Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Tangled Past: Hope Island Securities Series Book Seven by Mary Alford

 

Twenty-five years after his father’s unsolved murder, Asa Dutton returns to Hope Island determined to uncover the truth. His only lead is Maya Callahan—the little girl found hiding in the barn the night his father died.

Maya has no memory of that stormy night. But as fragments of her past resurface, so does danger. Someone is watching. Someone who will kill to keep the truth buried.

As Asa and Maya grow closer, the stakes turn deadly. Because remembering the past may be the only way to survive it.

Amazon 

 

About The Author


 Mary Alford is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author who loves giving her readers the unexpected, combining unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots that result in stories the reader can’t put down. Her books have garnered several awards and nominations. Mary lives deep in the heart of Texas with her husband, two cats, and a dog. Mary is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook, Instagram, and X. 

 

My Review


 

This faith based read had me holding my breath, never knowing what is around the next corner.
This is Asa and Maya's story, both loosing a parent, but whom is the culprit? I didn't guess whom was responsible!
The author does such a great job of weaving this story, with twenty five years having past, Maya has stayed on Hope Island, and now Asa is back to face his past and hopefully bring justice for his father.
Answers do come, but the journey to them can be harrowing, and often with my heart in my throat!
I did love the epilogue.
If you enjoy clean romance, with a lot of suspense throw in, you will be page turning, this is such a great read!
I received this book through the author, and was not required to give a positive review.


An Amish Country Lullaby: A Clean and Uplifting Romance (An Amish Antiques Shop Romance Book 2) by Patricia Johns


 Single dad Curtis Moore has returned to Apfelkuchen, Pennsylvania, with a dream to revitalize the town—if only he can unite its Amish and English residents. When local businesswoman Hope Taylor offers to care for his spirited toddler, Lucy, he jumps at the chance. Hope figures this is exactly the experience she needs. Not only is she planning to open a day care, but she’s expecting her first baby—her late husband’s child. As tensions rise over his development plans, Curtis and Hope grow closer—and they must decide if the heart of the town’s future might just lie in the growing love between them.

Amazon

 

About The Author


 Patricia Johns is a Publishers Weekly bestselling Amish fiction author, writing from Alberta, Canada. She relishes electricity and modern conveniences in her real life, but she loves to imagine what life would be like living without everything we so easily rely upon. If you were to peek in at her, you'd find her tapping away on her computer writing her newest book, or arranging her dollhouse furniture which has become a big passion of hers. You can keep up with her on social media, or sign up for her newsletter for a chance to win signed books and knitted surprises made with love by the author herself. 

My Review


 This was such a warmhearted read. Two hurting people meet thanks to a precocious two year old, Lucy, and her escape methods!
Curtis is a successful businessman, he has a desire to save the town his grandfather loved, but can he do it without runing and hurting the Amish residents? He is a father to his two year old niece, whom you will love too!
Then their is Hope, a widow of four months, and she is expecting a baby. The author did a wonderful job with the characters of this read, but can the adults forge a relationship? So much against them!
This a a book that I didn't want to end, I wanted to continue with the lives of these people, I now cared about. I'm hoping for Book 3 in this series!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harlequin - Romance, and was not required to give a positive review.

Encounters with Unexpected Animals: Stories Bret Anthony Johnston

 

Encounters with Unexpected Animals takes readers deep into the heart of bestselling author Bret Anthony Johnston’s home state of Texas, where teenagers search for love, parents grasp at connections with their children, and animals—real or imagined, familiar or unexpected—are reminders of the mystery, danger, and beauty of being alive.

In “Caiman,” a father buys a baby alligator in hopes of keeping his family safe. In “Soldier of Fortune,” a teenage boy dog-sits for his neighbors after tragedy strikes, and his innocent snooping uncovers the family’s most guarded secret. And in the luminous “Half of What Atlee Rouse Knows About Horses,” an elderly man’s heart is laid bare with the raw and breathtaking power of wild horses.

Johnston’s humor, empathy, and mastery of prose ring out through each story, bringing every finely-drawn character to radiant life. Individually, the stories are by turns suspenseful, poignant and exhilarating. Taken together, they reveal the abiding connections that lead us from sorrow and impermanence back to ourselves and, ultimately, to each other.

