Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Review: The Pursuit of Elena Bradford by Ann H. Gabhart

 


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Blurb:

At twenty-two, Elena Bradford has never met a man who made her consider marriage. But when her father dies and leaves the family deeply in debt, Elena becomes their only hope. Her mother uses their last funds to take Elena and her younger sister to Graham Springs, Kentucky, where people find healing by drinking the mineral spring water and healthy recreation through the many daily activities--including dances almost every evening.

As her mother schemes to find Elena a wealthy husband, Elena finds herself drawn to two men her mother would never consider. Charming artist Kirby Frazier spends his days drawing and painting the guests, but his real mission is to find a wealthy bride to finance his dream to go west. Melancholy Andrew Harper has come to Graham Springs in need of healing after a broken heart.

When a beautiful young lady shows up at the Springs with no chaperone and a story that seems suspicious, nearly everyone is charmed and intrigued. But when an unexpected tragedy occurs, Elena, Kirby, and Andrew will all be faced with decisions of life, love, and loyalty.



My Review: 

Ann H. Gabhart is among one of my favorite historical fiction authors. I was honored to have the opportunity to read her newest release, The Pursuit of Elena Bradford. I enjoyed travelling back in time to a luxurious resort in Kentucky called Graham Springs. I loved taking this adventurous story of faith, love, mystery, and suspense. The historical details the author used made me feel as though I was living among Elena and others. I thought it was great.




The Pursuit of Elena Bradford deserves five plus stars. I highly recommend it for lovers and fans of clean historical romance. As always, I look forward to reading future releases from Ann H. Gabhart.



I received a paperback copy of Ann H. Gabhart's The Pursuit of Elena Bradford from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

View all my reviews

Spotlight and Giveaway: The Herbalist by Carole Brown



About the Book


Book: 
The Herbalist

Author: Carole Brown

Genre: Romantic Mystery

Release date: Spring, 2025

It’s a long, lonely walk down this West Virginia road, especially when you’ve just been accused of murder.

Can Lana Taylor prove she isn’t guilty? Can she realize that she does have a few friends who’ll stick by her regardless of the accusations? Can she forget the past and learn to trust again?

And will Athan Meadows be able to not only find the answers Lana needs, but also win her trust and love?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. An author of twenty-one fiction books and two short stories in an anthology, she loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. An award-winning, best seller author, she has a degree in Religious Education and an Associate in Computer, along with other course degrees. She has a special love for animals—especially dogs, cats, elephants and horses (which is sometimes found in her books)—a love for flowers and plants, traveling and her husband who is her best go-to person for grounding her in her writing.

She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons and great granddaughter, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandchildren?

More from Carole

When I started this series (The Appleton, WV Romantic Mysteries) I didn’t realize that I would, someday in the future, be writing Book Eight. Truly, this series is one of my readers’ favorites with many of them asking when the next book is coming out.

When I plotted The Herbalist, I knew the basic outline of how the story would go, but I didn’t realize all the technical details I would need to research, even though most of it, in the book, isn’t indepth.

Car items:  fuel pumps, oil leakages, failing brakes.

Dementia:  mental stability, actions, progression, and more.

Police procedures: The various actions from a police crew when there’s a murder, the people who examine bodies, the leniency that can or can not be used in a murder case.

and other items I studied. It was both fascinating and tedious, but necessary.

But I love research, so most times I enjoy it, especially when it comes to my books.

I wanted to create an interesting and catching story that was as real as I could make it. Though the major plot scene was planned, at times, I would be stuck, wondering what should happen next. And lying in bed at night is sometimes my best time to think of the a scene and how to write it. I love it when this happens, because it’s the perfect idea for my book. So I jump from my bed to scribble down the thought at my desk.

In The Herbalist, a young mother with five-year-old twins, is accused of murder, but it’s a long, lonely walk down this West Virginia road, especially when you trust few people. Can Lana Taylor prove she isn’t guilty? Can she realize that she does have a few friends who’ll stick by her regardless of the accusations? And can she forget the past and learn to trust again?

And will Athan Meadows be able to not only find the answers Lana needs, but also win her trust and love?

Find the answers in: THE HERBALIST.

