Tell Tale Book Reviews

Genre: Non-Fiction, Christian
Release Date: March 6, 2026

#1. What was the inspiration behind this book?
The inspiration was a sermon series I had preached on the subject of painkillers. When I finished that
series, I immediately knew it could help so many people. I felt it was valuable — that people could sit
down, read the book, and identify their own lives in each chapter. After the sermon series, I thought,
Wow, this really could help a lot of people.

#2. What new or interesting things did you learn while researching for this book?
I learned that there are many relatable examples out there if you open your eyes and look for
them. Learning that they exist — and then developing the discipline to capture them — that was
the new and interesting thing.

#3. What people influenced you the most while writing about this topic?
Our church family. Looking at the diversity there, especially in the ministry of restoration that is
so important to us — recognizing that there are broken people all around us. Because I have a
heart for the broken, those are the people who inspired me.

#4. What do you hope your readers will remember after finishing this book?
They're not alone, they're not hopeless, and there can be healing and restoration in their lives.

#5. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
I'd want to communicate that just because you've messed up, just because you've made bad
choices, just because you're in a situation where you think there's no hope — there is healing
and restoration for you. I'd pray that readers would recognize the danger of running to the wrong
painkillers the world offers, and instead run to the only One who can truly fix their pain. In Him,
they can find abundance, healing, and forgiveness in Jesus.

​Where do you run when life hurts?

That question is at the heart of my book, Painkillers.

I wrote this book because pain is universal. Every person carries wounds—some visible, some hidden. And when pain comes, we all look for relief. Sometimes we run to distractions. Sometimes to control. Sometimes to success, comfort, or isolation.

The truth is this: wanting the pain to stop is human. But where we run with that pain matters.

Painkillers was written to help people recognize the unhealthy places they turn for relief and to point them toward the only place where real healing can be found—God.

This book isn’t about pretending pain doesn’t exist. It’s about facing it honestly, understanding it deeply, and finding freedom on the other side of it.

Over this blog tour, I’m excited to share more of the heart behind the book, the stories behind the pages, and the hope found in healing.

If you’ve ever been hurt, disappointed, broken, or just tired of carrying the weight—this journey is for you.

Because the question isn’t if we run when life hurts.

The question is: Where do we run?
​
#PainkillersBook #HealingStartsHere #WhereDoYouRunWhenLifeHurts

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Artistic Nobody, August 5 (Author Interview)
Guild Master, August 6 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, August 6
Fiction Book Lover, August 7 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 8
The Bookish Ledger, August 9 (Author Interview)
The Quiet Bookmark, August 10 (Author Interview)
Life on Chickadee Lane, August 11
Vicky Sluiter, August 12 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 13
Locks, Hooks and Books, August 14
Texas Book-aholic, August 15
For the Love of Literature, August 16 (Author Interview)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 17 (Author Interview)
Blossoms and Blessings, August 18 (Author Interview)
Simple Harvest Reads, August 18

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Genre: Crime Thriller with Christian elements
Release Date: August 4, 2026

​#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
Believe it or not, St. Joseph partly inspired the prologue. The parallel is more in the main character’s actions than in the plot itself, so readers may not immediately notice it. Charlie is initially reluctant and uncertain, but after receiving what feels like a quiet nudge, he accepts the “mission” placed before him. In a way, it mirrors St. Joseph’s story — he intended to quietly walk away from Mary, but after receiving a message from an angel, he chose to trust and embrace the path set before him.

​Lethal Design, Book 2 in the KC & Orlando Prime series, shifts the spotlight in a powerful way. While Fatal Invitation centered on Detective Kylie Cassidy, this installment dives deep into the elite Prime Task Force, especially its leader, Commander Frank Travers.

A year ago, Travers lost his wife to a brutal, unsolved murder. The case went cold. The killer vanished. But in Lethal Design, that past refuses to stay buried.

As KC and the Prime team investigate a new wave of suspicious deaths, threads begin to surface, threads that may finally lead Travers to the truth he’s been chasing. And this time, it’s personal.

What makes this story especially layered is how it connects back to the larger conspiracy introduced in Stolen Secrets. Pieces are moving. Secrets are colliding. And everything must align as the story builds toward a confrontation that’s been a long time coming.

Expect high-stakes action, tight investigative work, and emotional tension as justice and revenge blur into something far more dangerous.

Because when Travers comes face-to-face with his wife’s killer… there’s no guarantee he walks away.
​
And KC may be the only one who can keep him from crossing a line he can’t come back from.

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Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 31
The Lofty Pages, July 31
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 1
Vicky Sluiter, August 2 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, August 3
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 4
Texas Book-aholic, August 5
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 6
For the Love of Literature, August 7 (Author Interview)
Blogging with Carol, August 8
Because I said so, August 9
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 10
Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 11 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, August 12
Betti Mace, August 13
Leslie’s Library Escape, August 13

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Genre: Adult Science Fiction
Release Date: July 14, 2026

​The enemy seeks to divide us. And while there are wars to be fought, the battle lines often aren’t in the places that we think.

This is not the reason I started writing Worlds Collide. But in the more than ten years that I’ve been working on this trilogy, it has become the reason this story is the thing I most want to say to the world.

I started writing Worlds Collide because of a few ideas that came together at once. I had been reading a book that discussed five types of heroes: the selfless hero, the hero with a code, the charming hero, the cunning hero, and the sympathetic hero. I challenged myself to write a story featuring each type of hero as a way of better learning the archetypes.