Amazon 

 

About The Author


Bret Anthony Johnston is the internationally bestselling author of the novels We Burn Daylight and Remember Me Like This, and the multi-award-winning collection Corpus Christi: Stories. He also edited Naming the World and Other Exercises for the Creative Writer and wrote the documentary film Waiting for Lightning, which was released in theaters around the world by Samuel Goldwyn Films. Among his many honors are a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship, the Glasgow Prize, and the Sunday Times Short Story Award, “the world’s richest and most prestigious prize for a single short story.” His work has been widely translated and appears in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Esquire, The Paris Review, The New York Times Magazine, Virginia Quarterly Review, The Best American Short Stories, and elsewhere.

After selling his television to buy his first board almost 40 years ago, Bret has yet to outgrow skateboarding. After directing the creative writing program at Harvard University for over a decade, he is now the Director of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin.

 

My Review


 

 This is a collection of short stories, some about 20 minutes long, others are shorter. The common thread is they take place in Texas.
Some of theses are very emotional, and animals are referenced, some more than others!
There are some surprises here, and youngsters dealing with actions of their parents, like with cars.
I liked the gift of caiman, oh my! Also an ex-wife having her ex-husband come and get a snake out of the rental, standing on counters? Also special horses!
There is a bit of humor here, and some were page turning, and in the end wanting more answers!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Random House, and was not required to give a positive review.

More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen

 

High school English teacher Polly Goodman can talk about everything and anything with the women in her book club, which is why they’ve become her closest friends and, along with her veterinarian husband, the bedrock of her life. Her students, her fraught relationship with her mother, her struggles with IVF—Polly’s book club friends have heard it all.

But when they give Polly an ancestry test kit as a joke, the results match her with a stranger. Despite it seeming clear that this match is a mistake, Polly cannot help but comb through her own family history for answers. Then, when it seems that the book club circle of four will become three, Polly learns how friendships can change your life in the most profound ways.

Written with Anna Quindlen’s trademark warmth, humor, and insight into the power of love and hope,
More Than Enough explores how we find ourselves again and again through the relationships that define us.

Amazon 

 

About The Author


 Anna Quindlen is the author of the bestselling novels Blessings and Rise and Shine, amongst others, and of the non-fiction titles Living Out Loud, Thinking Out Loud and A Short Guide to a Happy Life. Her New York Times column 'Public and Private' won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992. She is currently a columnist for Newsweek and lives with her husband and children in New York.

 

My Review


Polly Goodman sounds like the teacher we all wish we had, she is beloved by her students. She has wonderful friends, and unread book club, a loving husband, and much more.
We follow her when her friends give her a DNA test, and we are there when she finds out all of the results, secrets fall.
There is love and loss, fertility problems, and acceptance, dementia. There are a lot of topics here and we travel through Polly's life life with the good and the bad.
I did enjoy how this book wrapped up with answers, big surprises!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Random House, and was not required to give a positive review.  

Monday, February 23, 2026

Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours Presents: Just Desserts and Murder: A Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery (Little Bakery Cozy Mystery Series) by Lucinda Race

 


Just Desserts and Murder: A Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery
(Little Bakery Cozy Mystery Series)
by Lucinda Race

About Just Desserts and Murder


Just Desserts and Murder: A Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery
(Little Bakery Cozy Mystery Series)

Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – New England
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently Published
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 14, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 378 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8277721698
Paperback
Print length ‏ : ‎ 218 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1966424434
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1966424437
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1966424420
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FS82ZNXX
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In Oak Hollow, every recipe comes with a dash of mystery…

Temperance Matthews thought opening her dream bakery in Oak Hollow—with her mini dachshund, Hank, at her heels—would be a sweet start to her new life. Instead, her shop goes up in flames, and a body is found among the ashes.

When her quiet assistant Louise shows up bruised, with twigs in her hair, and missing a shoe, Temperance’s data-analysis skills from her FBI days suddenly feel like the only hope of untangling the mystery. But the plot thickens: Jonah, the bakery’s former owner, is stabbed while trying to reach Temperance. The frosting on the cake? Louise’s boyfriend is the victim of the fire. Surveillance footage shows him entering through a locked back door—yet only three keys exist, and Louise doesn’t have one.

With threats mounting and the police closing in on a suspect, Temperance must follow a trail of half-baked clues before the real culprit turns her cozy little town into a crime scene… and who becomes the next target.

Just Desserts and Murder is book 1 in the exciting new Little Bakery Cozy Mystery Series featuring Temperance Matthews. Each book can be read as a standalone.

About Lucinda Race

Award-winning and best-selling author Lucinda Race is a lifelong fan of fiction who fell in love with cozy mysteries and romance novels as a young girl.