Blog Stops

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 24

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 25

Roads to Everywhere, May 25

Texas Book-aholic, May 26

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 27

The Sacred Line, May 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 30

For Him and My Family, May 31

Stories By Gina, June 1 (Author Interview)

Older & Smarter?, June 1

Vicky Sluiter, June 2

Book Butterfly in Dreamland , June 3

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, June 4

Mary Hake, June 4

Holly’s Book Corner, June 5

Pause for Tales, June 6

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Carole is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and copy of the book in winner’s choice of paperback or eBook!!

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/00adcf54227

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Capture the Moment by Suzanne Woods Fisher



About the Book



Book: Capture the Moment

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release date: May 6, 2025

Kate Cunningham is facing the opportunity of a lifetime. As a zoo photographer, she’s spent years photographing animals in carefully controlled environments, but now National Geographic has dangled an irresistible prize: If Kate can snag a unique photo of a legendary bear in Grand Teton National Park, they just might publish it. It’s the kind of challenge Kate has been waiting for, and she’s eager to prove herself in the wild.

With more enthusiasm than experience, Kate soon realizes that capturing an image of this bear isn’t as simple as she hoped. Fortunately, she crosses paths with Grant Cooper, a seasonal park ranger who knows the terrain–and the bears–better than anyone. His tracking skills could be exactly what Kate needs to succeed, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes. But they’re not the only ones with an interest in the park’s most famous bear. And his motives are far from innocent.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a Christy finalist, a Carol and Selah winner, a two-time ECPA Book of the Year finalist, and Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestselling author of more than forty books. Her genres include contemporary and historical romances, Amish romance, and women’s fiction. She and her husband live in a small town in California. Most friends act a little nervous around Suzanne because they usually wind up in one of her novels. She has four grown children and enough grandchildren to keep her young.





More from Suzanne

A Spark that Lit a Story

By Suzanne Woods Fisher

Capture the Moment (Revell—May 6, 2025)

Inspiration can strike in the most unexpected places—like a gift shop in Grand Teton National Park. While browsing, I struck up a conversation with a college student who had never set foot outside Alabama until her mom dropped her off for a summer job in the park. One minute, she was home in the Deep South; the next, she was surrounded by towering peaks and moose crossings. Talk about a culture shock.

That conversation lit a spark that eventually became my National Parks Summers series. I couldn’t stop thinking about the fascinating mix of people who work seasonally in national parks. You’ve got fresh-faced college kids on their first big adventure, retirees finally living their bucket-list dreams, and everyone in between. These parks aren’t just natural wonders—they’re crossroads for people from all walks of life, all chasing something unique.

In Capture the Moment, I wanted to explore what happens when people and landscapes collide. Kate Cunningham, a determined zoo photographer, swaps enclosures for the wilds of Grand Teton, chasing an elusive bear and her own sense of purpose. Along the way, Kate meets Grant Cooper, a rugged park ranger with a knack for tracking and a talent for keeping her on her toes.

National parks are more than just beautiful backdrops—they’re places where people find themselves, lose themselves, and sometimes stumble into something extraordinary.

Maybe even love.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 22

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 22

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 22

By the Book, May 23

Carla’s Book Crush, May 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 24

Devoted To Hope, May 24

Book Looks by Lisa, May 25

Texas Book-aholic, May 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 26

lakesidelivingsite, May 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 27

The Avid Reader, May 28

Blossoms and Blessings, May 28

Southern Gal Loves to Read, May 28

Stories By Gina, May 29 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 29

Blogging With Carol, May 30

For Him and My Family, May 30

Cover Lover Book Review, May 31

Karen Baney Reviews, May 31

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 1

Holly’s Book Corner, June 1

Jeanette’s Thoughts, June 2

Books Less Travelled, June 2

She Lives To Read, June 3

Pause for Tales, June 3

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 3

Lily’s Corner, June 4

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, June 4

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and an eBook 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/00adcf54226/


My Review

Capture the Moment starts off Suzanne Woods Fisher's National Parks Summers series. I thought it was a great read set in the wonderful Grand Teton National Park. I enjoyed getting to know the main characters, Kate and Coop. Their story was full of adventure and beauty. I love how the author's details of the area made me feel as though I was right there watching it all unfold for myself. I thought it was a fun and entertaining tale to read. 

