Friday, April 3, 2026

Celebrate Lit Presents: Half Agony, Half Hope: Dear Lily Edition Author: Joy Michelle Austin

About the Book

Book: Half Agony, Half Hope: Dear Lily Edition

Author: Joy Michelle Austin

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Release Date: March 17, 2026

Lily
Days before her wedding, Lily Wentworth’s carefully planned future is shaken by an unexpected turn. Unsure how to move forward, she turns to the one person she has always trusted—her father.

Rick
Determined not to let their darkest years define her, Rick Wentworth offers Lily the journals he wrote during the season he fought to keep her safe and survive one day at a time.

As Lily reads, she begins to uncover not only the truth of what they endured, but also the fierce, steady love that carried her through—and the strength she may need now.

Half Agony, Half Hope: The Dear Lily Edition is a clean, closed-door story of resilience, family, and the love that shaped two lives.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Joy Michelle Austin is an award-winning novelist writing contemporary fiction. Her debut found an immediate audience among readers drawn to heartfelt stories of healing and second chances, launching the Jane Austen’s Men series. She also wrote The Seaside Sleuths and the Bridal Batter Blunder, a cozy mystery tie-in project for young readers.

Joy draws inspiration from real stories of courage, grace, and the quiet heroes found in everyday life, crafting fiction for readers who seek hope, honesty, and heart in contemporary storytelling.

She is the recipient of the West Coast Christian Writers Encourager Award and the Walt Disney Legacy Award—an honor given to fewer than 1% of Cast Members worldwide for embodying Disney’s “Dream, Create, Inspire” legacy.

Through her blog, The Joyous Living, she connects with thousands of readers who share her love of culture, storytelling, and meaningful living. She lives in Southern California with her dog, Captain Hastings.

More from Joy

Half Agony, Half Hope was not a story I set out to write lightly.
It was an answer to a call God placed on my heart as a survivor of sexual assault—a call to tell the truth without exploiting it, and to create hope without diminishing the pain. From the beginning, I knew this would be a heavy debut novel. I also knew I wanted it to be clean, faith-centered, and redemptive.
The decision to tell this story through the eyes of a man was intentional. So few novels explore male survivors with compassion and dignity, yet one in six men are sexually assaulted. Their stories are often hidden, misunderstood, or minimized. Rick Wentworth’s journey exists to say plainly: healing is possible, faith is not erased by trauma, and masculinity is not diminished by suffering.
Because of the weight of Rick’s past, much of the abuse in Half Agony, Half Hope is veiled. I wanted readers to feel the truth of what he endured without being retraumatized themselves. Still, after the book released, readers told me they longed for more gentleness—more space to breathe inside the story.
That is how the Dear Lily Edition was born.
Lily was Rick’s hope and grace during the darkest years of his captivity. In the cellar, she was the reminder that love could still exist, that innocence could survive, and that God was not absent—even there. Their bond became the quiet heartbeat of the story: a wounded man learning how to hope again through the steady, healing love of a child.
At its core, Half Agony, Half Hope: Dear Lily Edition is a story of survival and faith—but it is also a story of a father and daughter choosing trust and hope despite hardship, and building a family where brokenness does not get the final word.

Blog Stop

Simple Harvest Reads, March 21 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, March 22 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, March 23 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 24

Fiction Book Lover, March 25 (Author Interview)

Vicky Sluiter, March 26 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 26

For the Love of Literature, March 27 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 28

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 29 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, March 30 (Author Interview)

Fruitfully Planted, March 30

Stories By Gina, March 31 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, April 1

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, April 2 (Author Interview)

Books, Books, & More Books, April 3 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Joy is giving away the grand prize of a $20 Amazon Gift Card and a Kindle 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/DEiCR/half-agony-half-hope-dear-lily-edition-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Celebrate Lit Presents: The Bible Companion Book 7 Proverbs-Song of Songs Author: Karen Westbrook Moderow

About the Book

Book: The Bible Companion Book 7 Proverbs-Song of Songs

Author: Karen Westbrook Moderow

Genre: Bible Study

Release Date: September 6, 2025

Are you disappointed with life?

