The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. White // Review

My Review: 

A daring mother and talented musician fight for freedom from the Nazi regime in occupied France, in this gripping story of love and sacrifice. 

Zelie Bellrose is a young widow who is willing to fight for a future for her two children, suddenly finding herself the unlikely leader of an intelligence agency. Every chance they take could possibly put all that she holds dear at risk. I admired her courage, as well as her cool-headed common sense, humility, and fierce devotion to her children. She knows the cost, and doesn't let it defeat her, but push her forward instead. 

Marcel Laurent recently freed from a POW camp, takes a job with a travelling orchestra that comes with special privileges that he can use to help the fight for a free France. Marcel is a kind and discerning man, a quiet leader, who proves his mettle again and again. I loved how he showed his strength in trusting and being willing to follow, while being a source of support, and encouraging others to hope. 

A compelling story of ordinary people, willing to risk everything for their families and country, doing extraordinary things. I was inspired by the faith of Zelie and Marcel, trusting God when hope is hard to hold onto. A gripping story from beginning to end, emotional and full of adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Another stand out novel from Roseanna M. White. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christian Book | Roseanna's Store

The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller // Review

My Review: 

A moving novel based on the true stories of Anna Cooper, Mary Church and Ida Gibbs three women of color who attended Oberlin College in 1884, breaking down barriers and fighting for a fair education. 

 The novel primarily follows Mary and Anna, two women from very different backgrounds, both determined to make a difference and receive a respected college education. The novel follows not just the challenges faced at the college, but also in their personal lives. I was initially drawn to the story knowing very little about the background of the story but found the premise interesting, and my grandmother attended Oberlin College in the 1950s. 

 Well written novel based on real events and people, my heart went out to Anna for her courage in pursuing college and a life away from where she grew up. Not letting the past stand in the way of a bright future. Mary had her own struggles too, away from where her family name carried more weight, I admired how she didn't give up and kept reaching for her goals. 

 Overall, an inspiring read, that brought to life the challenges faced by Ida, Anna, and Mary during their time at Oberlin College. I especially enjoyed the ending, learning more about their lives after college, and later returning for advanced degrees as well. Moving and inspiring historical read. 

 I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Bookshop of 99 Doors by Jaime Jo Wright // Review

My Review: 
A haunting dual-timeline novel of two women in different time periods uncovering the secrets of an elaborate mansion haunted by the memory of a terrible wrong. 

 Tris is excited to start a new job and leave her past behind but is dismayed to find that it has followed her. I admired her for walking away from all she'd ever known for her newfound faith, and acting on her convictions. She finds herself working alongside her old ghost hunting team, Beck and her brother, Casper, to uncover what is really going on at the mansion rumored to be haunted by Civil War ghosts, and an elusive 100th door. Full of gothic vibes, I appreciated the strong faith, and the honesty with which Tris wrestled between loyalty and hope for freedom from the past. 

 Minnie Tipton comes to mansion after her father uproots them, selling everything to move there. But upon moving there, her father is beset by illness and rages, and the housekeeper seems to be harboring secrets, treating her coldly and usurping her place as lady of the house. She meets the mysterious Dexter, a quaker man, with suspicions about the house. Minnie tries to find answers about the house's terrible past, while seeing strange things and not knowing who to trust. The housekeeper was chillingly creepy, hot and cold, and impossible to predict. I liked Minnie, that she stepped out of her comfort zone, daring to hope for more than the role she had silently committed herself to. 

 A gripping and ghostly read, set in a haunted mansion turned bookshop. It definitely kept me on my toes, with complex characters, and unknown loyalties that had me guessing. The dual timelines entwined well, and I liked how it talked about not dabbling in darkness. Masterfully written with a resounding message of faith. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Belle of Chatham by Laura Frantz // Review

My Review: 

Maebel Bohannon's family is divided by their loyalties in the struggle for early America. 

Mae finds herself especially at odds with her sister Coralie, who is a devoted Loyalist, with a British officer as a beau. I admired Mae in her forbearance of her sister's selfish ways, and refusal to settle into complaining alongside her, while making the best of each situation. 

I loved the longing between Rhys and Mae as they fight for a future despite the uncertain future. General Rhys Harlow is devoted to the American cause and is a good friend to Mae's brother. I liked their connection and bond of faith. 

