Thursday, May 28, 2026

In Pursuit of Civility (Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies Book 2) by Jen Turano

About the Book

Book: In Pursuit of Civility (Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies Book 2)

Author: Jen Turano

Genre: Christian, Romance, Historical, Gilded Age

Release Date: April 21, 2026

LESSON TWO: Become headmistress and expect to find yourself partnering with an attractive inventor to search for treasure.

Annaliese Merriweather has been appointed the temporary headmistress of the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies while her sister is on her honeymoon, but she doesn’t feel cut out for the role. Especially after she loses two of her most troublesome students during an outing to a county fair and has to recruit the help of Seth McCormick, an eccentric inventor, to retrieve them.

Soon after, one of those mischievous students disappears again, intent on pursuing a pirate map. Together, Annaliese and Seth set out to find her, accompanied by a menagerie of Annaliese’s rescued animal companions. As they stumble from one chaotic situation to the next, sparks fly between Annaliese and Seth. Somehow, they’ll need to outwit dangerous individuals also intent on seeking the treasure and bring everyone back in one piece—all while deciphering what their hearts desire.

With witty characters and humorous banter, Jen Turano takes readers on a lively tale of hijinks, humor, treasure hunting, and forced proximity in her latest historical rom-com set in Chicago at a finishing school during the Gilded Age.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Named one of the funniest voices in inspirational romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today bestselling author known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. She and her family live outside of Ormond Beach, Florida.

More from Jen

Welcome Jen! Why don’t you start off by telling us a little about “In Pursuit of Civility.

Thank you so much for hosting me. It’s always exciting to release a new book, and “In Pursuit of Civility” is no exception to that. The short telling of what the book’s about is this – it’s the second installment in the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies series, and readers will get to travel with Annaliese Merriweather as she tries to adapt to being given the position of temporary headmistress of the academy while her sister goes off on holiday. Clearly, Annaliese is going to have some trouble with this new position, that idea proven when two of her students go missing – and on purpose – and go missing not once, but twice. That right there is exactly why Annaliese finds herself going off with the oh-so-charming Mr. Seth McCormick (and don’t worry, his mother is going off with them to chaperone) to track down her erstwhile students, finding herself involved in quite the adventure, and one that might include a bit of romance.

Annaliese Merriweather is a lady who enjoys saving animals. Any reason why you chose that particular pursuit for her?

Years ago, when reading up on John Astor, I was appalled to discover that, while he amassed a fortune that was unheard of back in the nineteenth century, he did so by completely decimating the beaver population. That always stuck with me, as did what happened to the bird population due to overzealous plume hunters during that time, those plume hunters staying in business because ladies wanted to adorn their hats with an overabundance of feathers. I’d been waiting for the right storyline to come up where I could add an animal advocate, and when Annaliese popped to mind when I was crafting the outline for the Merriweather series, I knew she was going to be the lady I was going to use to bring just a little attention to what happened to birds and beavers during the Industrial Revolution.

Were there any parts of this book that gave you trouble?

While I would love to say “Of course not,” that just wouldn’t be true because all of my stories give me trouble at some point. This one happened relatively early on because, at first, I had Annaliese rescue a whole mess of animals in the first couple chapters. I knew full-well that I had too many, but you know how I love writing those animal scenes, so…I left all of them in the original draft that I sent to my editors, knowing they’d spot the issue, but then leaving it up to them to suggest which animals I should cut. I’m sad to say that Bart the Bear got the boot. Yes, that’s right. However, because I was so attached to darling Bart, he makes an appearance in the third and final book of the series “A Dash of Decorum.”

What is a question you get asked the most as an author?

That’s an easy one because people always ask me if I always dreamed of being a writer, and…nope. I really wanted to be a singer – and yes, I can carry a tune – but I suffer from extreme stage fright and anytime I would get up in front of an audience I would turn all sorts of queasy. That’s why I abandoned that dream and majored in fashion. I just started writing as something fun to do with my son when he was in elementary school, and it turned out that I really enjoyed it. It took me five years and seven manuscripts to secure a literary agent, and then it took her about a year before she sold “A Change of Fortune” for me. I’ve been writing ever since.