The Bible Companion Book 7 helps you reconcile the realities of life with the promises of God. A simple one-chapter-a-day format lets you engage with Scriptures without the pressure of schedules, homework, or heavy reading loads. Short daily readings and thought-provoking questions connect your story to God’s Word. For personal, group, or homeschool Bible study.

In the Books of Wisdom, God speaks to us in poetry—the language of the heart. These books reveal a God concerned not only about our minds and bodies, but also our emotions. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs bridge the gap between life as we hoped it would be and life as it is. If you struggle with your life’s circumstances, The Bible Companion Book 7 will help you find guidance, comfort, and strength in the poetry of men and women who searched for God in the dark and found Him.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

KAREN WESTBROOK MODEROW is a Bible teacher and author who brings a storyteller’s perspective to Scripture. She holds master’s degrees in theology and creative writing and loves introducing others to Jesus through the stories told in God’s Word.

More from Karen

The Promise Box

My mother had an intricately carved wooden box approximately 4” x 3” that was passed down to her by her mother. It was called a Promise Box and held 150 small cards in assorted colors. One side had a Scripture verse, the other a prayer. Most of the verses came from Proverbs.

The Promise Box was always kept in place we passed many times a day. A place where we’d be sure to see it and be enticed to pull a card. I’d lift the lid and breathe in the musty smell of years gone by then choose a card, eager to see what message from God awaited me. The limp cards with their faded colors told me I wasn’t the first.

My mother’s Promise Box had belonged to her mother. When my mother-in-law died, I received the Promise Box that had belonged to her grandmother. By then the metal box engraved with an intricate family scene had seen better days. The hinges had broken apart. The once shiny box had darkened to near black. But I couldn’t part with it. It had to be more than 150 years old. I couldn’t help but wonder how many times those who owned it reached for a word from the Lord to get them through their day.

Most had lost children. They depended on God for daily bread literally as the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl took their family members and livelihoods. As an adult, I understood that we aren’t to treat the promises of God like fortune cookies we hope will bring us good luck. A daily visit to the Promise Box doesn’t substitute for time spent with God in prayer and His Word but it has value. The Promise Box reminds us that God is not only in the church, He is in our homes. He wants us to see Him, to reach for Him, and rely on His promises. If a little box nudges us to look to Him with expectation., then it is not only a gift we should treasure, but a treasure we should pass on.

Norma’s Promise Box

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 19

Girls in White Dresses, March 20

She Lives To Read, March 21

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 22 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 23

Texas Book-aholic, March 24

Lots of Helpers, March 25

Cover Lover Book Review, March 26

Books Less Travelled, March 27 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 28

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 29

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, March 30 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, March 30

Mary Hake, March 31

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, April 1 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen 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/Y0MR0/the-bible-companion-book-7-proverbs-song-of-songs-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Truffle Trouble (An Amish Candy Shop Mystery Book 10) by Amanda Flower

Summer is finally upon the village of Harvest, Ohio, nestled in picturesque Amish Country, and folks are abuzz over their very own Bailey King’s upcoming June wedding. The Amish Candy shop owner and star of TV’s Bailey’s Amish Sweets is marrying Holmes County Sheriff Aiden Brody. To sweeten the occasion will be a scrumptious giant chocolate truffle wedding cake, made especially for the happy couple by Bailey’s New York City mentor, Jean Pierre. Other than the risk of the ring bearer, Jethro the pig, taking a bite out of the confection, what could go wrong?

As it turns out, a food-related disaster does befall the day. But with Bailey in the mix, it’s nothing so pedestrian as a peckish pig. At the reception, a wedding guest dies after sampling the hors d'oeuvres. Café owner and new caterer Darcy Woodin, who made all the food except the desserts, is pegged by police as the number one suspect. Even more incriminating, the victim is one of Darcy's ex-boyfriends.