A captivating read that swept me into the struggles of a young America, as loyalties are divided and families torn apart. Full of heartache, betrayal and longing, this historically rich novel will have you hanging onto every word. Hopeful, romantic and gritty, with a love story you won't soon forget. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Montana Rose by Mary Connealy // Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: Montana Rose

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: June 23, 2026

From bestselling author Mary Connealy comes a poignant Western romance about second chances, redemption, and the healing power of faith—a moving tale of a heartbroken young widow, a compassionate rancher, and the love that helps them both find their way home.

When Cassie Griffin’s abusive husband dies, leaving her pregnant and destitute, she’s forced to marry a stranger to survive. Red Dawson, a hardworking rancher and part-time preacher, steps forward to save her from a worse fate. Though Red fears marrying a non-believer goes against his principles, he can’t stand by and watch Cassie be claimed by the ruthless Sawyer clan.

Living in Red’s rustic cave home is a far cry from Cassie’s former life of luxury. But as she learns to work alongside him, she discovers strength she never knew she possessed. Red’s gentle patience and unwavering faith begin to crack the protective shell she’s built around her heart. When a dangerous enemy threatens their newfound happiness, Cassie and Red must trust in God’s plan—and each other—to survive.

Can a marriage of convenience bloom into true love? And can a woman who’s known only submission find the courage to stand tall? A tender story of healing, hope and the transformative power of unconditional love. Perfect for fans of Janette Oke and Karen Witemeyer.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 Lucie's Review: Can a battered heart that long ago lost hope, learn to trust again? 

Cassie was put in a terrible situation by first her mother, and then her late husband. Pregnant and with few options, she accepts the marriage proposal of rancher and part-time preacher Red Dawson. A heartwarming romance, with good relationship building and faith. I liked how Red took the time to teach Cassie things about living in the country, showing her support and sharing his faith. 

It starts out a little slow, but there is good interaction. I admired Cassie's willingness to learn new things, as well as Red's support of her and how he made an effort to get to know her. The parts I found hard to read were the parts that got into the bad guy's head, because he was a seriously messed up creep.

Overall, it was a entertaining read with great characters, strong faith, and a romance that you can root for. I liked how Red and Cassie grew over the course of the story and learned to trust and depend on each other. Well worth the read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About the Author

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies with cowboys and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys always with a strong suspense thread. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist. She is the bestselling author of 75 books and novellas. She has over a million and a half books in print.

Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Visit her website or find her at Petticoats & Pistols!

 

More from Mary

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.

Blog Stops

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

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary 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/iDuaH/montana-rose-celebration-tour-giveaway

Murders in the Marquee by Dana Mentink // Review

Lucie's Review: 

Reformed jewel thief Saul Niffler is doing his best to stay on the straight and narrow and get his life back on track. He takes a job working at the Grand Mallard Marquee as the duck commandant, but when he witnesses someone fall from an upper window, he wonders if he just witnessed a murder. He teams up with guest and amateur sleuth Kitty Rossi and aspiring magician Henry to find answers. Can they untangle the mysterious behind the hotel walls? 

A little slow to start, it picks up quickly as we get to know the characters and the setting. Saul is a likable protagonist, a new Christian working to prove himself and get his life back. Kitty is curious and adventurous, pulling Saul and Henry into her sleuthing. 

A fun-filled cozy mystery, full of faith friendship and a cast of intriguing characters. Engaging storytelling setting up what is sure to be a fantastic series! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Premonition at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright // Review

My Review: 

A dual timeline novel set in a rural Michigan farmhouse that holds secrets that reach into the present day. 

A brutal murder happens in a small rural community, and it has everyone asking questions. Perliett Van Hilton is local healer caught between the world of her mother who claims to speak with the dead, and her late father, a preacher who frowned on such practices. Perliett finds herself caught up in the case, as she finds herself torn between the local doctor and a mysterious and charming newcomer. 

In the present-day Molly and her husband feel like they are adrift, floating farther and farther away from each other. They move out to the country hoping for a fresh start, but a murder that brings up the dark history of the farmhouse has them looking for answers. 