I am going to give Capture the Moment four and a half stars. I recommend it for readers who love to read clean and sweet romantic fiction. I am curious to see what happens next from the National Parks Summers series. 

I received a copy of Suzanne Woods Fisher's Capture the Moment from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Monday, May 26, 2025

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Bible Companion Book 1 Genesis - Exodus: Journey through Scripture One Day at a Time by Karen Westbrook Moderow



About the Book



Book: The Bible Companion Book 1 Genesis–Exodus: Journey through Scripture One Day at a Time

Author: Karen Westbrook Moderow

Genre: Bible Study

Release date: April 16, 2024

The Bible Companion series is a simple, flexible, and compelling Bible Study guide. Short daily readings link God’s story to yours, help you through difficult passages, and highlight the treasures in each chapter of the Bible. In Genesis and Exodus, God reveals Himself as a loving Creator who longs to walk through life with you. Book 1 takes you deep into God’s plan to share His life and wisdom with those who love and follow Him. The storytelling approach of the series will keep you reading, even through the parts that are challenging and hard-to-understand. Find hope in the stories of ordinary men and women in the Bible whose encounters with God transformed them and reversed the direction of their lives. Discover that what God has done for them, He can do for you.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Karen Westbrook Moderow is a Bible teacher and author who brings a storyteller’s perspective to Scripture. She graduated magna cum laude from California State University at Long Beach with a BA in English Literature. She also holds an MFA from Chapman University in creative writing and a Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Seminary. She has been published by numerous Christian periodicals and authored two previous books.

 



 

 

More from Karen

A Father-Daughter Legacy: The Bible Companion Series
In 1993, my father, Pastor Floyd Westbrook challenged a group of men and women from his weekly Bible study to join him in reading the Bible from cover to cover. He found if he wrote short daily lessons for each chapter, people stayed engaged and were transformed by the Scripture they read. His work, though enjoyed by hundreds, was never widely published.
I shared his passion for making God’s word accessible to people who found it hard to understand parts of the Bible, couldn’t keep up with the schedule, or couldn’t relate Scripture to their journey. Later, after I completed degrees in theology and creative writing, we realized combining storytelling with his format could help people overcome the most common barriers to Bible reading. With his blessing, I began working on The Bible Companion. The result is a story-rich study which is simple, flexible, yet rich in content.
The Bible Companion Book 1 Genesis–Exodus is the first of twelve books that tracks God story from creation to the end of time. God, who tells His story through families, has graciously given me the privilege of carrying on my father’s legacy through The Bible Companion series.


Father and daughter, Pastor Floyd Westbrook and Karen Westbrook Moderow ministering together.

2004 Christ Church of Westminster


Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 17

Vicky Sluiter, May 18 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 19

Godly Book Reviews, May 20

Lots of Helpers, May 21

Simple Harvest Reads, May 22 (Author Interview)

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, May 22

Texas Book-aholic, May 23

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 24

For the Love of Literature, May 25 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 28

Cover Lover Book Review, May 29

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 30 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 30

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Karen 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/00adcf54220/


My Review

I enjoyed going through The Bible Companion Book 1 Genesis - Exodus: Journey through Scripture One Day at a Time by Karen Westbrook Moderow. Each study is only one to two pages long and easy for me to add to my busy schedule. The author uses scripture, commentary, and questions to answer at the end. I thought it was great and plan to keep it on hand to go over again and again.

I am giving The Bible Companion Book 1 Genesis - Exodus: Journey through Scripture One Day at a Time five stars. I highly recommend it for those who are searching for new Bible Study to add to their daily life. I am looking forward to the next installment from The Bible Companion series, Leviticus-Deuteronomy: God in Story-Who We Are. 

I received a soft cover copy of Karen Westbrook Moderow's The Bible Companion Book 1 Genesis - Exodus: Journey through Scripture One Day at a Time from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Seven Brides for Seven Texans



About the Book



Book: Seven Brides for Seven Texans

Authors: Gabrielle Meyer, Erica Vetsch, Amanda Barratt, Lorna Steilstad, Keli Gwyn, and Vickie McDonough

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 29, 2025

Seven brothers, seven heiresses, and one meddling grandfather—can mismatched matchmaking pave the way for true love?