Around the same time, I came up with the concept of different worlds being set on a collision course by their respective creators—cosmic beings in the forms of dragon, phoenix, lion, serpent, and wolf—as a “contest of the gods.” This idea came out of nowhere. At the time, I was working on a completely different story (that still has not been published). That evening, I took my wife on a walk, told her the concept, and she said, “This has to be the next thing you write.”

But as I wrote the story, these characters from different worlds started coming together in interesting ways. Each believed that they were doing the things they had to do to survive, to protect their own kind. The distance between them and the rival planets served to create a sense of “otherness” about the people inhabiting those worlds. It was easier to hate them when they were so far removed. And like most (if not all) instances of hate, it was rooted in fear.

The danger of division is a central theme in scripture. In Matthew 12:25 and Mark 3:24-25, Jesus states, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.” The Greek word for the devil, diabolos, is derived from a verb that means “to throw apart” or “to scatter,” directly identifying his nature as a divider.

We see this division every day, much of it sparked by what we read online. Humans are designed to be in connection with each other, so the most deceptive way to subvert that innate design is to present the façade of increased connection that is actually voluntary isolation and polarization.

I’m not against the internet and social media, but it must be stated that the technologies that were supposed to bring more people together have achieved the opposite. They constantly present us with groups of people who—at a distance—appear to be dangerously opposed to everything we hold dear.

When we engage with so much of this content, we believe we’re learning more about people. But in truth, we’re only presented with algorithmically curated experiences that are incented to spark fear and outrage, emotions that lead to clicking and engaging. We are told that they are the enemy, that they are to blame, and that they will destroy our way of life. Then we’re told, “click here to read more.”

I wasn’t raised in church; I came to my faith during my teenage years. As a result, and due to a handful of other personal experiences, I’m comfortable in environments where I’m surrounded by people whose beliefs are very different than my own.

But here’s what has surprised me: I never feel like I need to hide my faith in these situations. When I engage such people in conversations from a place of love, respect, and genuine curiosity, they are almost always receptive. We find common ground. How could we not? Regardless of their beliefs, these people are created in the image of God, just like me. Through these interactions, I have created real friendships with people that might have never walked through the doors of my church (but that doesn’t mean I won’t try).

I’m not saying that I’m without my biases. I’m far from perfect. But when I manage to push past my perceived boundaries, I’m often amazed at what I discover on the other side.

As believers, we affirm that every person is made in the image of God. But we must ask ourselves—do our words, our posts, and our attitudes reflect that truth? Or have we, too, begun to see those who are unlike us primarily as enemies?

That tension is at the heart of Worlds Collide. As these characters begin to interact, they discover aspects of each other that they never would have expected. They start asking questions they were never meant to ask, and the answers challenge everything they have ever known.

We may not be on warring planets, but we are constantly being told where the battle lines are in our world, and that anybody on the other side of those lines is our enemy.
​
And when that happens, will we accept that as the truth? Or will we dare to step across those lines in love, courage, and faith to reach out our hands, as the Savior did for us?

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Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 29
Books, Books, & More Books, July 30 (Spotlight)
Texas Book-aholic, July 31
Artistic Nobody, August 1 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 1
Simple Harvest Reads, August 2 (Guest Review from Susan)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 3 (Spotlight)
The Lofty Pages, August 4
Guild Master, August 5 (Author Interview)
Blogging With Carol, August 6
Fiction Book Lover, August 7 (Author Interview)
The Bookish Ledger, August 8 (Author Interview)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 8
Vicky Sluiter, August 9 (Spotlight)
Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, August 10
For the Love of Literature, August 11 (Author Interview)

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​“Logan vs. the Pouty Paw Paw” is a special book in the series “Logan’s search for the Fruits of the Spirit” because it was written with the support of my stepdad, John Beghtol.  In the spring of 2025, we were working through the death of my Mom from a long battle with cancer.  He found out my kids were running a Kickstarter for one of my picture books, Meow Meow Milks the Cow, and decided to support it.  As a supporter, he earned the option to share some creative direction on one of my upcoming projects.

Over the summer of 2025, I was doing some research for my next Logan book, looking for a native Midwestern fruit that would be good for representing sadness, to contrast with the spiritual fruit of joy.  I learned that Paw Paws were a rare native fruit that would have been used to make jam in the 1860’s.  So, they seemed like a good fit, especially if they were Pouty Paw Paws.  It also kind of fit what was going on with us, both of us were sad at the loss of my mom, and many people use the name Paw Paw as another name for a Grandfather. So, it spawned the idea that Gramps from the Towers of Light series could be a key character in this adventure.

I shared an early flight plan for the story with him, and he liked it in principle, but then provided an idea around a mysterious stranger entering the town.  I like the idea, but I felt a little stuck because this story takes place after the Towers of Light series, where all the bad guys had been defeated, so who was this mysterious stranger?  Eventually, I just wrote a mini story about the stranger to place him in the city, and I was off with a solid story to tell.

The story ended up being a good cross-section of dealing with sadness of different forms, from being upset over chores that feel to hard, to the loss of a loved one. At the same time, I kept the fun and hijinks that only a boy and his pet raccoon can get into.  I hope your child enjoys it as much as I did while writing it with my Bonus Dad.