If you had to pick a character from your book to be stuck in a haunted academy with – since the Merriweather Academy was rumored to be haunted in book one – who would it be?

I’d definitely go with Miss Seraphina Livingston because she has all of those delicious secrets, and secrets that revolve around how she’s capable of wielding a pistol with ease, taking out assailants with a good round-kick to the head, and…she might know a thing or two about how best to use dynamite to get out of a tricky situation.

How has your writing evolved since you began writing?

I definitely write a tighter story these days, and I’m also more mindful of making sure my chapters are moving the story along at a rapid pace. Having had the pleasure of working with an editing team for years now, it’s like they’re sitting on my shoulder as I write that first draft, saying things like “Nope, that’s a total distraction from plot,” which is rather annoying, but saves me a lot of time in the end.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

To always remember that it’s all about the reader. That means that an author needs to know their audience and write accordingly. Every genre has specific unwritten rules, and the best way to understand those rules is to make sure a writer reads a ton of books in the genre they’re hoping to get published in.

What are you working on now?

I recently turned in developmental edits for the third and final book in the Merriweather series, “A Dash of Decorum.” That’s the step where I’ve turned in a first draft – although know that I go through a book seven times before I turn it in – and then my editors send me their suggestions. I then end up rewriting a good portion of the book because of ripple effects, and then turn it in again. I’m now waiting for them to send me copy/line edits, which aren’t all that difficult to do since I’m just making sure that nothing got cut during the editing process that I want to keep in. I also just turned in the first draft of a Christmas story I wrote, but I was really early with that one, so I won’t be seeing developmental edits for a while. And, the reason I turned that in early is because I just signed a new three-book contract and I need to get started on the first book of the Bluestocking series.

Thank you so much for hosting me. I appreciate everyone stopping in to see what I’ve been doing lately.

All the best,

Jen

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 21

Sydney Schmied Books, May 21

Devoted Steps, May 22

Blogging With Carol, May 22

Truth and Grace Homseschool Academy, May 23

For Him and My Family, May 24

Holly’s Book Corner, May 24

Book Holds and Jello Molds, May 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 25

Texas Book-aholic, May 26

lakesidelivingsite, May 27

Pause for Tales, May 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 28

Devoted To Hope, May 29

Fruitfully Planted, May 30

Labor Not in Vain, May 30

Lily’s Corner, May 31

Cover Lover Book Review, May 31

Book Looks by Lisa, June 1

Mary Hake, June 1

Books You Can Feel Good About, June 2

She Lives to Read, June 3

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, June 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away the grand prize of a book box with a copy of “A Lesson in Propriety”, “In Pursuit of Civility” and entire Matchmaker series – “Meeting Her Match” “To Spark a Match” and “A Match in the Making”!!

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

https://gleam.io/YjVmt/in-pursuit-of-civility-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

BLAZE OF HONOR by D.M. Griffin

About the Book

Book: BLAZE OF HONOR

Author: D.M. Griffin

Genre: Biblical Fiction

Release Date: May 12, 2026

A BLAZE OF HONOR WOULD EITHER CONSUME HIM OR ILLUMINATE THE PATH TO LOVE!

Joram couldn’t pinpoint the burning conviction in his heart, the reason honoring his father felt like the only path to a life that pleased God. He remembered the unheard prayers of a five-year-old whose mother betrayed the sanctity of family and knew well the bitterness in his father’s heart. Whatever the reason, Joram, a man of few words, lived an obedient life. He adopted his father’s wishes and desires as if they were born from his own heart, and with that came his father’s simmering bitterness and ingrained distrust of women.

Driven by a desire for Joram to achieve more than a shepherd’s humble existence, his father pressured him to excel academically, tirelessly seeking the approval of powerful figures. Joram’s life took a dramatic turn when he captured the attention of Parthia’s notorious bandit leaders.