Abraham Kennebrae, a powerful Minnesota tycoon, hatches a bold matchmaking scheme to secure his grandsons’ futures by pairing them with the wealthiest heiresses in town. But the brothers have no intention of complying, and their prospective brides harbor plans of their own. Jonathan battles to protect his fortune from slipping through his fingers, while Melissa guards the secret that could shatter her world—and her heart. Noah seeks refuge on Sutton Island, where fate throws him into the path of his destined bride, Anastasia. Meanwhile, Eli resigns himself to an engagement with Clarice Zahn, though his heart stirs at the sight of her younger sister, Josie.

With emotions running high and loyalties tested, Abraham’s carefully crafted plan spirals into chaos. Can love triumph when hearts rebel against expectations, or will the grandfather’s meddling prove too great a challenge for even the most determined romantics?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Authors

Gabrielle Meyer, a Minnesota native, draws inspiration for her historical fiction from the rich stories and landscapes of her home state, where she lives on the banks of the upper Mississippi River with her husband and four children. A former employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, Gabrielle loves weaving real people, places, and events into her captivating tales.

Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch weaves her love for Jesus, history, romance, and sports into her stories, including The Debutante’s Code, the first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series. When she’s not crafting fiction or planning her next trip to a history museum.

Bestselling author Amanda Barratt brings to life overlooked moments in history through her award-winning novels, including The Warsaw SistersWithin These Walls of Sorrow, and The White Rose Resists. Based in Michigan, she’s often immersed in research, tackling her ever-growing TBR stack, or savoring a slice of lemon cake.

Carol Award finalist Lorna Seilstad explores life’s complexities with humor in her nine novels, including the Lake Manawa Summers and Gregory Sisters series, as well as several novella collections. When she’s not writing, she teaches women’s Bible classes, runs a toy store, plans weddings, or spends time with her Pyredoodle, Honey Bea.

Keli Gwyn crafts inspirational historical romances that she loves to read. A California native, she now lives in the greater Sacramento area with her husband and their sweet orange tabby, enjoying life close to family.

Vickie McDonough, a CBA, EPCA, and Amazon best-selling author of 54 books and novellas, brings the Old West to life in her award-winning romances featuring ranchers, cowboys, and lawmen. Though married to a computer geek who fears horses, she lives out her ranching dreams through her stories—and when she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, gardening, making cards, and traveling.

More from Erica

Hi, I’m Erica Vetsch, and I loved collaborating on the stories for the 7 Brides for 7 Texans collection. It was fun writing stories that were so intertwined, and working closely with the other authors in the collection to bring the whole concept together.

Initially, I was approached by a publisher, asking if I would be interested in heading up a novella collection loosely based on the idea of 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, the classic musical. The parameters were that the stories must be no longer than 25K words, be historical in setting, and that I could choose the overall concept, as well as my team of authors.

I, of course, jumped at the chance. Before I contacted anyone, I worked up a rough idea of the premise of the stories. A wealthy Texas rancher with seven strapping sons is tired of waiting for them to get married and provide him with grandchildren, so he issues an ultimatum. Get married by the end of the calendar year, or you’re disinherited.

I named all the sons after famous Texans, and gave them a birth order, then I began contacting writing friends to see if they were interested in joining the project. Everyone I asked said yes! 😊

Then the real fun began. We formed a private Facebook group, and as the characters were chosen by the various authors, the order of the stories in the collection formed, and as ideas for storylines poured in, I began creating what we came to call The Master Document.

In the MD we tracked main characters’ names and appearances, secondary characters, a map of the fictional town of Hartsville, TX, and more. It eventually ran to more than 20 pages of information. We named the town newspaper, the general store, and kept track of the layout of the Harts’ massive ranch house. Keeping these details all in one place made it easy for the authors to flesh out their story world in a way that was consistent with everyone else’s stories.

Because the stories are so closely tied and on such a tight timeline, each of the authors’ characters would appear in another author’s novella. We needed to respect each other’s visions for the characters and treat them with respect, while also having the freedom to write our own stories.