Though her writing journey began with nonfiction, her passion for storytelling never wavered. She returned to her true calling—creating the beloved McKenna Family Romance series and the Paranormal Cozy Nook Bookstore Series—writing the kinds of stories she loves to read. Whether she’s weaving a heartwarming romance or a cozy mystery, her fingers practically fly across the keyboard.

Lucinda lives in the rolling hills of western Massachusetts with her little dog— a shih tzu mix rescue—who is always by her side. When she’s not immersed in writing mystery, suspense, or romance, she’s wandering in her garden or curled up with a book, devouring everything she can get her hands on.

Author Links

Facebook Page Link – https://facebook.com/LucindaRaceAuthor/

Instagram Link – https:// www.instagram.com/lucindaraceauthor/

Twitter Link – https:// twitter.com/LucindaRace

TikTok Link – https:// www.tiktok.com/@lucindarace

Pinterest Link – https:// www.pinterest.com/lucindaraceauthor/

YouTube Link – https:// www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lucinda+race+author

Amazon Author Profile Link – https:// www.amazon.com/Lucinda-Race/e/B00Q0MMNUM

Barnes and Noble Profile Link – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Lucinda%20Race%22?Ntk

Google Play Profile Link – https:// play.google.com/store/info/name/Lucinda_Race?id=11c1npx6xq

Kobo Profile Link – https:// www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=lucinda+race

Purchase Links
Amazon     Kobo     Apple    Barnes & Noble     Google Play     Smashwords

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

February 16 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

February 16 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

February 17 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT 

February 17 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW  

February 18 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 18 – Salty Inspirations – CHARACTER GUEST POST

February 19 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

February 19 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 20 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

February 21 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – SPOTLIGHT

February 21 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

February 22 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

February 23 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

February 24 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR GUEST POST

February 25 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

February 26 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST 

February 27 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

February 28 – Storybook Lady – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

February 28 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

March 1 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

 

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Celebrate Lit Presents: Masa Chronicles: The Copper Scroll Author: Nicholas Teeguarden

 

About the Book

Book: Masa Chronicles: The Copper Scroll

Author: Nicholas Teeguarden

Genre: Christian Fiction Action/Suspense

Release Date: October 7, 2025

When American grad student and Veteran Joshua Bennett lands in Amman, Jordan, he thinks he’s chasing academic glory. What he finds instead is a centuries-old mystery that’s been waiting for someone reckless or desperate enough to uncover it.

At the center of it all is the Copper Scroll, a cryptic Dead Sea artifact rumored to hold clues to an ancient treasure buried deep in the Judean desert. But Joshua soon learns it’s no ordinary scroll.

Hidden symbols, coded phrases, and whispers of a “shepherd’s path” point to something far more significant and far more dangerous.

As the clues mount, so do the warnings. A silent observer in the library. A cryptic priest with a knowing smile. A message slipped into Joshua’s backpack: The shepherd’s path is not for the faint-hearted.

A cryptic priest and a rabbi jump in to help understand uncovered information. As Mossad agents, Templar knights, and ISIS operatives close in, Joshua and his allies race to unravel the truth. But who seeks to unearth it, and who will kill to keep it buried?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Nicholas Teeguarden writes faith-fueled thrillers that explore the intersection of history, belief, and discovery. His debut, The Copper Scroll: Masa Chronicles, follows archaeologist Joshua “Masa” Bennett across the Middle East in a race to uncover one of history’s most enigmatic biblical relics. Praised for its vivid realism and clean storytelling, the novel has been honored with a ChristLit Award, a Readers’ Favorite 5-star review, and recognition at the Paris Book Festival.

A veteran whose global service inspires his storytelling, Teeguarden aims to create cinematic fiction that uplifts while it thrills. He is currently developing the next installment in The Masa Chronicles alongside The Teeguarden Writing Room, a growing creative community where readers and writers explore faith, art, and story together.

 

More from Nicholas

Whenever I think of telling a story, I have Indiana Jones swapping the bag of sand with the golden idol. The spirits swirling around the Nazis and the uncanny escapes from the clutches of death.

I spent my early adult years stomping through biblical lands with the military, experiencing life that seemed to represent many stages of evolution. Seeing the differences in how people value life, faith, and each other.

I experienced the heart-pounding adrenaline of adventure, the edge of life moments, and the strange stillness that follows them. The sights, sounds, and smells of those places stay with you forever.

When I finally retired, I walked to the altar, a different kind of battlefield, and realized that all those years of chasing survival were really leading me to understand purpose.

