VYING FOR A GROOM by Sophie Leigh Fox, Reviewed by Trixi Oberembt

LOVE, MOST ARDENTLY SERIES #2

TRIXI'S REVIEW:
I absolutely adored the first book in the “Love, Most Ardently” series, so you bet I was happily anticipating this one. I quickly snapped it up to read and post my honest thoughts!

At first, I thought this was going to be a love triangle from what took place in just the first two chapters. I am definitely not a fan of those! Upon reading further, I found that was not the case in this novel. Both Cassandra and Sir Raleigh were secretly involved with other people when they first met. An instant connection was formed, but there was no way to make it a reality between these two. Cassandra was in love with the head groom Charlie and Sir Raleigh was engaged due to a compromised situation with a lady. What a complicated mess they found themselves in! I loved how Fox (eventually) worked everything out in the end.

This was an angsty, emotional, and deeply involved story that drew me in because I just HAD to know what happened at every twist and turn. Fox certainly knows how to write a story that includes a bit of drama, scandal and intrigue. I also loved revisiting Willa and James from the first book, it always makes me wonder what happens to these wonderful characters. I love when an author somehow includes them in the sequel novel!

I’m giving this a four-star rating because the end left me with a couple of important questions that left me hanging. I would love the answer for (a bit of a spoiler here); WHAT happened to Charlie and WHY did he leave suddenly? I think he was a character that deserved a more satisfactory conclusion!

All in all, this was a delightful tale and I think anyone who enjoys Regency romance with all the elements I mentioned above will love. Fox also includes a faith thread that warms my soul. Hopefully, there will be a third book? Because the ending leads to the possibility of Genevieve’s story next … and I say, bring it on! *smile*
*I received a complimentary copy from the author through Interviews and Reviews and was not obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions expressed here are mine alone. *

BackCover Blurb:
A lady’s companion and a Royal Navy captain are secretly involved…but not with each other.

Alarmed after receiving news of her adoptive parents’ perilous missionary assignment to India, Cassandra Lawton leaves her position as a companion to seek solace with her only remaining family in Surrey. At Heighbury Manor, the dutiful Cassandra reconnects with her childhood friend, now a ruggedly handsome groom. Their difference in class forces them to conceal a budding romance. As she struggles to navigate these new feelings, Cassandra’s hopes are challenged when an unexpected rival appears.

After Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, Royal Navy Captain Sir Raleigh Burgess returns home ready to settle down and marry. But the woman to whom he was forced to become engaged after being caught in an intimate embrace refuses to announce their plans to wed formally. After receiving a stark warning that casts doubts on her character, Raleigh’s misgivings about his betrothed further complicate his future.

Whilst visiting Heighbury Manor, Raleigh forms an immediate connection with Cassandra. Suspicious of the groom’s duplicitous advances despite his own concealed relationship, he attempts to protect Cassandra’s virtuous character. Raleigh’s frustration multiplies when his betrothed appears and stirs up Heighbury Manor with a shocking revelation.

Will Cassandra’s hidden romance ruin her lifelong friendship with the groom? Will Raleigh’s coerced proposal unveil his bride-to-be’s deceitful intentions?

After lies are exposed and romances are shattered, who will be left vying for a groom? 

Mellow and Mayhem Publishing, September, 2025

Available in digital ebook and paperback at Amazon

SENSE AND SUITABILITY by Pepper Basham, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #ReleaseDay

A sweet Regency, enemies-to-lovers rom-com

PAULA'S REVIEW:
With her signature wit, Pepper Basham has written another winner in a new genre for her: Sense and Suitability is patterned after the beloved Jane Austen tome.

Emmeline Lockhart is a secret authoress and has not found a suitor since Simon Reeves disappeared at a ball two years ago. Tragedy struck Simon and subsequently he inherits not only a title but plenty of problems and sizable debt. In true Austen and Regency fashion, hero Simon must find a wealthy lady to save his estate, when his heart yearns for respectable but not so wealthy heroine Emme.

