Friday, August 21, 2026

We Wish You a Messy Christmas by Melody Carlson


 This Christmas, the perfect gift might just be learning to let go and love the chaos.


It's Christmastime, and Olivia Bradshaw is dating her childhood neighbor, veterinarian Malcolm McEntire. Life should be merry, but Olivia is worried about her mother Jane's reaction to this budding romance. Their families couldn't be more different. Perfectionist Jane cannot tolerate the unorganized, messy, fun-loving McEntires, and the thought of being permanently linked as in-laws will surely send her over the edge.

Desperate to save both Christmas and her romance, Olivia and her dad concoct an intervention to turn Jane's holidays into a big mess. But they barely launch their plan before fate intervenes with a serendipitous mess of its own.

Pick up your copy here...

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women and children. That's a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a "storyteller." Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She's won a number of awards (including Romantic Time's Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/

Another 5 star must read Christmas novella from Carlson. I devoured this book in one sitting and loved every page.

Thursday, August 20, 2026

Big & Lily by Lisa Roe


 A sharply funny, deeply heartfelt novel about two sisters who discover the best way to find yourself is by getting lost.

For her entire life, Bridget “Big” Ackerman Petty has struggled to hold everything together—her kids, her husband, her demanding mother, all in dizzying orbit around her. While the kids are grown and her husband is retired, every day still feels like a to-do list she can never quite finish. Why is everything so effortless and easy for her sister Lily—a woman blessed with a magnetic personality, a thriving business, and a husband who adores her.

But when Lily discovers her husband’s been cheating, her “perfect” life implodes. Devastated and overwhelmed, she decides to run as far away as possible: to Alaska to lose herself on a hardcore survival trek—and she’s dragged her reluctant sister Big along.

No cell service, no easy exits—just grizzlies, outdoor plumbing, and a group of strangers who know how to read a compass. As the sisters navigate freezing rivers, unmarked trails, and more than one near-death experience, the defenses they’ve used to protect themselves begin to crumble, and they’re forced to face everything they’ve spent decades avoiding: resentment, regret, envy, and the terrifying possibility that the other one’s life might not be as easy as it looks.

Big & Lily is a laugh-out-loud, emotionally rich novel about second acts, sisterhood, and the unexpxpected ways we find ourselves when we’re truly lost.

Pick up your copy here...


After graduating from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and spending many years as an advertising creative director and copywriter in New York City, Lisa Roe accepted the tougher job of stay-at-home mom and turned to writing fiction — mostly to entertain her kids, but then to tell her own stories. A classic first born, a reluctant empty nester, and a Dr. Doolittle wannabe, Lisa lives in New Jersey with her husband and three incorrigible dogs. She is the author of WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD and BIG & LILY.

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

The Fall Affair by Vi Keeland


 

Some people go to Tuscany to find themselves.
I went to escape—New York, my ex’s new relationship, and a career that derailed the moment I was passed over for partner.
My plan was simple: settle my eccentric Italian grandmother’s estate, sell whatever wasn’t nailed down, and return to the life I’d worked too hard to lose.
Instead, I walked into a mess—a crumbling antique shop, two hundred acres of leased vineyard land, and one infuriating clause in the will:
Live and work in the shop for three months, or inherit nothing.
Then there’s the neighbor I clash with instantly. Matteo Lucchese is the infuriatingly handsome winemaker who leases my family’s land and refuses to be impressed by my credentials—or my attitude. He’s rugged and stubborn, stuck living in a time that has long passed us by, and the word
rush isn’t part of his vocabulary. Basically, we’re exact opposites.
But as the days stretch into weeks, Tuscany chips away at the armor I didn’t realize I was wearing, and Matteo shows me the appeal of slowing down, of staying rooted, of wanting something other than climbing the corporate ladder.
I came to Tuscany to escape.
But now that the countdown to going home was on, I wasn’t sure if I was ready to leave.

And the life I was falling for came with a looming expiration date.

Pick up your copy here....


Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles are currently translated in twenty-seven languages and have appeared on bestseller lists in the US, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria, Israel and Hungary. Three of her short stories have been turned into films, and two of her books have been optioned for movies. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

Stop by and meet Vi in her private reader group, Vi's Violets, on Facebook!