An intriguing split time mystery, with a compelling storyline and a powerful story of healing and faith. A haunting read, I liked the tension between Perliett and George, as they butt heads throughout the story. Perliett doesn't like how George looks down on her self-taught methods, but is continually baffled by his seemingly contradictory actions. I liked their interaction, and how Perliett questions what she sees and the world around her, searching for something true. Molly has been through a lot, and moving to the country isn't her idea. She has been struggling for a long time, and my heart went out to her as she fights for each day. 

Overall, this is a compelling read, full of mystery and intrigue that kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. Excellent storytelling, with a strong message of faith. Great character development and dealing with complex issues. Another winner from Ms. Wright! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Part of Your World by Karen Witemeyer // Review

Review: 

In a providential encounter Muriel Quinn saves Zane Erickson from the sea. Zane is instantly captivated by her beautiful voice and even lovlier heart, but will their class differences and a dark blackmail scheme keep them apart?

A fresh take on a beloved tale, that brings The Little Mermaid to Texas in this enchanting Christian romance. I loved the way that the author took inspiration from the classic tale, and made it completely her own. I loved the realtionship building and interaction. Muriel is very clever, and I admired how she stood up for herself. Zane is a ambitious and kind young man, who is guided my his faith in God, I liked that he isn't afraid of hardwork. 

A riveting story that I wanted to savor and make last, and yet all too soon I had turned down the last page. A memorable read, that captured my heart, filled with faith, humor, and romance, with characters that you can't help but cheer for all the way through. Cannot recommend enough!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Gingham Mountain by Mary Connealy // Celebrate Lit

About the Book:

Book: Gingham Mountain

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: May 26, 2026

From beloved author Mary Connealy comes a heartwarming Western romance about faith, family, and finding love in unexpected places—a touching tale of a devoted bachelor rancher, a determined schoolteacher, and the orphaned children who bring them together. Perfect for fans of Tracie Peterson and Karen Witemeyer.

Grant Cooper has dedicated his life to taking in orphaned children others have overlooked, building a loving family on his rugged Texas ranch. When a new schoolteacher arrives in Sour Springs with strong opinions about his unconventional household, he finds himself drawn to her fierce spirit—even as she challenges everything about his carefully ordered world.

Hannah Cartwright’s own painful past as an orphan makes her wary of the bachelor rancher raising children alone. But as she gets to know Grant’s extraordinary family, she discovers there’s more to him than meets the eye. When dangerous enemies threaten both their futures, Hannah and Grant must learn to trust in God’s plan—and each other.

Can a man who’s sworn never to marry risk his heart for love? And can a woman who’s known only betrayal find the faith to build a true home at last? A touching story of healing, hope and the family bonds that transcend blood.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 Lucie's Review: 

A western romance, with enemies to lovers romance, in a heartwarming read where the protagonists find that they aren't as different as they thought. 

Grant Cooper grew up an orphan and has a big heart for the overlooked. Hannah is a spirited young schoolteacher with a heart for orphaned children. A whirlwind of misunderstandings find Hannah and Grant at odds with each other, which leads to humor. But I liked how they both were willing to stand up and live their convictions. 

There is a lot going on, with a gang of heart captivating children, a new romance that has sparks flying and a bad guy who wants to take Grant's land away. Fun story, likable characters and solid faith!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About the Author

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies with cowboys and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys always with a strong suspense thread. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist. She is the bestselling author of 75 books and novellas. She has over a million and a half books in print.

Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Visit her website or find her at Petticoats & Pistols!

 

More from Mary

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?

Blog Stops

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

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary 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/cy4lg/gingham-mountain-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Courting of Miss Cady by Grace Hitchcock // Celebrate Lit

 

About the Book

Book: The Courting of Miss Cady (Aprons & Veils Book Five)

Author: Grace Hitchcock

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: October 24, 2025

He’s the man of her dreams—she just doesn’t know it yet.

New York socialite Jane Cady is the envy of the season, and the supposed love of Graham Bank’s life, until news arrives that her father’s last merchant ship has sunk, costing them everything. To avoid scandal, the family disappears to manage a hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Determined to support her family, Jane sets aside her dream of marriage and joins her father in working for the Harvey House, as a waitress. But when her former fiancé strolls into the Castañeda Hotel, the weight of her sacrifice becomes all too real.