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Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 6
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 7 (Author Interview)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 8 (Author Interview)
Blossoms and Blessings, August 9 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, August 10
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 11
Books, Books, & More Books, August 12 (Author Interview)
For the Love of Literature, August 13 (Author Interview)
Fiction Book Lover, August 14 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, August 14
Vicky Sluiter, August 15
Labor Not in Vain , August 16
The Bookish Ledger, August 17 (Author Interview)
Simple Harvest Reads, August 18 (Author Interview)
Guild Master, August 18
Stories By Gina, August 19 (Author Interview)

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​A heartwarming story of faith, family, and finding love in the rugged Montana Territory.

Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: July 21, 2026

​Will there be a 4th husband under the tree...?

I've been looking forward to this book since my first introduction to Belle Tanner. That was a couple of stories back in the Petticoats And Cowboys series from Mary Connealy. I've finally gotten my hands on The Husband Tree, what an intriguing title that is, and I've satisfied my curiosity about Belle, her tough and ready daughters, and the man who just might show them all that not all men are mean no-accounts. But first they have to survive a cattle drive. In Montana. With winter right on their heels....

The Husband Tree proved to be every bit as entertaining as I knew it would be. Belle's daughters in particular, made me laugh with their casual comments about burying husbands under a specific tree on the ranch as well as their determination to protect their mother from yet another worthless husband. Then there is the reader's first introduction to Silas – at the end of a shotgun. But this fifth book in the Petticoats And Cowboys series also packs a bit of punch to it. I found myself doing a lot of thinking while reading Belle and Silas's story. Thinking about how past trauma can color and discolor the present, how it takes deliberate decisions to step out of bitterness and change your entire way of thinking, and how a little patience and gentleness – and communication can go a long way.

I haven't fully decided yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be my favorite book in the series. I mean, it has all of the elements needed for a good western plus some of the best cowhands in skirts that you could hope for. Mary Connealy did a really good job with this one and I am definitely looking forward to book six....

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Husband Tree by Mary Connealy a 4 Bark rating.

​The Husband Tree remains the book I am asked about the most when I talk to readers.

Or, if I get asked, which is your favorite character…someone inevitably says Belle Tanner.

There’s something about that woman.

The title of the book is based on the tree where she’s buried three worthless husbands. After Anthony died falling off the roof…where he was hiding from work as usual, she’s tossing dirt on his face while vowing to God and her children to never marry again.

She’s taught her girls to work hard at her side, but her main lesson is to teach them to avoid men at all costs. A warning that doesn’t survive, but not for lack of effort on Belle’s part.

She’s the meanest good guy I’ve ever written, the most enduring ‘fiesty lady rancher’. Yet somehow, her REASONS for being mean are so well tuned, that she gets away with being a very hostile-to-men woman.

Not that I haven’t written plenty of feisty lady ranchers…in fact I love the type so much I have to fight putting one as the heroine in every book. But Belle is in a league of her own.

Silas Harden is also NOT interested in a woman. He’s been burned bad TWICE by women. One woman a betrayer, another a sneaking liar who stages a ‘compromising situation’ to force a marriage. He’s lost two ranches because of it. He wants a place of his own and he’s not risking letting a woman ruin things for him. It’s cost him too much.

But, much as she hates to admit she needs a man’s help, Belle’s going to lose her herd if she doesn’t get the cattle to market and there’s no one else to help but the wandering cowpoke, Silas.

Belle and her four daughters, including a diaper-wearing baby, need to punch one thousand head of cattle over the roughest trail in the whole world…not that Belle’s familiar with the whole world, but it’s a brutally hard stretch.

Off they go, both bristling, but soon enough they’re working so hard they’re too TIRED to hate each other.

And then here comes love. A man Belle can’t help but respect. A woman Silas can’t help but trust.
​
If they all survive this drive…both of them might just take a chance again, on love.

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Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 28
Texas Book-aholic, July 29
For Him and My Family, July 30
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 31
Guild Master, August 1 (Author Interview)
Book Holds and Jello Molds, August 1
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 2
Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 3
She Lives To Read, August 4
Simple Harvest Reads, August 5 (Guest Review from Donna)
Fiction Book Lover, August 6 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, August 6
Book Looks by Lisa, August 7
Cover Lover Book Review, August 8
Labor Not in Vain, August 9
Holly’s Book Corner, August 10

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​In the passage, King Jehoshaphat of Judah is watching as an enormous army of enemies—Ammonites, Moabites, and Meunites—were surrounding Jerusalem. From the perspective we have that would look bleak. There was no way Judah could win the battle conventionally and the lives of so many were at stake. It would have been easy for a king in the Davidic line that was promised to never end to doubt that promise and despair. Likewise, the characters of The Unending Light have a promised hope (which mirrors our own) that the High King will set all aright. That he loves those in his service and will triumph over the evil of the Lowlands. And in the face of the hardships and easy path of hopelessness, King Jehoshaphat and the protagonists of The Unending Light and all of us, I hope, chose to look beyond circumstances and personal limitations to seek the limitless Creator and Savior for guidance and ultimately deliverance. There’s no knowing how long or what form the Lord will answer that prayer, but He is faithful and the hope and promises He gives are real and completely reliable.