That moment changed how I responded to almost everything that came after, and it’s what shaped The Copper Scroll.

Like me, Joshua “Masa” Bennett isn’t just searching for an ancient artifact; he’s looking for proof that faith still matters, that truth can survive the centuries, and that even when everything feels lost, redemption can still be found buried beneath the dust.

Writing this book was my way of reconnecting with those memories, with the lands I once marched through, and with the faith that anchored me through it all.
It’s a story of mystery, courage, and belief. The kind of adventure that begins in the desert but ends in the heart.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 10

Simple Harvest Reads, February 11 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, February 12 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, February 12

Guild Master, February 13 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, February 14

Fiction Book Lover, February 15 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 16

Vicky Sluiter, February 17 (Author Interview)

Lily’s Corner, February 18

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

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 20

Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 21 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, February 22 (Author Interview)

Stories By Gina, February 23 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, February 23

Giveaway

Masa Chronicles: The Copper Scroll Celebration Tour Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Nicholas is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card, a copy of the book, bookmarks, and stickers!!

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

https://gleam.io/XuOgC/masa-chronicles-the-copper-scroll-celebration-tour-giveaway


Sunday, February 22, 2026

Celebrate Lit Presents: Guess Why God Made the Rainbow Author: Karen Ferguson

 

About the Book

Book: Guess Why God Made the Rainbow

Author: Karen Ferguson

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Release Date: October 1, 2025

Come join Lucy and her Papa Joe on another exciting adventure into the Bible, this time going back to Noah’s Ark!

Lucy is afraid of storms. She hides under her covers every time the thunder roars. But Papa Joe calms her fears, and then he has an important question for her, “Do you know what the rainbow means?”

Follow along in this third book in the Questions for Kids series as Papa Joe shows Lucy how God is faithful to protect and keep His promises, even amongst the storms of life.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Karen Ferguson is a writer, host of the 5-Minute Parenting podcast, and the author of the Questions for Kids picture book series. A lover of words, family, animals, and Jesus, Karen is a passionate advocate for truth that transforms lives. Her faith in God and background in K-8 education inspires her mission to share God’s unchangeable truths and His unchanging love with the next generation. She wants every child to know their life matters.

 

 

 

More from Karen

Are you a dog-lover? I sure am. Have been since I was a child, often referring to my 110-pound silver-tipped German Shepherd as my ‘best friend’ in elementary school. I consider dogs the finest companions and treat our own like they are family. Because they are! Well, I am pleased to introduce a new character in the third book in the Questions for Kids series, and she is a special one. Meet Rosie, the spirited Golden Retriever puppy hiding under the covers with Lucy, scared of the summer thunderstorm rumbling outside. It made sense to bring Rosie into the series with this book, because animals are an important part of this story. Rosie is extra special because she’s modeled after my youngest daughter’s dog, who I helped care for in her first of year of life. Here she is!

Guess Why God Made the Rainbow takes young readers on another exciting adventure into the Bible, this time going back to Noah’s Ark. Children will encounter God as the Promise Keeper and understand why He made the rainbow.

My goal with this book series is to promote biblical literacy in this next generation. Helping young readers engage with God’s truth through some of the most foundational Bible accounts essential to building a strong faith in an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving God. Each adventure takes young readers into unique periods of Bible history, driven by curious Lucy’s earnest questions to her Papa Joe. It’s designed to captivate young readers and connect the Bible to their world. It’s also a great tool to spark spiritual conversations between kids and their parents, grandparents, caregivers, and teachers.

The first three books in the Questions for Kids series cover the Creation account, the first family in the Garden, and Noah building the Ark, with at least four more coming soon! I pray this new book and series is a blessing to you and your young reader.

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 12

Simple Harvest Reads, February 13 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, February 14

Texas Book-aholic, February 15

Guild Master, February 16 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, February 17

Fiction Book Lover, February 18 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, February 19

A Reader’s Brain, February 20 (Author Interview)

Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, February 20

Labor Not in Vain , February 21

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, February 22 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, February 22

Vicky Sluiter, February 23

Lots of Helpers, February 24

Giveaway

Guess Why God Made the Rainbow Celebration Tour Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a signed 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://gleam.io/wNqq6/guess-why-god-made-the-rainbow-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tangled Past: Hope Island Securities Series Book Seven by Mary Alford

  Twenty-five years after his father’s unsolved murder, Asa Dutton returns to Hope Island determined to uncover the truth. His only lead i...