Early on, as the project coordinator, it was established that if a dispute arose between two authors on how something should go, it would be myself who would cast the final vote. However, that contingency never came into play, as all the authors worked so well together.

One of the most challenging aspects of the project was, that as the project lead, and the one writing the final story in the collection, I needed to know the most about all the stories. Just before the deadline to turn our stories into the publisher, each author sent their story along to me to read for continuity. I spent a long weekend at author Gabrielle Meyer’s house, and we read every novella aloud, making notes for consistency and continuity throughout. These notes were turned in to the project editor, and she used them in her editing process to make sure seven separate stories felt cohesive.

It truly was a fun—and to me—unique, project, and when the publisher asked if I would like to head up a follow up collection, I was eager to say yes, and thus 7 Brides for 7 Texas Rangers was born.

Both of these intertwined collections went out of print, but they are now being released once more, this time through Wild Heart Books. I’m thrilled that we can tell our stories to new readers and prolong the lives of these characters.

Blog Stops


Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 21

Pens Pages & Pulses, May 21

Texas Book-aholic, May 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 23

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 24

Simple Harvest Reads, May 24 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Devoted To Hope, May 25

For Him and My Family, May 25

Stories By Gina, May 26 (Author Interview)

Jeanette’s Thoughts, May 26

She Lives to Read, May 27

lakesidelivingsite, May 27

Labor Not in Vain, May 28

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 28

Cover Lover Book Review, May 29

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 30

Holly’s Book Corner, May 30

Books You Can Feel Good About, May 31

Blossoms and Blessings, June 1

Jodie Wolfe, June 1

Pause for Tales, June 2

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, June 2

Leslie’s Library Escape, June 3

Giveaway



To celebrate their tour, the Wild Heart Books Authors are 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/00adcf54225/


My Review

Seven Brides for Seven Texans is part of the Lone Star Brothers series. It is a collection of seven historical stories. Which include:

Prologue by Erica Vetsch

First Comes Love by Gabrielle Meyer

The Heart of Texas by Lorna Seilstad

The Truest Heart by Amanda Barratt 

A Love Returned by Keli Gwyn

For Love or Money by Susan Page Davis

Mail-Order Mayhem by Vickie McDonough

Love at Last by Erica Vetsch

Epilogue by Erica Vetsch

I enjoyed this collection. It was fun going back in time to 1870s Texas and meeting each Hart brother. It was a great read and loved every single tale. 

I am going to give Seven Brides for Seven Texans a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who love to read clean historical romances. 

I received a paperback copy of multi author Seven Brides for Seven Texans from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Friday, May 23, 2025

Book Tour and Giveaway: War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm by Cheryl DaVeiga

 



Book Details:

Book Title:  War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm by Cheryl DaVeiga
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7),  4 pages
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Waterhole Productions LLC
Release date:   May 6, 2025
Content Rating:  G. This children's book is for everyone.
Book Description:

The sequel to the award-winning War at the Ice Cream Store: Bully Vanilli vs Mustachio Pistachio

It’s a perfect Sunny Sunday in July—The ultimate ice cream day! But wait… uh oh… Trouble is brewing down at the Frozen Frogg Ice Cream Store! A swirly, twirly, category five twister is out of control!! 

Could this be the first summer Sunday EVER without ice cream? (Say it isn’t so!) Or can the flavors and toppings whip up a plan before it’s too late? 
Buy the Book
Amazon
B&N ~ BAM
add to goodreads
Also For Your Reading Enjoyment:

Book Details:

Book Title:  War at the Ice Cream Store: Mustachio Pistachio vs Bully Vanilli—Collector's Edition by Cheryl DaVeiga
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7),  32 pages
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Waterhole Productions LLC
Release date:   May 2025
Format available for review:  print-softback (USA only), ebook (GIFTED KINDLE,  PDF)
Will send print books out:  USA
Tour dates: May 19 to June 6, 2025
Content Rating:  G. This children's book is for everyone.
Book Description:

New Collector's Edition—Reillustrated with enhanced story and bonus content. 