​Quest of Fire is a story told across seven books that took twenty years of dreaming and drafting. A story about the High King, who is a reflection of the King of Kings and the great story He has composed in which we are all taking part. Our God is described as “a consuming fire”*, a fire that also refines us and is shaping us into His likeness. My hope with the Quest of Fire series is that after reading it that fire has caught and blazes in the reader’s heart and gives them the courage to stand firm. Because Quest of Fire is filled with moments in which a vast, terrible darkness seems certain to crush a small group bravely bearing up that light, and they must choose to stand firm no matter the cost. The final entry in the series, The Unending Light, picks up that theme and sees it to its harrowing end with epic battles fought across a world built with rich, immersive detail. Heart warming and rending moments take place that just as much as the dramatic and sweeping conflicts force the protagonists to face the dark and choose whether they will remain in the light and see the Quest of Fire to the end or turn back and flee like so many others around them. So my hope is that others will read and join in the Quest of Fire, because even though it is fraught and hope is fragile, there is one truth that both the protagonists of The Unending Light and we need cling to: “the darkness has not overcome the Light.”** This story, like the great story, is about Him.

* Hebrews 12:29
** John 1:5

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Stories By Gina, July 9 (Author Interview)
Simple Harvest Reads, July 10 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, July 11 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, July 12
Fiction Book Lover, July 13 (Author Interview)
The Bookish Ledger, July 14 (Author Interview)
The Lofty Pages, July 15
Vicky Sluiter, July 16 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 17 (Spotlight)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 17
For the Love of Literature, July 18 (Author Interview)
Lily’s Corner, July 19
Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 20 (Author Interview)
Blossoms and Blessings, July 21 (Author Interview)
Guild Master, July 22
Locks, Hooks and Books, July 22

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​Imagine a time when the U.S. not far from the coast was unsettled wilderness. Where brave settlers faced the challenges of isolation and nature as they established a toehold of civilization. Where multiple nations clashed in battle as they vied for control of land and waterways.

This setting seeded with inherent danger and wild beauty calls to those of us who write frontier historical romances from the 1700s and 1800s. Three of us from Wild Heart Books—Sherry Shindelar, Denise Farnsworth, and Susan Craft—came together to pen a trio of novellas, Freed by the Frontier. Each of our stories connects to one of our previous series, but each novella can be read independently. We invite you to journey with us back to rugged mountains, wagon roads, and frontier settlements.

Wichita Path Sacrifice by Sherry Shindelar
The frontier has always captured my imagination. It is a place of hope and hardship, new beginnings and trials, dreams and risk, and in my stories, a place where love is forged. My novella is the prequel to Texas Forsaken, Book One in my Lone Star Redemption series. Wichita Path Sacrifice tells the love story of captive Maggie Logan (Eyes-Like-Sky) and Dancing Eagle, a renowned Comanche warrior. The story is set in Comancheria in the 1850’s when the Comanches ruled the southern Plains and settlers entered the Texas frontier at their own risk. Years ago, the real-life story of Cynthia Ann Parker broke my heart. Cynthia was captured by Comanches at age nine, and lived with them for twenty-four years, married, and had children. When she was eventually recaptured by cavalry and Texas Rangers, she wanted nothing to do with the settlers’ world. Her heart belonged to the Comanche and her husband and children who were lost to her. Cynthia’s story had a sad ending that haunted me. I wanted to write a captive story with a happier ending, and that desire led to Texas Forsaken. The prequel, Wichita Path Sacrifice, inspired by the real-life stories of Cynthia Ann Parker and her cousin Rachel Plummer, is an enemy-to-lovers story of love blossoming in the midst of trials, when it seems all hope is gone. It’s a story of choices between paths. Love requires sacrifice. Eyes-Like-Sky and Dancing Eagle must decide how much they’re willing to let go of and risk if they are to claim the dreams of their heart.


Ofuskee Trail Surrender by Denise Farnsworth
Keturah Caldwell disappeared from A Counterfeit Betrothal, the first book of my Scouts of the Georgia Frontier series. Pledged to wed the hero of that novel, the daughter of a Georgia judge  was abducted by thieves and sold to a war party of Creek braves. One of them, known as Wildcat, quietly protects her on the journey to his village in present-day Alabama. Keturah soon learns she has more in common with the adopted son of the micco than she would ever have guessed. When his cruel stepbrother turns his sights on Keturah and her younger sister, Keturah is forced to trust Wildcat in a marriage of convenience, though she vows to convince him to help them escape. They grow from enemies to lovers amid the War of 1812, as she learns that sometimes, greater blessings can come from abiding than from escaping.

Keturah also meets another captive, Susannah Moore, heroine of A Contrary Betrothal (formerly released as Bent Tree Bride), coming August 18 of this year.
 
Wagon Road Serenade by Susan F. Craft
An enemies-to-lovers historical romance, this novella is set in1754 on the Great Wagon Road spanning from Philadelphia, PA, to Augusta, GA. I wrote this novella as a complement to my three-novel Great Wagon Road series.

Elizabeth Stanton, her reputation marred from an injustice in London, seeks a second chance as a music teacher for a women’s academy in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She joins a wagon train, but scarred from her past, she vows never to rely on a man again. James Morgan, a widowed trapper, hears a vile rumor about Elizabeth and regrets agreeing to drive one of the academy’s wagons. To Elizabeth, James is another charming scoundrel. To James, Elizabeth is a tainted woman to be avoided. Both resist a growing attraction. James admires her willingness to help others. Her soft soprano voice fills the nights with a melancholy sweetness. Had he received false information and misjudged? Elizabeth tries to remain indifferent, but when he saves her and an orphan girl after Indians kidnap them, her heart softens.
​
Will his gentle treatment erase her misgivings? Can she trust him? Will their hearts reject discord and blend into a serenade of love?