Caught in a dizzying storm of politics and family vendettas, Joram reluctantly accepts a fake marriage, meant to bring a young woman to Jerusalem so she could marry another man. Knowing how his father felt about women, a view he adopted as his own, Joram wasn’t prepared for the transformation that would take place once he began playing the role of a husband for all the wrong reasons.

The treacherous journey, marked by near-death experiences, culminated with them arriving in Jerusalem amidst the vibrant Feast of Weeks. With his knowledge of God ringing hollow as a mere religious duty, Joram divorced his wife and surrendered her to another man, determined to honor his word. But when he stumbles upon the truth and feels the burning intensity of the Holy Spirit descend in a blaze of honor that illuminates far more than he could have ever imagined, Joram has to decide if he is willing to walk the path of love.

Click here to get your copy!

I didn't like "BLAZE OF HONOR" by D.M. Griffin at first but I did end up liking it more toward the end. I think it was slow reading; I was disappointment because I really wanted to like it. This is a story that shows what love is and it clearly points out that obedience isn't love. This book does have faith as the main theme of the book.

I was given a complimentary copy of the book by the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

D.M. (Demi) Griffin is the author of several novels and has won multiple literary awards. Her novels in The Encounter Series won various Independent Author awards in the category of Religious Fiction.

She writes Christian Fantasy, Biblical, and Historical Fiction. She currently resides in Northern California with her husband of over thirty years. She truly believes that a book that sits on a shelf unread is like a planted seed that never blossoms. Nothing delights her more than sharing a story.

More from D.M.

My inspiration for writing Blaze of Honor came from a simple lyric in a song. “Be careful, little eyes, what you see.” I had the idea of writing the Spirit Ignited Series rattling around in my head for five years. During my regular Bible reading plan, inspiration sucked me into the scene in Acts 2 when Peter preaches to a crowd on the day of Pentecost. I found myself wondering about the people described as coming from all over the empire. I wondered what had brought them there, and what they had heard. How could I not be fascinated when the church grew exponentially that day? So, the idea for Spirit Ignited grew. I wanted to write four novels about four men who had been in the crowd that day.

As excited as I was to begin writing those stories, other books crept into the queue before I fully developed the characters for Spirit Ignited. I was excited when the first ideas came back to me after five long years of waiting for these men to speak up and inspire me. What was even more challenging was that the stories were begging to be written in first-person from a single perspective. That was a daunting task since I had only written dual-perspective stories up until that point. And, truth be told, first-person isn’t my favorite.

But I obliged and found myself completely captivated by these men. Surprisingly enough, I did not write Blaze of Honor first. Though it is the first to be released in the series, it was the third book I wrote in the Spirit Ignited series.

After hearing the song lyric, I started to wonder about how parents, most specifically troubled marriages, affected children. Joram, a shy character, finally found his voice in my head, and together, we explored a life of unintended scars and how they shape a boy as he becomes a man.

The story’s themes of redemption, forgiveness, and grace underscore the main takeaway: honoring God through loving others. I yearn for readers to grasp this central truth, to feel the depth in the main character’s plight. The narrative delves into the heart of devotion, exploring how easily the concept of honoring God can become contorted in the labyrinth of the mind. After completing the first draft, the realization that this story, with its raw vulnerability, could only be told in the intimate voice of the first person hit me.

I truly hope readers will get as much out of it as I did when I wrote it. Stories that transform as well as entertain are my favorite kind of stories.

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, May 19 (Author Interview)

Lots of Helpers, May 20

Artistic Nobody, May 21 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, May 22 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, May 23

Fiction Book Lover, May 24 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Ledger, May 25 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 25

Vicky Sluiter, May 26 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 27

For the Love of Literature, May 28 (Author Interview)

Leslie’s Library Escape, May 29

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 30 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, May 31 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 31

Stories By Gina, June 1 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, D.M. is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

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

https://gleam.io/1iGOX/blaze-of-honor-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Anchoring You by Robin Patchen

About the Book

Book: Anchoring You

Author: Robin Patchen

Genre: Christian romantic suspense

Release Date: May 12, 2026

On the glittering waters of the Caribbean, a yacht captain’s fight for survival forces her to rely on a man she swore she’d never trust.