Rancher Wade Sterling is well acquainted with hard work and that Miss Jane is one of the hardest working Harvey Girls he’s ever met, besides his sister-in-law. When Jane faints on duty, Wade catches her and upon her awakening in his arms, her passionate kiss nearly knocks him off his feet. She begs him to play along and before he knows it, she tells some dandy that they are happily courting. Jane later begs Wade’s forgiveness, explaining it was an emergency as the man was her former fiancé and their relationship ended poorly. But, when the dandy stays in town, Wade finds himself in a fake courtship and in love with the woman of his dreams. He only needs to convince Jane that he is the man of hers.

The Courting of Miss Cady is a fake dating/forced proximity romance with all the sigh-worthy swoon, but no spice!

 

Click here to get your copy!

 Review: A heartwarming, historical rom-com, with a fake courting trope, an admirable heroine, dashing cowboy, and plenty of heart. 

When her father's investments go belly up, Jane Cady's family packs up and her father takes up managing a Harvey House. I admired Jane for making the best of a bad situation, taking a job and brushing off the unkind words of others, clinging to her faith, and being willing to try new things. 

A well-paced read, with great character development and interaction, as well as humor. Wade is surprised to have found the woman of his dreams fall out of the sky and into his arms, he's a gentleman through and through, to the point of some confusion. I liked his strong work ethic and how he keeps working to show Jane he cares. 

Overall, an entertaining read, with great interaction, humor, faith, and romance. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About the Author

Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas, including the American Royalty, Best Laid Plans, and Aprons & Veils series. She holds a Master’s in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives in South Louisiana with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter in a farmhouse that is always filled with the sounds of sweet little footsteps running at full speed. When not writing, chasing her toddlers, or tending to her chickens and golden and labrador retrievers, she’s baking something delightful and can usually be found with a book clutched in her fist.

 

 

More from Grace

Q&A with GRACE HITCHCOCK

Tell us about your new book, The Courting of Miss Cady, in the Aprons & Veils series.

Grace: Thank you so much for having me here today! Book five of my Aprons & Veils series, The Courting of Miss Cady, is a fake-dating insta love romance featuring a jilted knickerbocker turned Harvey Girl! The last thing my heroine, Jane Cady, expects is to fake court a rugged rancher to save face. But as sparks fly and secrets resurface, her love might not be pretend after all!

This book is dear to my heart. I first wrote The Courting of Miss Cady in 2016 after I signed with my agent, Tamela Hancock Murray, when I was trying to break into the traditional publishing world and wrote it with only one POV. It wasn’t the novel that got me my first contract, and I eventually shelved it as I turned my attention to the series that did sell, but it has always been in the back of my mind as I wrote this Harvey Girls series and I knew that this book would be perfect for Jane Cady. I did a massive re-write on this story, given my style has changed over the past 9 years since I wrote it (deleting about 65% of the original work) and added the hero’s POV as well. When I got to know the hero, Wade, I knew his was a true love at first sight for Jane. I’ve always wanted to write an Insta Love and it fit perfectly with the characters.

Q: You mention tropes, what is your favorite trope to read? Which of your books have that trope?

Grace: To name a few, I love stories about marriage of convenience, fake dating, mail-order brides, runaway brides, alpha heroes, and enemies to lovers. In my books, I do have some of those tropes, but I adjust them to fit my story.

My Harvey Girl books by tropes:

Runaway Bride: The Finding of Miss Fairfield

Mail-Order Bride: The Pursuit of Miss Parish

Friends to Lovers/ Fake Dating: The Enchanting of Miss Elliot

Enemies-to-lovers/ Forced Proximity: The Vanishing of Miss Victoria

Insta Love/ Fake Dating: The Courting of Miss Cady

Q: Talk about your writing process, about how long does it take you, do you do all the research before you start writing?

Grace: I usually write the first draft for 8-10 weeks and edit (drafts 2-6) for 12 weeks! The first draft is my favorite!! All the creativity is flowing, and it is so, so fun to see that word count go up! I try not to write on the weekends, but occasionally when the deadline is getting too close, I will have to pull some long hours on the final weekends to get it completed.

With that said, I am writing away on a new super-secret series and have the first drafts of the first three books completed, which nevvver happens in my writing process. I like to finish each book before moving onto the next, but this new series is going to take more weaving of storylines so I needed to make sure I got to know the main characters across the series before editing book 1. A very different approach for me this time around, but it is working!