Amazon

About The Author

Amanda Flower is a USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author of over thirty-five mystery novels. Her novels have received starred reviews from Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Romantic Times, and she had been featured in USA Today, First for Women, and Woman’s World. She currently writes for Penguin-Random House (Berkley), Kensington, Hallmark Publishing, Crooked Lane Books, and Sourcebooks. In addition to being a writer, she was a librarian for fifteen years. Today, Flower and her husband own a farm and recording studio, and they live in Northeast Ohio with their two adorable cats.

My Review

I've read most of the books in this series, and they are always a treat, even when they deal with a murder.
This time it's Bailey and Aiden's wedding, if you have followed these two, it is time for the wedding! Things go awry when someone dies at their reception, and our dear friend Darcy is a suspect.
We are back with our darling pig, Jethro, and he does help in solving the murder. I also suspect that he is a wedding cake lover.
This read does feature many of the recurring cast of characters, which means Margo is again getting Bailey to do her bidding!
I enjoyed my visit back to Harvest Ohio, and the people that I have come to care about, and am looking forward to the next book in this series!
I received this book through Net Galley and the publisher Kensington, and was not required to give a positive review.

Unsolved Amish Abduction (Love Inspired Suspense) by Mary Alford

An anonymous letter containing her missing sister’s bracelet lures Anna Hartzler back to her Amish hometown—and into a trap set by the kidnapper she escaped years ago. She’s rescued from another abduction by Jaxson Thomas, her former neighbor turned police officer. Now Anna must depend on Jaxson to protect her and her little girl, who he doesn’t know is his child. But as the threats grow, can he keep them safe long enough to identify and catch the culprit—before this enemy sets his sights on their daughter?

Amazon

About The Author

Mary Alford is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author who loves giving her readers the unexpected, combining unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots that result in stories the reader can’t put down. Her books have garnered several awards and nominations. Mary lives deep in the heart of Texas with her husband, two cats, and a dog. Mary is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

My Review

You really need to take a deep breath as you begin this read. Non-stop action, and you really never know what is going to happen next.
An Amish woman is in danger here, along with her ten year old daughter, but why? The author gives us an action packed read, full of danger, and why, well, I really didn't guess at all how this story was going to turn out, very deep.
We are given some very sweet romance, along with the reveal of some long held secrets.
I know when I pick up a Mary Alford book, that I'm in for a suspenseful ride, and this one sure it the mark. Now I can't wait for this great author's next book!
I received this book through the Author, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Hired Man by Sandra Dallas

The Dust Bowl sweeps a handsome stranger into a small Colorado town to dangerous effect

1937. It’s been seven years since the dust storms started in Colorado. Folks can barely remember a time when the clouds were filled with rain instead of dirt, and when the fields were green instead of brown. High school student Martha Helen Kessler and her family are luckier than most; they still eke out a living from the land. Even so, evidence of the Dust Bowl’s grim impact on families, especially on the women who bear the brunt of their husbands’ frustration and their children’s hunger, is everywhere.

When Martha Helen’s compassionate mother insists they take in Otis Hobbs, a handsome drifter who saves a local boy from a vicious storm, she quickly discovers a darker side to their rural community. Suspicion, jealousy, and prejudice grip their neighbors – and emotions reach a frenzy after Martha Helen’s best friend, Frankie, disappears and is then found murdered. Ultimately, Martha Helen is forced to make sense of her conflicting feelings and loyalties in order to help find retribution and to reconcile the difference between the law and justice.