Oh, my goodness, does anyone want to take me to Tuscany. After reading this book I to need to escape to Tuscany right away.
I have yet to read a Keeland book that I didn't devour in one sitting.
I Highly recommend this one. I am not going to give anything away. I loved listening to and reading along with this one. I loved the audio book so much great duet narration.
Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

Tangled Weds by Callie Coles


 To the outside world, Sage Deverill has it all. In truth, her marriage is a gilded cage.

When Sage flees from her marriage at a crumbling Panamanian estate, she takes her young son to the only place that has ever felt like home: her grandparents’ estate in Newmarket, the beating heart of the racing world in the British countryside. Surrounded by ivy-clad walls, the kindness of her family and the thunder of hooves on the heath, Sage reconnects with the place, people and creatures she loves most.

Riding beneath the wide Suffolk skies, Sage encounters Rafe Dunbarton—an ambitious, intriguing racehorse trainer with a gentle soul. What begins as friendship soon becomes an irresistible pull between two people who never expected to find each other.

But just as Sage rediscovers her freedom, her past returns in a tangle of destruction and lies and she is forced to decide how much she is willing to risk for her future . . .

Pick up your copy here...

No author headshot available.

Callie Coles is a British novelist whose love of animals, nature and family life in the countryside infuses her storytelling. Callie balances her life as a mother with her passion for writing and horses, sharing her journey through her Instagram and Substack, where she has a following of over one million. In addition to her work as a novelist, Callie has contributed to various publications and collaborated with several leading British brands. Her writing reflects themes of resilience, connection to the land, and the emotional bonds between people and animals, all set against the vivid backdrop of rural life. Tangled Webs is her first novel and the first installment in the Spinning Silks trilogy.

Monday, August 17, 2026

Codebreakers by Stella Sands


 Maggie Moore and Detective Jackson, the genius sleuths introduced in the brain-teaser mystery Wordhunter, are back to solve another crime.

Steamy, seedy, swampy south-central Florida once again serves as the backdrop for the unlikely duo of loquacious, tattooed, trash-talking Maggie Moore and laconic Detective Silas Gabriel Jackson―linguistic genius and genius detective, respectively. Now operating their own agency and using their extraordinary skills in forensic semiotics (her), and good old-fashioned observation (him), the pair decode clues embedded in words and symbols to uncover a sadistic criminal who preys upon unsuspecting men.

The troubled and painful pasts of both Maggie and Jackson come into play as they try to track down bad guys and old friends, figure out how to trust―and whom to love. Once again, Stella Sands delivers a snappy, sharp-tongued and well observed story about life, love, and language.
Pick up your copy here...                                                                                                                                     Amazon.com: Codebreakers: A Wordhunter Mystery - The Captivating Sequel Featuring a Puzzle-Solving Detective Duo: 9780063475359: Sands, Stella: Books

Stella Sands is the bestselling author of six true-crime books: Baby-Faced Butchers, The Dating Game Killer, Behind the Mask, Murder at Yale, Wealthy Men Only, and The Good Son. She is also the author of a children’s book, Odyssea, and many educational books, and served as the Editor-in-Chief of the award-winning magazine Kids Discover for nineteen years. She has appeared on numerous television shows, including People Magazine Investigates, ABC’s 20/20, and several episodes of Investigation Discovery. Her plays, Lou Passin’ Through, Black-eyed Peas, and E-me, have been produced in Off-Off Broadway theaters in New York City. Sands lives in Sag Harbor, New York.

Saturday, August 15, 2026

Heaven on Earth by Randy Alcorn and Lisa Bergen

 

Trusted voices Randy Alcorn and Lisa Tawn Bergren present a theologically rich, breathtakingly illustrated picture book about what will happen when Jesus makes everything new and God brings Heaven down to earth.

Will our pets be in Heaven? Will Grandma know who I am? What is the difference between Heaven and the New Earth, and why does it matter? Follow two curious kids, their parents, and their beloved goldendoodle as they explore the answers to your questions about the New Earth, guided by the trusted, Bible-based theology that has been a hallmark of Randy Alcorn’s ministry for decades.

Pick up your copy here...