For the research part, I always start with research, highlight some wonderful “newly discovered” facts that sing to me, and use that as a pivotal part of my plot. Then, while I edit, I research as well to make sure that I don’t miss any historical details.

Q: In case the readers have not read your series yet, tell us who were the Harvey Girls.

Grace: Whenever I tell people I am writing about a Western Harvey Girl Romance, they usually assume the Harvey Girls are associated with an old-time saloon, but nothing could be further from the truth. In the 1890s, there were not many respectable jobs for women, so when Englishman Fred Harvey created his chain of fine dining restaurants along the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroads, single women without an education, or in need of earning their own way, were given a chance to earn an honest wage without the speculation that they offered anything else but food as a service. With Mr. Harvey’s strict rules about the waitress’s code of conduct, the women were given their independence while still maintaining their good name and place in society under the protective, fatherly arm of Fred Harvey. These extraordinary, brave women became known as the Harvey Girls, the ladies who tamed the Wild West with fine china, good pie, and exceptional service with complete propriety.

While Harvey Houses were built to serve the needs of the passengers on the rail to encourage tourism in the west, the railroad workers and local townsmen also dined at the restaurant, but usually at the lunch counter. At a time when men filled towns and women were scarce, inevitably, a railroad worker or townsman would express interest in marrying a Harvey Girl. In order to marry, she would need to fulfill her work contract or risk paying a fine of a month of salary. The fine was set in place to ensure that Fred Harvey would have enough workers and that he wouldn’t simply train a girl to have her shipped to a town of bachelors and leave him without a waitress.

As you can probably tell, such a set up sends an author’s head to spinning with all the romance that could come from a woman venturing out on her own in a land filled with cowboys, bandits, ranchers, and bounty hunters. The possibilities for romance are endless! There is so much more I could write about these fascinating ladies and their contributions to society, but I hope you enjoyed this taste of history on the Harvey Girls!

Q: Can you give us a sneak peek at the next book in the series, The Making of Miss Matthews, which is book 6 in the Aprons & Veils series?

Grace: The story follows a Harvey Girl that readers met in Book One! Dolly Matthews was originally a stinker, but I gave her a good character arc through the series and readers have been asking for her story. This will certainly explain the extraordinary why behind Dolly’s choices in earlier novels in the series and I am soooo excited to share her story that has a shocking twist that readers won’t see coming!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 3

Life on Chickadee Lane, June 3

Connie’s History Classroom , June 4

Devoted To Hope, June 5

Texas Book-aholic, June 6

Labor Not in Vain, June 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 8

For Him and My Family, June 9

Book Looks by Lisa, June 10

She Lives to Read, June 10

Melissa’s Bookshelf, June 11

Holly’s Book Corner, June 12

Vicky Sluiter, June 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 13

EmpowerMoms, June 14

Books You Can Feel Good About, June 15

Mary Hake, June 15

Sydney Schmied Books, June 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away  the grand prize of a $75 (+ Free Shipping) shopping spree on Grace’s Indie Bookstore!!

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

https://gleam.io/T9RHS/the-courting-of-miss-cady-celebration-tour-giveaway

In Pursuit of Civility by Jen Turano // Celebrate Lit

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!

 Lucie's Review:

An unlikely school mistress, eccentric inventor and his mother bent on chasing down a wayward student who went missing to chase after pirate treasure, in this laugh out loud historical rom-com. 

Annaliese feels out of her depth filling as head mistress while her sister is on her honeymoon, and even more so when a student goes missing. She must rely on Seth McCormick to help her track down his adventurous sister, in this fun-fill read. 

I liked how Seth genuinely took a sincere interest in the things that Annaliese likes, he also has a mechanical mind and love of learning. He is very sweet, supportive and unconventional. Annaliese has a heart for animals, and I admired her willingness and determination to see things through. Mrs. McCormick is a great addition to their crew, typically more reclusive she is pulled to action when her daughter goes missing. I admired her courage and faith. 

A fast paced, humorous adventure, with a full cast of characters, great dialogue, interaction and growth. Highly entertaining adventure! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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.

1. 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?

1. 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?

1. 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?

1. 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?

1. 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?

1. 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?

1. 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?

1. 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 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