing-captive-celebration-tour-giveaway

Plain Pursuit (Barefoot Bill's Amish Mysteries Book 1) by Roy Troyer

Two random camel thefts. One link between them. Can this young sleuth unravel the mystery before catastrophe strikes?

Bill Kurtz is perpetually curious. Precocious and nearly always barefoot, the fourteen-year-old can't resist investigating when camels are snatched from a local farm. He's determined to help even though the clues point toward a disreputable fellow Amish community member.

Refusing to ignore a growing suspicion that the theft is more than it seems, Bill pushes on, all the way to Cleveland. More camels disappear at the Zoo, cryptic notes surface, and a Palestinian march crops up; leaving Bill with the realization that the truth may be bigger and more dangerous than he’s ready for.

Can Bill escape the march in time to disrupt a nefarious plot and slip out of the grasp of a shadowy gang?

Amazon

About The Review

ROY TROYER is a Christian writer based near Berlin, Ohio, in the heart of the world’s largest Amish community. Growing up Amish without television sparked his love for books, which later inspired his passion for writing. Now married and a father of two sons, he continues to write from this unique cultural perspective.

My Review

This was a quick read, but filled with danger.
Bill is a 14 year old Amish boy, with a lot of knowledge, and this does at times get him in trouble.
One fact was camels being raised by the Amish, I really didn't know that, but its true!
Now what do stolen camels have to do with this story? Evil is lurking here, hate, and Bill has become aware through clues. He sure kept me page turning, what is going on?
I found the subject matter here, so relevant to what is happening in the world today, and loved the way the author brought it all alive! We need to be aware!
Now I want to read more about Bill and his detective adventures!
I received this book through the Author, and was not required to give a positive review.

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Celebrate Lit Presents: My Heart Is Home Author: Natasha R. Minier-Robinson

About the Book

Book: My Heart Is Home

Author: Natasha R. Minier-Robinson

Genre: Nonfiction- Memoir

Release Date: May, 2026

When the world grew loud, and grief weighed heavy on her, Natasha’s heart cried out, and God met her in the quiet.

Born out of a season marked by miscarriage and the ache that lingered after, My Heart Is Home gathers the moments where Natasha began to acknowledge the pain grief brought with it, to name it, to question it, and to face the reflection it revealed, as her heart found somewhere safe to reside.

For the woman grieving quietly.
For the one loving deeply but hurting silently.
For the heart that feels empty yet still longs for comfort and truth.

These reflections offer companionship, softness, and the reminder that God meets us gently in the places we struggle to name.

God has not forgotten you.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Natasha R. Minier-Robinson is a Christian author, poet, and speaker whose writing explores faith, grief, healing, hope, and the beauty that can emerge from broken places. Through honest reflections, poetry, and memoir-style storytelling, she invites readers into conversations about loss, resilience, and finding God’s presence in life’s most difficult seasons. Her work encourages others to embrace their stories, hold onto hope, and discover that even in the midst of pain, they are never alone.

When she is not writing, Natasha enjoys creating spoken word content, encouraging others through social media and her blog, and sharing messages of faith and perseverance with readers around the world. She is the author of Words Are Art, Beautiful Disaster, Colorless Love, and My Heart Is Home, and other works that inspire readers to find hope, healing, and purpose in every season of life.

More from Natasha

The My Heart Is Home series was written during a season of deep loss, hurt, uncertainty, confusion, and anger. Broken. Wounded. Heart bleeding. End of story, right?

Grief and loss equals the end, right?

No.

God used grief to birth something Natasha never could have imagined.

It was summed up beautifully by Amanda Lentz, the podcast host of Who We Become — Life Beyond Change! During Natasha’s interview with Amanda, she said something Natasha found so profound…

She said, “Grief is not the end of the story… it’s often somehow inexplicably, the beginning of a deeper one.”

As Natasha reflected on this quote weeks later, she realized grief was not the end. It was the beginning.

The My Heart Is Home series was birthed.

Even now, grief seemed like it was the whole story, but it is still unraveling. God has used the miscarriage Natasha went through and turned it into something she never would have imagined… something to help others feel seen, loved, understood, and, most of all, to help them see hope.