Thursday, September 24, 2026

Sparks of Hope by Avrie Swan

About the Book

Book: Sparks of Hope

Author: Avrie Swan

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 1, 2026

A woman rebuilding after tragedy and a grieving father searching for hope discover that the past isn’t finished with them.

After the Peshtigo Fire reduces her teaching dreams to ash, Willow Deeran refuses to let the flames win. She pours her last hope into an audacious plan: opening an orphanage for the children left homeless by Wisconsin’s deadliest wildfire. All she needs is funding—and a partner she’s never met.

Violin maker Valentine Ashardt has spent the year since the fire hiding behind his grief, haunted by the daughter he lost in the blaze. Helping Willow build the orphanage offers more than purpose. As silent co-owner, he’ll have access to every child who comes through its doors. Surely, one of them will be his Mary.

As anonymous threats mount, old accusations resurface, and a mysterious little girl with no memory arrives on their doorstep, Willow and Valentine must decide if their dreams might not look different than they’d once hoped. Because sometimes God’s plan looks nothing like what we imagined. And sometimes the family we’ve been desperately searching for has been standing beside us all along.

For fans of Joanna Davidson Politano and Jody Hedlund—a tender story of faith renewed, purpose rediscovered, and love rising from the most unexpected ruins.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Avrie Swan is a Christian author and avid reader with a love for all things historical. Having grown up exploring antique stores and museums, she eventually decided to combine her interest in history with her love for writing and began working on her first full-length novel at the age of fourteen. She especially enjoys writing stories that focus on themes of family, faith, and growth through difficult times.

When Avrie is not writing, she is watching old movies, collecting antique books, and hunting for agates. A native Wisconsinite, she enjoys spending the cold winters indoors with her cat on her lap and a good book in her hand.

More from Avrie

Hello, folks!

It’s hard to believe Sparks of Hope is the third and final entry in The Peshtigo Fire Chronicles series. Writing this book was bittersweet… but also undeniably exciting. Willow and Valentine’s story took me some time to develop, and the result is a book with a lot of heart. Their tale explores themes of found family and growth while also rounding out Carina and Charlotte’s journeys. I hope you enjoy the conclusion to their stories!

One of my favorite elements in Sparks of Hope is Valentine’s occupation as a luthier. My family has always enjoyed music, and since I took violin lessons for several years when I was younger, I thought it only fitting to include a violin maker in one of my stories. I didn’t know much about the process of building violins when I started my research for the book, but I soon discovered it’s a fascinating and detailed craft. I have the utmost respect for the skilled people who shape the instruments enjoyed by so many.

While music plays a small role in Sparks of Hope, the story’s central theme is purpose. Have you ever wondered what God’s plan was for your life? That question weighs heavily on Willow’s mind after a disaster ruins all her carefully laid plans. She finds herself needing to choose a new path and pursue a different dream…although achieving it may not be quite as simple as she hopes.

In honor of the upcoming release of Sparks of Hope, I thought it would be fun to do a “this or that” game featuring some elements from the book. Which options do you prefer? Pick your favorites and then head over to my Instagram (@avrieswanwrites) or website (avrieswan.com) to share your choices!

Scarf or shawl
Griddlecakes or fresh bread
Cottage or townhouse
Sleigh ride or autumn walk
Frozen harbor or snowy forest

Blessings,

Avrie Swan

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 12

Books Less Travelled, September 13

lakesidelivingsite, September 14

She Lives to Read, September 15

Simple Harvest Reads, September 15 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

For Him and My Family, September 16

Texas Book-aholic, September 17

Betti Mace, September 18

Holly’s Book Corner, September 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 20

Cover Lover Book Review, September 21

Pause for Tales, September 21

Devoted To Hope, September 22

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 23

Connie’s History Classroom , September 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 24

Blossoms and Blessings, September 25

Giveaway

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

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

https://gleam.io/qaNE5/sparks-of-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Beach House Rescue by Hope Toler Dougherty

About the Book

Book: Beach House Rescue

Author: Hope Toler Dougherty

Genre: Christian Romance

Release Date: June 23, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

Click here to get your copy!

"Beach House Rescue" by Hope Toler Dougherty is a romance where the two main characters are at odds in the beginning of the novel. Both Wyatt and Tessa are trying to overcome their past. Wyatt doesn't like art and Tessa is an artist and his sister is beginning to want to be one! If a reader wants to read a novel about what God healing is like this book will be a good one to read. Faith was a part of this novel, but it was a preachy read! I have enjoyed every book that I have read from this author.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

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

More from Hope

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vinegar Pie

Ingredients:

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

Directions:

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

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

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 23

Simple Harvest Reads, September 24 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 25

Artistic Nobody, September 26 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 27

Guild Master, September 28 (Author Interview)

Devoted To Hope, September 29

Fiction Book Lover, September 30 (Author Interview)

Avid Reader Nurse, September 30

Fruitfully Planted, October 1

The Bookish Ledger, October 2 (Author Interview)

She Lives to Read, October 3

Cover Lover Book Review, October 3

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

Holly’s Book Corner, October 5

Giveaway

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

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

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

Monday, September 21, 2026

The Ballerina's Bargain by Lorri Dudley

About the Book

Book: The Ballerina’s Bargain

Author: Lorri Dudley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 8, 2026

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

London, 1815

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

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

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

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

Click here to get your copy!