Amazon

About The Author

Dubbed "a quintessential American voice" by Jane Smiley, in Vogue Magazine, Sandra Dallas is a New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen adult novels, several children's novels, and numerous works of non-fiction about Western subjects. Her adult novels, which include Prayers for Sale, Tallgrass, and The Persian Pickle Club, all share themes of loyalty, friendship, and human dignity and have been translated into a dozen foreign languages and have been optioned for films. Her work has won or been nominated for numerous awards and prizes and in 2021, she was inducted into the Colorado Authors' Hall of Fame. A former bureau chief for BusinessWeek magazine, Sandra lives in Denver and Georgetown, Colorado with her husband and with her two grown daughters nearby.

My Review

Another great read from Sandra Dallas, she doesn't disappoint.
This story takes place during the Dust Bowl in 1937, a time during the depression, where everything is filled with dirt! Sweep it out of the house and its right back again.
People in this Colorado town are leery of drifters, and there are a lot coming through. A missing child, and a drifter, he finds the child, and yet the locals want him gone!
The Kessler family hire this drifter, well, Mrs Kessler does, but the family goes along with it. He seems to be a jack of all trades, and works for his meals.
Then there is a murder of Martha Helen's best friend, and the hired man is a suspect, he's the vagrant.
I loved this family, through all they are there for one another, but the Kessler family, have some deep held secrets, and they do come to light, but you'll wait awhile.
This did become a page turner, and yes, there are big surprises. Now I can't wait for the next book!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher St. Martin's Press, and was not required to give a positive review.

Monday, March 30, 2026

Celebrate Lit Presents: How to Make a Miracle (How to Be a Hero Book 2) Author: Carol Schlorff

About the Book

Book: How to Make a Miracle (How to Be a Hero Book 2)

Author: Carol Schlorff

Genre: Middle-grade action and adventure

Release Date: February 17, 2026

Three teenagers. One perilous quest. A miracle worth risking everything for.

Trapped in the Past … A visit to an old palace takes an unexpected turn when Stefan, his sister Julia, and their friend Hugo are mysteriously hurled into the harsh, unpredictable world of the Bible, where they meet Nasiya, a young slave girl caught in a dreadful fate.

Danger and Destiny … In a land where any shadow can hide an enemy, the trio must summon every ounce of faith to survive. For Stefan, however, the battle isn’t only against ruthless warriors—it’s against the anger and guilt holding him captive for too long. As the teens embark on a dangerous journey, Stefan must face the wounds of his past before they shatter his future.

A Race Against the Clock … With time running out and lives hanging in the balance, Stefan must discover that the greatest miracles aren’t about changing the world—they’re about renewing the heart. Fast-paced, richly immersive, and carrying a powerful message of redemption, this middle-grade adventure will grip readers from the first page to the last.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Carol’s passion is to write exciting stories that encourage, inspire, and boost the reader’s faith, possibly because she has always felt like an outsider. She was born in North Africa to American parents and grew up in France. At age 15, her family’s abrupt move to Philadelphia resulted in a rough transition to American life.

After graduating from Penn State, Carol joined the Army in search of adventure. She was stationed in exotic—for her—locations like California, Arizona, and Texas.

Since then, Carol has lived in Krakow, Poland, where she teaches English and organizes language camps. She also writes a blog on faith-related topics.

Carol enjoys watching or reading a good murder mystery and getting nervous while watching NFL games.

More from Carol

The idea for a middle-grade novel came to me while I was listening to a series of sermons on meditating on God’s Word. How could I show that the Bible is exciting, far from boring, relevant to our lives, and has the answers we seek about our purpose in life? And do so in a way that is fun and intriguing, keeping the readers on the edge of their seats? Write a time-travel adventure into the Bible, of course! Granted, the premise may not be new, but I aimed to write it in a way that is fresh and stimulating, giving valuable insights into the Bible.

The result of this crazy idea is the How to Be a Hero series, of which How to Make a Miracle is the second installment, although each book can be read as a standalone novel.

I targeted middle-grade readers because it’s an awkward age when young people begin to question what their parents have taught them and seek answers for themselves (speaking from experience, here). If my books can encourage them in their faith, I will consider my writing a success.