The story is peopled with familiar characters such as clergyman cousins, interfering but well meaning aunts, jealous conniving female rivals, lovable but unruly siblings and bothersome unsuitable suitors.

And who can resist the romantic scenes with kisses to make you swoon, not to mention an unexpected splash in a pond and a Darcy-like hero emerging from said pond.

Loads of fun, romance, angst, and good spiritual lessons. It will be hard to wait for the next Regency from this author. I know it will be just as captivating.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Thomas Nelson on behalf of the author and via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*Beyond 5 stars and a solid faith thread 

BackCover Blurb:
After two failed social seasons, her family may think the third time will be a charm, but Emmeline Lockhart just wants to survive with her dignity (and singleness) intact. She thought she'd found her perfect match in Simon Reeves--charming, handsome, a veritable hero from a novel--until he vanished from her life without so much as a "farewell" or "my deepest regrets" (or even a vague apology scribbled on the back of a calling card). Lesson learned: never fall for a man known for his charm.

Fortunately, and unlike many of the other eligible young ladies of the ton, Emmeline has no need for a husband--because she's already found success in her scandalous (and very anonymous) profession as an author. Why bother with matrimony when she can make her own fortune and write men exactly the way she wants them?

But fate--or the misfortune of Simon's reckless patriarchs--has other plans. Simon's once-proud estate is in shambles, his family fortune has been gambled away, and the younger impressionable siblings in his care are running wild across his estate (and possibly across all of England). Simon is in desperate need of a wealthy, prestigious bride . . . and a friend.

Emmeline may not fit the role of heiress, but she can certainly be a friend. Just a friend. She'll help him find a suitable match, ensure his reputation remains intact, and keep things strictly platonic--no matter how dangerously appealing his new-and-improved sincerity and regret may be.

There's just one small problem: the undeniable chemistry that still smolders between them. Can Emme play matchmaker for the man she's still in love with without losing her heart all over again? And is it possible that some love stories--especially the messy, inconvenient, impossible ones--are worthy of a rewrite?

Filled with lively banter, adorable children, a frog named Blast, and swoony kisses, Sense and Suitability is the sweet Regency romance you've been looking for. Basham brings her signature humor to the Regency era where social strictures keep the tension tight in this second-chance, enemies-to-lovers romance.

Thomas Nelson Publishing, October, 2025

Available in digital ebook, paperback, and audiobook

Buy SENSE AND SUITABILITY at Amazon, Christianbook, or Baker Book House

SUGAR BIRDS by Cheryl Grey Bostrom, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"The trees would hold her until she figured out what to do next."

When a tragic fire burns her house to the ground, ten-year-old Aggie Hayes takes off to the woods, the only other place she calls home. Climbing between tree tops and living off the natural bounty of the forest, she evades search parties, believing that she will be apprehended for causing what was in reality a horrible accident. From her perch amongst the birds she observes another young woman who is considering running away, Celia Burke.

Celia Burke is furious. Upon the pretense of a summer vacation, her father proceeds to drop Celia off with her grandmother before leaving to work a long distance contract. Her Gram's property soon becomes part of a search grid for a missing young girl, Aggie Hayes. After befriending Aggie's older brother who works at a nearby dairy farm, Celia also allows herself to be charmed by a handsome face who makes dangerous promises. And curiously enough, Celia feels that Aggie is closer than anyone thinks and will likely need her help.

After settling in, this story's multi-sensory appeal plunges the reader high up into the tree tops where Aggie takes up temporary residence. Her fear, her anxiety, her sorrow, her guilt, are overwhelmingly palpable before tiny shards of hope begin to penetrate the vast tree canopy. Aggie's heavenly Father was nearer than she ever imagined and His voice whispered assurances from the depths of her despair. And Celia? The same could be said about her, even though her feet remained firmly on the ground.