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Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 11
Artistic Nobody, July 12 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 13
Texas Book-aholic, July 14
Jeanette’s Thoughts, July 15
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 16
Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 16
Lyssa Loves Books, July 17
lakesidelivingsite, July 17
Guild Master, July 18 (Author Interview)
Books You Can Feel Good About, July 19
Cover Lover Book Review, July 20
Simple Harvest Reads, July 21 (Guest Review from Donna)
Holly’s Book Corner, July 22
Fiction Book Lover, July 23 (Author Interview)
Pause for Tales, July 24

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​Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: June 23, 2026

A funeral and a wedding all in about 5 minutes....

And it's on to book 4 in the Petticoats And Cowboys series from Mary Connealy. What an interesting story it was, too. In the tradition of the book that started my love of Christian historical fiction, Love Comes Softly, Montana Rose starts off with a funeral for one husband and a wedding to another with only a breath in between....

After reading Petticoat Ranch and particularly Calico Canyon, Petticoats And Cowboys books 1 and 2, I rather enjoyed the less rambunctious pace of much of the story and the time spent getting to know Cassie and Red. The book definitely has the feel of Red's easygoing nature and Cassie's sweetness to it. Don't get me wrong, Montana Rose still has all of Mary Connealy's trademark additions of danger and suspenseful moments – and humorous as well.

I also enjoyed the ranch/farm flavor of the story. A couple of scenes in particular, involving a flock of wayward chickens and a terrifying mama pig, had me laughing out loud. Seriously, the whole chicken thing was so real.

That humor really balances out this tale as the characters have to deal with tough issues like past abuse and the struggle to forgive unpleasant, even frightening, people in the present. But with some faith Red and Cassie do their best to pull it off.

Montana Rose was an enjoyable read and I finished it more quickly than I expected. Now, I am looking forward to reading the next Petticoats And Cowboys novel as Mary Connealy introduced a very interesting character in this one and I can't wait to find out more....

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Montana Rose by Mary Connealy a 4 Bark rating.

​Montana Rose was one of the first books I wrote. Very early on, though it took a while to get it published. And I ended up rewriting it to make it part of a three book series.

My basic goals with Montana Rose were two fold.

One, I seem almost addicted to writing feisty lady ranchers. I do it so much that I decided I needed to challenge myself. Write a quiet, shy heroine.

Cassie Dawson was born. And the thing with Cassie was, she was so used to being controlled by her much older husband, it was very hard for her new husband to convince her of her own worth.

Drawing Cassie out, finding the inner woman, making her believe she had worth, was such an interesting challenge for me as an author.

For a woman who writes in the same genre all the time, I really do try and mix things up. I PROMISE I DO!

Not sure how often I succeed but making my characters be three dimensional is always my goal. And I try and do different things in my books. A fist fight on a moving train. A fire in a blizzard. Diving off a galloping horse to stop a runaway bad guy. I try different careers and different locations. Always, I am trying something new. In Montana Rose, I picked a quiet, frightened mouse of a woman.

At least that was how it started out. By the end, Cassie finds herself.

So that was the fundamental goal.

And the second aim I had was Love Comes Softly, Janette Oke’s classic, beautiful Christian romance. I just loved that book. The pregnant widow, the husband who’s trying to help and needs help himself. Shove them together into a marriage and try to find love.

Of course, my book has more comedy and more gunfire than Love Comes Softly. I call it love comes softly, with mayhem. I pitched the title Love Comes Loudly. Or maybe Love Comes Hardly. We went with Montana Rose. Probably for the best.

Cassie remains a beloved sweetheart. Red, the best hero I’ve ever written…except he was probably too nice. The hero needs to have some challenges too. But Cassie just needed Red Dawson to be so kind and strong and wise. Yes, he has red hair and he has a temper that rarely erupts…though sometimes. But most Red is the best.
​
Those are the creative forces that forged Montana Rose.

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Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 30
Texas Book-aholic, July 1
Devoted To Hope, July 2
Books You Can Feel Good About, July 3
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 3
For Him and My Family, July 4
Simple Harvest Reads, July 5 (Author Interview)
Vicky Sluiter, July 6
Sydney Schmied Books, July 7
Labor Not in Vain, July 8
Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 9
The Bookish Pilgrim, July 10
She Lives To Read, July 11
Cover Lover Book Review, July 11
Artistic Nobody, July 12 (Author Interview)
Holly’s Book Corner, July 13

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Two years ago, I was overwhelmed with the production schedule I’d made for myself after the Towers of Light series was completed.  I had a vision for three new series. First, I was trying my hand at writing a picture book with everyone’s favorite kitten, Meow Meow, as the hero. I also had a mind for an early chapter book series that was classic frontier boy hijinks, think Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn, but was an exploration of the fruits of the spirit that boys could relate to.  Finally, I had a series that had the classic Victorian elements of a boarding school for girls, but set in the war-torn landscape of the Heathlands.  I wanted to retell the story of Daniel’s exile to Babylon and the lessons we learn about following our conscience and persevering in a world with ungodly values.For the first two, I had a collaborator who helped make the story real, but I just didn’t seem to have the time for the third.  I had an outline and overall concept that tied the story in nicely to Spring Fields from the Towers of Light series, but there was no way I could really sit down and write it as well as everything else.
Then an email landed in my inbox written by Thalia Shertzer, an 11-year-old homeschooler from Canada.  She had been a fan from the beginning, and her family was a huge supporter of my work.  Thalia asked me if I needed any help writing for the Towers of Light world.  I immediately knew that this was a match made in heaven.  I wanted to write a story about a girl around her age, and now I had a girl who wanted to write a story.  We met on a video call a few days later, and I laid out the “flight plan” for what would become Thalia in Exile.  I’m really looking forward to this tour, where we’re being interviewed together to talk about our adventure in writing!