I chose the book themes based on issues young people struggle with. How to Make a Miracle addresses the problem of anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness, which I don’t need to tell you are far too prevalent in our society. The solution is forgiveness—and we all need to learn how to forgive each other, regardless of age.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 17

Simple Harvest Reads, March 18 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, March 19

Artistic Nobody, March 20 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, March 21

Guild Master, March 22 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 23

Fiction Book Lover, March 24 (Author Interview)

Books Less Travelled, March 25 (Author Interview)

Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, March 25

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, March 26 (Author Interview)

Vicky Sluiter, March 27

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

For the Love of Literature, March 29 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 29

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 30 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

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

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

https://gleam.io/OTSG5/how-to-make-a-miracle-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, March 27, 2026

Celebrate Lit Presents: Mail-Order Baroness Author: Misty M. Beller

About the Book

Book: Mail-Order Baroness

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: February 10, 2026

Five sons of an English duke, all raised in the Rocky Mountains…

James Balfour, the charming middle son of an English duke, is determined to prove he’s capable of taking leadership of his family’s Montana ranch as the next deadly winter approaches. With the household stretched to its limits, James crafts a clever plan to hire Rose Prescott—his childhood best friend—and to right an old wrong.

Rose’s remarkable singing voice was meant to be her gift, but in Virginia City, it’s become her curse. Forced by her stepfather to perform nightly shows, she dreams of escape and a life free from his control. When a newspaper ad for a housekeeper offers her a way out, she risks everything and flees, hoping her stepfather can’t find her. She never expected to return to the Balfour ranch, nor to see James again, whose charm now reminds her too much of the men who’ve betrayed her before.

James’s desire to protect Rose is shaken when his old friend treats him like an enemy. Winning her trust becomes his greatest challenge yet. As tensions rise on the ranch, old secrets and new dangers threaten everything James and his family have built.

With enemies closing in, Rose must decide whom she can trust—and whether she’s willing to fight for the freedom and love she’s always longed for.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a royal family saga featuring a mail-order bride, a second chance romance, and an aristocratic marriage of convenience…all set in the rugged Montana Territory.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Misty M. Beller is an ECPA and USA Today bestselling author with over 1 million books sold. She writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

More from Misty

Hello Reader Friends!

I’m so excited to be back with you in the Lords of the Rockies world—where Regency roots and Montana grit collide in the best kind of way.

When I first dreamed up this series, I couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen if five sons of an English duke were raised far from ballrooms and titled expectations…out in the wide-open wilderness instead. No polished drawing rooms. No London Season. Just rugged mountains, hard work, and the kind of faith that’s tested (and strengthened) when survival itself requires perseverance.

And now I’m thrilled to share the newest installment with you…

Welcome to Mail-Order Baroness!

One of my favorite things about writing romance is getting to explore the truth that God is always in the business of redemption—of taking what’s been broken and offering something new. That’s one reason I especially love the second-chance romance trope.

There’s just something so moving about two people who have already been hurt—by life, by circumstances, sometimes even by each other—and yet are given an unexpected opportunity to try again. Not because everything is suddenly easy, but because they’re different now. Wiser. Humbled. More aware of what truly matters.

In Mail-Order Baroness, you’ll find a love story rooted in that kind of hope—the kind that doesn’t ignore the past, but doesn’t let the past have the final word either.

If you enjoy stories with:

old wounds that still ache
hard-earned forgiveness
trust rebuilt one choice at a time
and the gentle reminder that God can restore what feels beyond saving

…then I think this one will tug at your heart.

At its core, this book is about a fresh start that doesn’t come from pretending yesterday didn’t happen—but from bravely stepping forward anyway, learning to hope again, and discovering that the Lord can write something beautiful even after disappointment.

I pray you love Mail-Order Baroness! J

Blessings!

Misty