An outstanding story of hope, miracles and restoration!
*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 4.5 stars

 

BackCover Blurb:
For years, Harris Hayes has taught his daughter, Aggie, the ways of the northern woods, where she sketches nests of wild birds as an antidote to sadness. Then her depressed, unpredictable mother forbids her to climb the trees that give her sanctuary and comfort. Angry, ten-year-old Aggie accidentally lights a tragic fire and flees downriver. She lands her boat near untamed forest, then hides among trees and creatures she believes are her only friends—determined to remain undiscovered.

A search party gathers hours after Celia arrives at her grandmother's nearby farm. Hurting from her parents' breakup, she also plans to run. But when she joins the hunt for Aggie, she meets two irresistible young men who compel her to stay. One is autistic; the other, dangerous.

Ideal for fans of The Scent Keeper, Where the Crawdads Sing, and The Great Alone, Sugar Birds is a layered, riveting story set in the breathtaking natural world—where characters encounter the mending power of forgiveness, for themselves and for those who have failed them.
 

(Winner of multiple Earphones Awards and the prestigious Odyssey and Odyssey Honor Awards, Jayne Entwistle's narration has landed on Audiofile Magazine's list of Best Audiobooks of the Year.)

 WINNER: 2021 AMERICAN FICTION AWARDS - Literary, General, and Cross Genre Fiction.

WINNER: CHRISTIANITY TODAY’S 2022 BOOK AWARDS - Award of Merit in Fiction

WINNER: 2021 BEST BOOK AWARD - Inspirational Fiction

SILVER MEDALIST: 2021 READER'S FAVORITE AWARD - Inspirational Fiction

FINALIST: 2021 AMERICAN FICTION AWARDS - Religious Fiction

NORTHWEST WASHINGTON STATE, 1985

Tyndale Fiction, October, 2023

Available in digital ebook, paperback, library binding, and audiobook

BUY SUGAR BIRDS at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House

A SONG IN THE DARK by Kimberley Woodhouse, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

A Novel of World War Two

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"She prayed that others would rise up. It only took a few."

After surviving the awful blast that killed her parents, prodigious young pianist Chaisley Frappier lost her eyesight. Under the attentive care of a most beloved grandmother and their family physician, Chaisley learns to navigate a new path, one that eventually forms her into one of the most sought after concert pianists in the world. Most amazing was the fact that her audience had no idea that she was blind.

While Chaisley was thriving, the world around her was becoming increasingly more difficult to survive, especially for those whose ethnicity did not meet German standards and whose handicaps made them susceptible to inhumane treatment. Entering into a lengthy European tour, Chaisley and her faithful companion Melanie place their wellbeing into the strong, capable hands of their enigmatic chauffeur, Rick Zimmerman. His calm, steady presence grows into a friendship that Chaisley never expected, especially after their goals become united and they choose to use Chaisley's travel and connections to offer hope to the least among them.

A daring dive into the shadows of impending war where the melody still plays for those brave enough to listen.
*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 4.5 stars

 SEE  PAULA'S REVIEW

BackCover Blurb:
Her music captivates crowds. His mission exposes secrets. Their courage defies a dictator.

Against the simmering backdrop of impending war, blind virtuoso pianist Chaisley Frappier embarks on a concert tour through a rapidly changing Europe. When she learns that Hitler's regime of injustice is targeting other disabled people, Chaisley realizes she is in a prime position to help those who are threatened reach safety. But the Führer's growing fascination with the celebrated musician endangers her undercover mission and forces her to walk a tightrope between her fame and her calling.

When Rick Zimmerman receives his next assignment from the British Secret Intelligence Service, he is surprised to learn he'll be acting as the personal driver of a world-renowned pianist as she tours Europe. The role gives him the perfect cover to complete missions of sabotage and intelligence-gathering, but he soon suspects the brilliant, alluring pianist has secrets of her own. As Chaisley and Rick confront evil at every turn, it will take every bit of faith and courage they possess to triumph over hate--and survive.

Bethany House Publishing, September, 2025

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:

Buy A SONG IN THE DARK at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House