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​Vicky Sluiter, July 3 (Author Interview)
For the Love of Literature, July 4 (Author Interview)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 5 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, July 6
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 7
Blossoms and Blessings, July 8 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 8
Stories By Gina, July 9 (Author Interview)
Simple Harvest Reads, July 10 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, July 11
Guild Master, July 12
Fiction Book Lover, July 13 (Author Interview)
The Bookish Ledger, July 14 (Author Interview)
Books, Books, & More Books, July 15 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, July 16
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 17 (Author Interview)

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Genre: Christian historical romance
Release Date: June 9, 2026

​What could go wrong during a Montana storm....

The Balfour family is back for another adventure in the wilds of Montana and I am most definitely here for it. Mail-Order Viscountess is the third book in the Lords Of The Rockies and features youngest Balfour brother, Thomas, and his absolutely unexpected mail-order bride. As I've come to expect from a Misty M. Beller novel, this book was a nice blend of sweet historical romance and wilderness adventure with an additional dash of suspense tossed in to keep those pages turning.

Mail-Order Viscountess was an easy and fairly quick read for me, coming in at around 260+ pages. The characters were interesting and I really found myself rooting for Thomas and Kate to work out their baggage and allow romance to bloom – even in a nippy Montana winter. Kate and Thomas both have a desire to be seen for themselves, something that I think resonates with a lot of readers. I know that their need to have options and make their own choices rather tugged at me too.

I found this third Lords Of The Rockies book to be an entertaining read that I enjoyed. I've liked every Misty M. Beller series that I've read so far, and this one has been no exception. I love the relatively small cast of characters that allows you to get to know each one – and I am particularly curious about what happens next to a particular young lady.

Anyway, if you love historical romance with a dash of danger and dramatic landscape that almost becomes a character of its own, I definitely recommend this book and the rest of the series....

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Mail-Order Viscountess by Misty M. Beller a 4 Bark rating.  

His Brothers Did What?!  Meet the Hero of Mail-Order Viscountess​

Every family has that one person who needs a little…nudging in the right direction.

For the Balfour brothers, that person is Thomas.

Lord Thomas Balfour is many things—newly knighted, fiercely capable, and absolutely convinced he doesn’t deserve any of it. He carries a secret that weighs on him heavier than the Montana snow, and he’s made up his mind: after one last supply run to Butte with his brother and sister-in-law, he’s leaving the territory for good. No fuss, no goodbyes. Just gone.

His brothers, of course, had other plans.

Because while Thomas was busy planning his quiet disappearance, his brothers were busy placing an ad—for a mail-order bride. For him. Without telling him a single word about it.

So imagine Thomas’s face when he arrives in Butte and discovers a woman waiting there to become his wife.
Actually, not one woman. Two.

Because the bride—Kate McKinney—has brought her sister along.

To say Thomas is less than thrilled would be an understatement. The scowl he greets them with says everything. A woman complicates his carefully laid plans. Two women? That’s a catastrophe.

But here’s what Thomas doesn’t know yet: Kate didn’t come west to trap a reluctant lord into marriage. She came to rescue her sister. And one look at Thomas’s stormy expression has her wondering if she’s made a terrible mistake—whether the Balfour brothers’ well-meaning scheme has landed her beloved sister somewhere far worse than the life they left behind.

Two people who don’t want to be there. One scheme cooked up by meddling brothers who love Thomas too much to let him walk away. And a Montana blizzard that’s about to strand them all together with no way out.

I pray you love Mail-Order Viscountess! J
​
Blessings!
Misty

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Book Looks by Lisa, June 24
Sydney Schmied Books, June 24
Devoted Steps, June 25
Melissa’s Bookshelf, June 25
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 26
Lyssa Loves Books, June 26
lakesidelivingsite, June 27
Artistic Nobody, June 27 (Guest Review from Marilyn)
Texas Book-aholic, June 28
Jeanette’s Thoughts, June 28
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 29
For Him and My Family, June 29
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, June 30
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 30
Book Holds and Jello Molds, July 1
Sylvan Musings, July 1
Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 2
She Lives To Read, July 2
Life on Chickadee Lane, July 3
Books You Can Feel Good About, July 3
Connie’s History Classroom, July 4
Simple Harvest Reads, July 4 (Guest Review from Donna)
Cover Lover Book Review, July 5
Mary Hake, July 5
Holly’s Book Corner, July 6
Locks, Hooks and Books, July 6
Devoted To Hope, July 7
Pause for Tales, July 7