A fiercely independent yacht captain, Kenzie Wright has spent her life disregarding her family’s expectations. She thrives on freedom, charting her own course, and never staying in one place—or with one person—for long. But when a routine voyage thrusts her into the crosshairs of a deadly drug cartel, her carefully crafted agenda is blown apart. Her last hope to save herself and her crew is the partying playboy, Jaz.

DEA informant Jasper Aylett has spent years hunting the cartel leader known only as “the Phantom.” The mission has cost him everything—his family, his reputation, and his chance at redemption. When a beautiful yacht captain gets caught in the Phantom’s web, Jaz risks his life to rescue her. It’s his last chance to secure the information he needs to take his enemy down—and get his life back.

Kenzie is forced into hiding with Jaz, and now two cartels want her dead. With their lives on the line, Kenzie and Jaz must work together to unravel the Phantom’s network before it’s too late. But the closer they get to the truth—and to each other—the more their past wounds and buried fears threaten to tear them apart, leaving them vulnerable to an enemy who won’t stop until they’re both destroyed.

From a USA Today bestselling author… Don’t miss this heart-pounding suspense and swoon-worthy romance as Kenzie and Jasper discover their fight for survival—and for love—can only be won together.

Click here to get your copy!

I have really liked reading this series about the members of the Wright family. And I think "Anchoring You" by Robin Patchen is my favorite of the series. This series definitely shares faith in it pages of each story and each story has its share of danger, but each are clean reads. This book is about Kenzie Wright which is a yacht captain who is transporting items she doesn't know about. I suppose this could be read as a standalone, but I strongly suggest reading each book in order as they build upon each one a little. This is a series of faith and family.

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

About the Author

Robin Patchen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Coventry Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. Working in marketing, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while homeschooling her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet.

More from Robin

Too Far Gone? Writing a Prodigal Hero

When I started writing Anchoring You, I knew the hero was going to be a challenge.

On the surface, Jaz is everything my heroine Kenzie despises: a charming playboy who flits around the Caribbean with a different woman on his arm every week and a drink perpetually in his hand. When he tries to get to know her, she wants nothing to do with him. She’s heard the rumors. She knows exactly what kind of man he is.

Except she doesn’t know the real Jaz. Nobody does.

Underneath the polished persona, Jaz is drowning. A gambling addiction led to crushing debt, which led to a desperate deal with a dangerous man, which led to five years of living undercover as a DEA informant. He’s lost everything that matters—his money, his reputation, his relationship with his brother, Noah, and most painfully, his daughter Charlotte, whom he left with Noah to keep her safe from the criminals who control his life.

Somewhere in the midst of all that, Jaz also lost his faith.

The Prodigal Who Doesn’t Come Home

We all know the parable of the prodigal son. He squanders his inheritance, hits rock bottom, and returns to his father’s open arms.

But what happens when the prodigal believes he’s wandered too far, done too much, burned too many bridges to ever find his way back?

That’s Jaz’s life when we first meet him. He tells Kenzie at one point, “I’m not sure if I left Him or if He left me, but God and I haven’t had a relationship since I was a teenager.”

Jaz isn’t angry at God. He’s not wrestling with doubt. He’s just disconnected. Numb. He made choices that spiraled out of control. People got hurt, and somewhere along the way, he decided that men like him shouldn’t expect grace.

I think a lot of people can identify with Jaz, even if their circumstances aren’t as dramatic as his. It’s not always a crisis of faith that pulls us away from God. Sometimes it’s shame, the quiet belief that we’ve disqualified ourselves. We believe grace is real, just not for us.