RANDY ALCORN is an author and the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching principles of God's Word and assisting the church in ministering to unreached, unfed, unborn, uneducated, unreconciled, and unsupported people around the world. His ministry focus is communicating the strategic importance of using our earthly time, money, possessions, and opportunities to invest in need-meeting ministries that count for eternity. He accomplishes this by analyzing, teaching, and applying biblical truth. Before starting EPM in 1990, Randy served as a pastor for fourteen years. He has a bachelor of theology and a master of arts in biblical studies from Multnomah University and an honorary doctorate from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and has taught on the adjunct faculties of both.

A New York Times bestselling author, Randy has written more than sixty books, including Heaven, The Treasure Principle, and the award-winning novel Safely Home. His books have been translated into over seventy languages and have sold over twelve million copies. Randy has written for many magazines, including EPM's Eternal Perspectives. He is active on Facebook and Twitter and has been a guest on more than seven hundred radio, television, and online programs.

Randy resides in Gresham, Oregon. He and his wife Nanci (who is now with Jesus) have two married daughters and five grandsons. Randy enjoys hanging out with his family, biking, underwater photography, research, listening to audiobooks, and reading.

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Have yourself a Merry Little Meltdown by Shelia Roberts Pre-order


 Jordan Frost had to do it. Her family was simply too perfectly eccentric not to put in a novel. She was thrilled when she got an agent and then a publishing deal. For two books. Two! Then reality set in. The book about an oddball family's holiday adventures is coming out in November. Just in time for her trip home to Holly Bay, Washington, from the big city. Jordan is desperately hoping she can keep her pseudonym a secret so she can stay in her family's good graces. She wrote the book under a pen name and when it was time for an author picture, she wore a wig and glasses. No one will know it was her, right?


Wrong. Charles Pine, her high school friend who always hoped for more, recognizes the woman he's never gotten over as soon as he unpacks her book to shelve at the bookstore where he works. He knows this is the perfect opportunity to get Jordan to see him in a new light and he makes sure to run into her when she arrives home. She never thought of him as anything more than a shoulder to cry on back then, but he's determined to make her see him as boyfriend material. Can he be her hero and help her get through the season with her secret intact? Or at least save her from a holiday meltdown?

Pre-order your copy here...


With more than fifty books to her name, Sheila Roberts is a frequent USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller - and a fan favorite. Her Christmas perennial "On Strike for Christmas" was made into a movie for the Lifetime Channel and her novel "The Nine Lives of Christmas" was made into a movie for Hallmark. Hallmark also made a sequel, titled "The Nine Kittens of Christmas." Her most recent novel to hit the small screen was "Christmas on Candy Cane Lane," which aired on the Great American Family Channel in 2022. Before settling into her writing career, Sheila owned a singing telegram company and played in band. When she's not traveling, she splits her time between the Pacific Northwest and Southern California.

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Christmas At Holiday Ranch by Anna Grace


 All Charley Lansing wants for Christmas is to give her young son the most magical holiday ever. She and Oren are spending the season together—without her grinchy ex—so there’s nothing stopping them from drinking hot chocolate and enjoying Ripple Creek’s elaborate light displays. But Charley’s plans threaten to crumble like overbaked gingerbread when she scores a job helping to stage lavish prewedding celebrations at the bustling Holiday Ranch…working with Waylon Cross.


Waylon, ranch foreman and official fix-it guy, is a handsome, kind, retired national guardsman. But when it comes to choosing men, Charley no longer trusts herself to know who’s actually naughty and who’s nice. As they navigate wild requests from social media darlings and a blizzard keeps everyone snowed in, Charley and Waylon start to rely on each other’s strengths. With the days counting down toward Christmas, Oren is growing more attached to Waylon—and so is Charley. The question is, what will she do if the feeling’s mutual…

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Anna Grace justifies her espresso addiction by writing fun, modern romance novels in the early morning hours. Once the sun comes up you can find her teaching high school history, or outside with her adventure loving husband. Anna is a mediocre rock-climber, award-winning author, mom of two fun kids, and snack enthusiast. She lives rurally in Oregon, and travels to big cities whenever she gets the chance. Anna loves connecting with readers, you can find her on social media and at her website anna-grace-author.com

Monday, August 10, 2026

An Alaskan K-9 Blessing by Teri Wilson


 When grumpy meets sunshine,

Will man’s best friend bring them together?