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From beloved author Mary Connealy comes a delightful Western adventure brimming with danger, laughter, and unexpected romance—a tale of a runaway teacher, a bewildered widower, and five rambunctious boys who need a mother whether they want one or not. Perfect for fans of Tracie Peterson and Karen Witemeyer.
Grace Calhoun never imagined teaching school in Texas would lead to marriage—especially not to the infuriating Daniel Reeves.
When Grace flees her adoptive father's cruelty by hiding in a stranger's wagon, the town parson insists on an immediate wedding, leaving Grace trapped in marriage to a stubborn widower with five unruly sons—the very boys who made her teaching job impossible.
Daniel Reeves has no intention of risking his heart—or another wife—to childbirth.
Still grieving the loss of his first wife, Daniel wants nothing to do with the prim schoolmarm forced into his family. He'll build her a house and provide for her needs, but he'll keep his distance. His sons need a mother, but he refuses to fall in love again.
Snowed in together for a long Texas winter, walls begin to crumble.
As Grace discovers the courage she thought she'd lost, she transforms from a frightened woman on the run to a fierce protector of her new family. The boys who once tormented her become the children of her heart. And the husband who swore to keep his distance? He's finding it harder each day to resist his spirited wife.
But when Grace's dangerous past catches up to her, she must choose between running again or standing firm in the faith that brought her to Calico Canyon—even if it costs her everything.
A tender tale of found family, healing love, and the faithfulness of God in the midst of life's unexpected turns.

​They'll either kill each other or fall in love....

I must admit that I was predisposed to dislike both Grace and Daniel after turning the very last page of Petticoats And Cowboys book 1. So, when I picked up the second book, Calico Canyon, I wondered how in the world Mary Connealy could possibly get me to change my mind about them. But, by golly, she did it. She actually did it.

Oh sure, they still frustrated me at times, as the characters in the Petticoats And Cowboys series seem to do, but when I found out the 'why' behind everything, well, that started to change things. And then, as Grace warms up to the Reeves boys, finally earning their respect, plus Daniel's acceptance, and growing protectiveness, of his wife. Those pieces of the story convinced me.

Calico Canyon is a wild ride of a story. From a stowaway to a forced marriage, the intense winter elements to the untamed Texas landscape, toss in five boisterous little boys and add an unpleasant villain, Mary Connealy takes her readers on a real adventure. I definitely enjoyed the read, especially the showdown with the villain, and I am looking forward to more in the series....

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Calico Canyon by Mary Connealy a 4 Bark rating.

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​#5. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.

​Have you ever been in the car and heard just the right song at just the right moment? Or heard just the message you needed at a specific point in your life on Sunday morning like the pastor is speaking directly to you?

Throughout crafting the poems that now make-up the contents of Metamorphosis, I realized that my testimony navigating depression and anxiety is incomplete without my faith. It is the love of God that allows transformation. As such, each poem within the collection is paired with a Bible verse. No matter what we are facing in life, we can find strength in our Lord and through His Word.
​
Visit this slideshow and see what Bible verse awaits you today. Share how the verse resonates with you and/or suggest a worship song that it reminds you of on social media and be sure to tag me (@author.kayla.e.green on Instagram) so I can reply! https://www.canva.com/design/DAHAUXF0oAI/kU3r4XgiHh-uOUWZUHQrPA/view?utm_content=DAHAUXF0oAI&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=hb6054e54cf

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Simple Harvest Reads, June 5 (Author Interview)
Guild Master, June 6 (Author Interview)
Life on Chickadee Lane, June 7
Fiction Book Lover, June 8 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, June 8
The Bookish Ledger, June 9 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 10
Vicky Sluiter, June 11 (Author Interview)
For the Love of Literature, June 12 (Author Interview)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 13 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, June 14
Blossoms and Blessings, June 15 (Author Interview)
Stories By Gina, June 16 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, June 16
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, June 17 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 18

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Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: May 26, 2026

​Gingham Mountain is the third book in this series. The first books I got published…though there were other things sprinkled in after Petticoat Ranch, the first in the series.

I think of Petticoat Ranch as my husband’s story. A mountain man who’d never been around women, finds himself married to a widow with four daughters.

Then Calico Canyon is my husband’s story growing up. He is one of seven sons. I tried to imagine how that would be.

Now comes Gingham Mountain and that’s my story. I grew up in a tiny farm house with eight brothers and sisters. We had two bedrooms until my sixth sibling was born. And two is a bit of an exaggeration because my folks slept on a couch in the living room that folded out into a bed. And the only ‘real’ bedroom was an upstairs, the kind that has sloped roofs and, well, it was just tiny.

Then my folks bought another tiny home and moved it to our home and stuck it on the end. Now our ‘two’ bedroom house had (drumroll!!!) three bedrooms. Mom and dad retired the living room couch. Huge family, tiny home, the thing was, everyone back then had a huge family. Hey, it was the baby boom, these things happened. No such thing as a kid having their own room. I remember being excited that I had my own DRAWER!

So, Gingham Mountain, all those kids in a house that really only had three bedrooms was completely believable to me. And it was hot inside and no room for nothin’ so we went outside to play all the time. And that’s how Grant’s kids had to function.

Grant with his little house and loneliness and the knowledge of how hard it was to be an orphan.

Hannah with her lioness heart for protecting children. And her utter poverty. Getting the job as school marm when she’d never been to school herself. With zero ‘womanly’ skills. The woman can’t cook or sew or do anything expected of a woman. But, because she had an abusive adoptive father who pressed her and a scad of sisters, into work at a carpet mill, she can thread a weaving look like lightning. Now she’d trying to save children from such a fate.