​In the Frozen Frogg Ice Cream Store, Bully Vanilli is the most popular ice cream and self-proclaimed king of the flavors. Lonely Mustachio sits at the back of the freezer. No one ever picks him.  Every night, after the store door is locked, Bully Vanilli begins his bullying and Mustachio is his favorite target. One night, Vully kicks Mustachio's bucket. Poor Mustachio falls SPLAT on the floor, and it's...  War at the Ice Cream Store! (And there's a song!)
Buy the Book
Amazon
B&N ~ BAM
add to goodreads
Meet the Author:

Cheryl DaVeiga is an award-winning songwriter and children's book author who loves to combine humor, rhyme, and wordplay to create stories and songs that bring on the giggles. You can find her books and animated sing-along song videos on her website for kids and kid-lovers—BiffBamBooza.com. Biff Bam Booza books have received numerous awards and high acclaim, including Mom's Choice Gold, Purple Dragonfly, Eric Hoffer, and Literary Titan book awards, Readers' Favorite 5-star ratings, and Kirkus Review Magazine features.  Cheryl lives in Tucson, Arizona, and spends her summers in her native New Jersey.

connect with the author:  website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ X ~ bookbub ~ goodreads

Enter the Giveaway:


My Review: 

War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm continues the War at the Ice Cream Store series by Cheryl DaVeiga. I enjoyed the first book War at the Ice Cream Store: Mustachio Pistachio vs Bully Vanilli and was curious to see what battle would happen between the flavors at the Frozen Frogg this time around. I loved how the author used some humor and puns that I understood instantly that I could not help but to giggle at. Vanilli Nice and "when the syrup hits the fan" to name a few. i thought this was amusing tale to read while teaching a lesson to young readers. 

War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm was illustrated from the talented artist, Nate Fakes. The pictures were fun, entertaining, and appealing to look at. They can make the youngest of readers hold their attention all throughout the story. 

I am giving War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm five stars. I recommend it for readers who are between the ages of five and nine years old. I would be interested in reading more from Cheryl DaVeiga to see what she has in store for their readers. 

I received a soft cover copy of Cheryl DaVeiga's War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm 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: Texas Divided by Sherry Shindelar



About the Book



Book: Texas Divided

Author: Sherry Shindelar

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: March 25, 2025

He thought he was rescuing her from the Comanche. Now the Civil War soldier must prove he isn’t the villain she thinks he is.

Driven by the looming expectation of becoming a suffocatingly proper lady, Morning Fawn is determined to escape the confines of her uncle’s plantation and return to her adoptive Comanche tribe. But with each failed attempt, her hopes dwindle, and she wonders if she’ll ever find her way back home or if that world is forever lost to her.

Devon Reynolds, disillusioned by the price of affluence and the horrors of war, leaves his privileged life to join the Texas Rangers and later the cavalry. In the military service, he finds purpose . . . until he loses his wife during childbirth while he is away. In an attempt to redeem himself, he takes one last fateful mission to rescue Morning Fawn from the Comanche. But the results force him to question the righteousness of his actions and the cause he serves.

When Devon returns to Texas as a Yankee spy, his path crosses with Morning Fawn once more. Determined to save her from the prison of her uncle’s house and to recover Texas from the Confederacy, Devon is drawn to her fierce spirit and unwavering resolve. But can two wounded souls, each fighting their own battles, find solace and love amidst the chaos of war?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Originally from Tennessee, Sherry loves to take her readers into the past. She is an avid student of the Civil War and the Old West. When she is not busy writing, she is an English professor working to pass on her love of writing to her students. Sherry is an award-winning writer: 2023 Genesis finalist, Maggie finalist, and Crown finalist. She currently resides in Minnesota with her husband of thirty-eight years. She has three grown children and three grandchildren.

 

 



 

More from Sherry

The Cotton Road

I loved the opportunity to tie the Texas frontier and the Civil War together in Texas Divided, the second book in my Lone Star Redemption series.

I have been an avid student of the Civil War for a couple decades. However, until I started researching for Texas Divided, I had no clue that the Yankees ever invaded Texas. But they did in November 1863. Why? It was because of cotton. By 1863, the Federal blockade of the Confederate coastline was fairly secure, and Texas became the golden gateway for funding the Confederacy.