A Faith That Doesn’t Preach

Kenzie could have lectured him or quoted Scripture at him. But Kenzie, a strong believer, doesn’t preach. Instead, she lives her faith, acting on what she believes. In one quiet conversation, when Jaz confesses how far he’s fallen, she offers him truth without judgment:

“There’s no such thing as too far, Jasper. Not with God.”

Kenzie’s relationship with God is evident in how she treats people, how she handles fear, how she extends grace to a man the world has written off. Kenzie’s witness begins to crack Jaz’s defenses.

Writing Broken Heroes

I’m drawn to characters who carry weight—who’ve made real mistakes with real consequences, not just minor flaws designed to make them “relatable.” Jaz gambled away half his family’s estate. He slept around. He abandoned his daughter—even if it was to protect her. He spent five years lying to everyone he met.

These aren’t small things. I didn’t want to minimize them or sweep them under the rug in the rush to make him likable.

I believe in redemption. I believe people can change—not by willpower but by the power of God.

Jaz doesn’t have a dramatic conversion moment in the middle of the action. His journey back to faith starts with prayer, the gentle testing of God in moments of crisis.

And God answered, protecting and guiding him through the most difficult time of his life. When it was over, Jaz realized God had been there all along.

That’s the heart of the prodigal story, isn’t it? The father doesn’t chase the son down the road. He doesn’t force him to come home. But when the son finally turns around, the father is already running to meet him.

Jaz spent years believing he’d gone too far. Kenzie helped him see that there is no “too far” for God.

Because if grace only works for people who haven’t messed up too badly, it’s not really grace at all.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 25

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 26

lakesidelivingsite, May 27

Texas Book-aholic, May 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 29

For Him and My Family, May 30

Cover Lover Book Review, May 31

Book Looks by Lisa, June 1

Blogging With Carol, June 2

Fiction Book Lover, June 3 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, June 3

Holly’s Book Corner, June 4

Pause for Tales, June 5

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, June 6

The Bookish Ledger, June 7 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of Capturing You!!

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

https://gleam.io/XXPAN/anchoring-you-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, May 24, 2026

Lipstick and Gunpowder by Jane Daly

About the Book

Book: Lipstick and Gunpowder

Author: Jane Daly

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: March 10, 2025

Dale Hardy, a disgraced FBI agent, goes undercover at the Double-Bar-G Ranch in Ione, California to gather intel on a suspected opioid-growing operation.
Mark Goodson, who hired Dale to help run the ranch while his brother recovers from an injury, is initially skeptical of her abilities. But when they are both targeted in escalating violence, they must join forces to uncover the truth and save Mark’s niece who has been kidnapped for ransom.
Their past betrayals and broken relationships are put aside as they fight against enemies that threaten their lives and Mark’s ranch.

Click here to get your copy!

"Lipstick and Gunpowder" by Jane Daly is the first book in the series and also the first book that I have read that she has written but it won't be the last. This book is full of action from the beginning to the end. I figured out one of the bad guys pretty quick but stilled enjoyed the read! This book shows that the characters have faith and rely on prayer to help them. I recommend this book if a reader wants suspense and a little romance in a clean read! This is also a fast read!

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

About the Author

Jane Daly is the author of sixteen books, including two nonfiction works. When she isn’t hunched over her computer, she is on the move – literally. She and her husband of 48 years make their home in Rigsby, their 37-foot motor home. Together they chase sunsets, discover quirky roadside attractions, and take the Gospel to fellow travelers.

More from Jane

Do you like stories with strong female characters?

Dale Hardy, a disgraced FBI agent, goes undercover at the Double-Bar-G Ranch in Ione, California to gather intel on a suspected opioid-growing operation.

Mark Goodson, who hired Dale to help run the ranch while his brother recovers from an injury, is initially skeptical of her abilities. But when they are both targeted in escalating violence, they must join forces to uncover the truth and save Mark’s niece who has been kidnapped for ransom.

Their past betrayals and broken relationships are put aside as they fight against enemies that threaten their lives and Mark’s ranch.