She and Grant are in perfect accord…if they just had a rational conversation. Instead, Hannah sees a man trying to make off with orphans, just like her abusive father. She sets out to save the children from Grant and chaos ensues.

Then set it in Texas and there’s trouble with oil, still a very underused natural resource and Grant doesn’t know he’s sitting on a gusher of wealth. But there are villains who know what he’s got and they want it.
​
Gingham Mountain, when I wrote it, was one of my favorite books ever. Helping those two find each other, well, I can’t even tell people about it without smiling. Grant and Hannah’s first kiss is one for the ages and, of course they are both horrified. And then they kiss again. What could be more fun?

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She Lives To Read, June 2
Book Looks by Lisa, June 3
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 4
Texas Book-aholic, June 5
For Him and My Family, June 6
Devoted To Hope, June 7
Holly’s Book Corner, June 8
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 8
Books You Can Feel Good About, June 9
Vicky Sluiter, June 10
Simple Harvest Reads, June 11 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, June 11
Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 12
Cover Lover Book Review, June 13
Sydney Schmied Books, June 14
Labor Not in Vain, June 15

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Genre: Romantic Women’s Fiction
Release Date: May 5, 2026

#4. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
That even though sometimes life is hard, and things don’t go the way you would want, that God is always working in the mess. Also, follow the peace.

#5. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
I live in Michigan and have been married to my high school sweetheart for 25 years. We have seven children. We love to vacation, play board games, play pickleball and just hang out with the family. My husband and I also work as youth ministers for middle school and high school teens. We are blessed to have a number of friends that have been in our lives for years, and are like family. ​

​I’m asked this for every story, and this one I can definitely say the characters gave me no choice, I had to write it. When I envisioned this series, I always envisioned a three-book series where we would meet a “special” little boy in the first book and follow the lives he touched, and by the end of the series see the far-reaching effects of his life. When I finished writing “Right Before Their Eyes” we left Lucia as a pregnant foster teen. She’d found an amazing foster mom to support her, but what happened to her and her baby? In talking with social workers I learned so many foster teens age out and while there are some programs to help support them, they aren’t easy. So of course, Lucia’s story wasn’t over. And the story, as many of ours are, wasn’t all easy, but it also was filled with blessing. Many of her struggles, she gave to me (yeah… the characters talk to me lol, and many times just take over their stories), I didn’t have to dream them up. I’m sure many of us pray, read Scripture, and want to trust God. But then … life. Sometimes life sure makes those desires difficult to live out. And to watch this young woman grow through tough times, still have a heart, and eventually find the strength to step out in faith . . . I’m so glad she made me write this story  I pray you enjoy Lucia and Jordan’s story, and also step back and reflect on the far reaching effect of each human life.

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Simple Harvest Reads, June 6 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, June 7 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 7
Guild Master, June 8 (Author Interview)
Inspired by Fiction, June 9
Fiction Book Lover, June 10 (Author Interview)
The Bookish Ledger, June 11 (Author Interview)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 12 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 13
Life on Chickadee Lane, June 14
Blossoms and Blessings, June 15 (Author Interview)
Stories By Gina, June 16 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 16
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, June 17 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, June 18
For Him and My Family, June 19

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Just One More follows Jess, a recovering addict struggling with shame, doubt, and the weight of her past, whose life unexpectedly collides with Charles, a dying man praying that God would use him “just one more” time. As their stories intertwine, Jess begins to discover forgiveness, healing, and the hope to fight for a future beyond addiction.

This is an emotional, character-driven story about redemption, perseverance, and the life-changing impact one person can have on another.
​
At its heart, Just One More is about choosing hope one more time, even when life feels impossible. This is the kind of movie that stays with audiences long after the credits roll.

WATCH

My Review

I just finished watching this film a little while ago, and wow! Just One More was impressive on several different levels. Sure, it features decent acting, good filming techniques, and a reasonable script, but there is a lot more to it than simply those surface things. It's a movie that I don't think I will soon forget.

The story of Jess, and also Charles, is by turns emotionally moving, heartbreaking, and full of hope. And sometimes those turns repeat themselves in a steps forward and steps backward way. However, I think THAT is what impressed me the most about Just One More. This film doesn't just depict a girl's journey from addiction to Jesus, it shows how messy and raw that journey can be.

Over the years I've watched a lot of Christian and faith-inspired movies/shows and often I am frustrated by how unrealistic they are as they show the come-to-Jesus moment as being the end with things flowing smoothly immediately after. But that just isn't real life and it especially isn't how recovery from addiction goes. Just One More doesn't make those empty promises. No, it shows the struggles and many choices made every day to hang onto hope, onto faith, and to stand against temptation. As someone who has not struggled with addiction, some of the scenes that really moved me in particular included Charles's willingness to pray for anyone who stopped by his yard and one that involved a character that was hurt by Jess's choices realizing that they needed to forgive her just as they had been forgiven by Jesus. To me, that message is equally as important as the one of each person, no matter their mistakes, having value in the eyes of God.

​In the face of the opioid epidemic and other addictions running rampant, this film couldn't be more timely or relevant. So, watch the film yourself, and, if you have middle to older teens this movie is for them as well. Talk about it, this is the stuff kids are dealing with in school every day. But most importantly, be Charles. Be the one who will pray no matter what. Be the one used by God Just One More time.... ​

Disclosure: Many thanks to Angel for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

$10 Amazon giftcard

(USA ONLY)

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