Cotton from Arkansas, western Louisiana, and east Texas traveled the Cotton Road. This dusty trail ran from the railroad terminus in Alleyton, TX (about seventy miles west of Houston) by way of King’s Ranch near Corpus Christi to Brownsville and across the Rio Grande to Matamoros, Mexico, the largest cotton market in the world during the war. In regards to commercial activity, it rivaled pre-war New Orleans or Baltimore.

A young teamster wrote that from the watchtower at King’s Ranch, the main stop on the way to Matamoros, he could see hundreds of wagons on the road at one time, a long train of dust rising up as they traveled toward Brownsville and the Rio Grande.

At some points the trail was almost a mile wide due to traffic, and more than one hundred miles of it was desert with no water. Puffs of cotton clung to the sagebrush and cacti along the way and lingered for years after the war.

When the cotton reached Matamoros, it was loaded onto steamboats and/or wagons owned by Mexicans and transported to the mouth of the Rio Grande at the Gulf of Mexico. International ships from Britain, France, and other countries hovered there, sometimes hundreds at a time, waiting to fill their hulls with cotton. And the Yankees couldn’t stop them. If a Federal ship fired on a British, French, Mexican, or ship of another nationality, it could have been considered an act of war.

By 1863, cotton, which had sold for .10 cents a pound in 1860, now sold for as much as $1.89 a pound, and one bale averaged 450 – 500 pounds. The money made on the sale of cotton was the financial bloodline of the Confederacy. For example, in just one week in August, twenty thousand pounds of gunpowder arrived in Brownsville, purchased with proceeds from the sale of cotton.

That’s why the Federal Army invaded Brownsville in early November 1863. Their mission was to stop or at least seriously hinder the cotton trade. Doing so could save lives on the battlefield and perhaps bring an earlier end to the war.

The Yankees reached the city without any resistance. However, they found a meager one hundred and fifty bales on the Texas side of the river and could only gaze at the more than ten thousand bales stacked along the Mexican wharves. The Rebs had moved or destroyed everything of value.

The invasion lasted for several months and forced the Confederates to improvise and find new trails for the cotton shipments, hauling the loads via San Antonio to Eagle Pass and Laredo. Unfortunately, the Yankees only netted a hundred or so bales here and there.

Cotton continued to reign until the war efforts in the East bled the Confederacy dry. But for those few months at the end of 1863, hopes were high, especially amongst the two regiments of Texas cavalry fighting for the Union, Texans who abhorred the Confederacy and who had left Texas to avoid being forced into the Reb army. These men returned with the Federal troops in November 1863 to restore Texas to the Union and wreak havoc on the Cotton Road.

Lieutenant Devon Reynolds is one of these Texans, loyal to the Union, and determined to do his part to rescue Texas from the grip of the Confederacy. Except in his case, he trades his Yankee uniform for that of a Confederate and dons an eye patch, operating as a spy and saboteur. But his life becomes complicated and his mission uncertain when he runs into Morning Fawn, the woman he kidnapped from the Comanche eighteen months before. As far as she’s concerned, he ruined her life by sentencing her to her uncle’s plantation. Can he complete the mission and right the wrong? Texas Divided is a story of redemption, faithfulness, and perseverance. The characters come to an end of themselves and discover that God can make a way where there was no way.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 20

Texas Book-aholic, May 21

Blossoms and Blessings, May 22 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, May 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 24

Artistic Nobody, May 25 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 26

lakesidelivingsite, May 27

Books You Can Feel Good About, May 28

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, May 29 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, May 30

Holly’s Book Corner, May 31

Stories By Gina, June 1 (Author Interview)

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, June 1

Bizwings Book Blog, June 2

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Sherry 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/00adcf54224/


My Review

Texas Divided is the second book from Sherry Shindelar's Lone Star Redemption series. I loved reading the first book, Texas Forsaken, and was excited to get my hands on this one. I enjoyed getting to know the main characters and taking this journey with them. Devon and Morning Fawn's story was full of adventure, love and faith. There are lessons to be learned, including the power of forgiveness. I thought it was great. 

I am going to give Texas Divided five stars. I have no doubt that lovers of clean Christian historical fiction, particularly American Civil War era, will love it as much as me. I look forward to reading the next installment from the Lone Star Redemption series. 

I received a paperback copy of Sherry Shindelar's Texas Divided from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.