I really liked "The Ballerinas' Bargain" by Lori Dudley. Yes, it has lots of the pages detailing the dance steps by the storyline is about ballerinas, right? This book is about faith and doing the right thing! There is Biblical scriptures within the pages (this always make me happy if the scripture is used in the right way and in this story, they are. I encourage you to get yourself a copy and learn how Grant and Emmeline kept me turning the pages.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

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

More from Lorri

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy!

Blog Stops

Devoted Steps, September 19

The Lofty Pages, September 20

Books Less Travelled, September 20

Devoted To Hope, September 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 21

She Lives To Read, September 22

Texas Book-aholic, September 23

Melissa’s Bookshelf, September 23

Fruitfully Planted, September 24

For Him and My Family, September 24

Sydney Schmied Books, September 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 25

Connie’s History Classroom, September 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 26

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

Sylvan Musings, September 28

Leslie’s Library Escape, September 29

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, September 30

Cover Lover Book Review, September 30

Holly’s Book Corner, October 1

Pause for Tales, October 2

To Everything There Is A Season, October 2

Giveaway

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

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

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

Friday, September 18, 2026

The Missing Captive by George Lapin

About the Book

Book: The Missing Captive

Author: George Lapin

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: February 28, 2025

An unforgettable journey of faith, courage, and personal transformation

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

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

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

Click here to get your copy!

I liked the determination of both Rebecca and Gideon for doing what they thought was right! I think this book would be liked by younger adults and maybe Middle age schoolers that like reading about Indians. Yes, I would read more books if this author wrote them. I felt this book focused more on Gideon's relationship with his earthly father than being a "The Deep Commitment to Share the Gospel in Early Colonial America" as in the title. I also thought the fact that Rebecca saved Gideon when he fell from a cliff was brought up too much in the story. I will still say read the book and learn a little something about the historical setting about this time period, 1705, during Queen Anne’s War.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

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

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

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

More from George

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

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

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

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, September 18 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 18

Devoted To Hope, September 19

Artistic Nobody, September 20 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, September 21 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 22

Fiction Book Lover, September 23 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Ledger, September 24 (Author Interview)

Books Less Travelled, September 25 (Author Interview)

Books You Can Feel Good About, September 26

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 27

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

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

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 29

Vicky Sluiter, September 30 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Pilgrim, October 1

Giveaway

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

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

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

Thursday, September 17, 2026

As A Bride in the Wilderness by EJ Ashmore

About the Book

Book: AS A BRIDE IN THE WILDERNESS

Author: EJ Ashmore

Genre: Biblical Fiction, young adult

Release Date: January 10, 2026

Eliza is sure happiness has arrived. She and her family, never to be separated again, join the rest of her people on the road to a land filled with milk and honey. A land to call home. Even better, Seti, the love of her life, has joined her people, pledged allegiance to her God, and vowed to marry her.

But life isn’t that simple. Not only are her plans disrupted by a detour into the great unknown, but she has suffered a severe concussion, thanks to Seti. Her people and her family, though loveable, prove to be a squabbling mess, and Seti, can’t stay out of trouble. Freedom is not so easy. Who is she really, and how does a free woman act?

Seti, an Egyptian, once had everything, or so he thought. He willingly gave it all up for Eliza and her God. Now reduced to an outcast sleeping outside his best friend’s tent, he has no money and no way to prove himself acceptable to Eliza’s family or her people. For the first time ever, he is filled with insecurity and fear. Fear of losing Eliza to his foolishness, but most of all, fear of disappointing the God who saved him. Yet, his every decision leads to disaster.

Click here to get your copy!

This is the 2nd book in the series and I really enjoyed it.It was easy to follow along and see the scenes in my mind's eye. I recommend reading the first book first to know the background. But I think it would be an enjoyable read if you don't read the first one but I have to ask why wouldn't you want to read the whole series. This is a book based on Biblical events. It shows that everyone is worthy of love regardless of looks and background. I really recommend both books in this series. I received a complementary copy from the Author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

EJ Ashmore is a wife, mother, and nurse, with a passion for young believers who are searching for answers about God. Whether it be what God wants, who He is, or why He does some of the things He does, she seeks to use ordinary, relatable characters to illustrate God’s unwavering faithfulness and devotion even to those who feel unworthy or invisible.

More from EJ

WHY I WROTE THIS:

This all began when my teenage son couldn’t grasp why God would harden Pharaoh’s heart and then punish him for it. But then I read Joel Richardson’s Sinai to Zion, and how God’s love story for His people (Israelite or Gentile/Christian) is framed after ancient Jewish wedding customs and how God designed marriage to mirror His desired relationship with His people.

But I also wanted to reach young girls who felt as I did as a teenager: ugly, unworthy, a constant failure, insecure, and constantly bullied. God seemed to hear everybody else but me. But God’s love story is for the individual as much as for a nation. He pursues, He gets the girl, He proves His worthiness again and again, and He builds her up as His beautiful bride who He will have an intimate relationship with.

Add in the depravity of humanity who barely know their God, stuck in a desert with nothing to do and have no idea how to act not only as free people but as people of God, yet God chooses them and loves them and wants to live in their midst.

I deeply desire for my reader to come away from this pondering how God pursued and pursues them in their own lives, and have a deeper relationship with God and a better understanding of the why God does what He does.