Daisy Dixon never planned to move to Alaska. But when an epilepsy diagnosis costs her a teaching job, Snowhaven is her only option. When Daisy invites local musher Travis Grace to her class for a dogsledding project, they clash immediately. But Travis is impressed with her stubborn resilience and suggests that she get a seizure response K-9 companion. With goldendoodle Magnolia by her side, and Travis as her training mentor, Daisy sees beneath the grumpy bachelor’s exterior. But when a family secret threatens Travis’s home, they will have to face their fears to create a future together.

Pick up your copy here....


New York Times Bestselling Author Teri Wilson writes heartwarming contemporary romance with a touch of whimsy. Four of Teri’s books have been adapted into Hallmark Channel Original Movies, including UNLEASHING MR. DARCY (plus its sequel MARRYING MR. DARCY), ROYAL-ISH, based on her book ONCE UPON A ROYAL SUMMER, THE ART OF US and NORTHERN LIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS, based on her book SLEIGH BELL SWEETHEARTS. She is also a recipient of the prestigious RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction and a 2022 inductee into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame.

When she’s not writing, Teri enjoys volunteering in her community with her Cavalier King Charles spaniel Charm, a registered therapy dog, reading education assistance dog and crisis emergency response canine. Teri is also a three-time volunteer at the Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race in Alaska and has been active in conformation dog shows and performance events.

A cupcake enthusiast, Teri also loves Hallmark movies, barre classes, crocheting and taking her dogs out for pup cups. Visit her at teriwilson dot net or on Instagram @teriwilsonauthor.


Friday, August 7, 2026

Make Me Hate You Kandi Steiner Teaser


 Make Me Hate You by Kandi Steiner Teaser


How can you hate someone who still owns your heart?

Jasmine Olsen hasn’t been home in seven years for a very good reason. Some memories cut too deep, and sometimes running is the only way to survive. But when her best friend’s wedding brings her back to the small town she desperately tried to escape, she finally comes face to face with… him.

Tyler Wagner. The boy who broke her heart. The man she never quite forgot. And, unfortunately, her best friend’s brother. Charismatic, confident, and unyielding, Tyler is everything Jasmine can’t afford to want. And now, as the wedding fast approaches, he’s everywhere—testing boundaries they never defined, stirring feelings they both pretended were long buried.

With every stolen glance, his golden eyes lure her into their depths. Unable to escape his pull, the memory of them tightens like a rip current, dragging her under. And when he flashes her that smile, she loses her breath along with the last of her restraint.

She wants to hate him. She
needs to hate him.
But if he kisses her again, she’ll drown.
And this time, she’ll take him down with her.

Pick up your copy here...



Kandi Steiner is a USA Today and #1 Amazon Bestselling Author living in Tennessee. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.

An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. Her love for writing started at the ripe age of 10, and in 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.”

She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a hopeless romantic and found herself bursting at the seams with love stories she was eager to tell.

When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, planning her next adventure, or pole dancing (yes, you read that right). She enjoys live music, traveling, hiking, yoga, spending quality time with her family (fur babies included) and soaking up the sweetness of life.

Thursday, August 6, 2026

Sounds Like Trouble To Me by Jean Trounstine


 Sounds Like Trouble to Me sheds light on what happens when a corrections officer kills her abusive husband and suddenly finds herself on the other side of the law. Not only is she shocked with the systematic abuse against fellow female prisoners but confronted with the complicated history of her own abuse, she must struggle with her fragile memory to uncover what actually happened before she goes to trial. It is the women she meets that change her, and in the end, she spurs on a MeToo movement behind bars.

Pick up your copy here...



I'm very excited about my new book, my eighth, and my first novel: SOUNDS LIKE TROUBLE TO ME, publishing this spring in May 2026 with Running Wild Press. You can read about it here or at my website. Also, follow me on Bluesky at JusticeWithJean.

At Framingham Women's Prison in Massachusetts, I directed eight productions, including THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. It is the basis of my first book SHAKESPEARE BEHIND BARS: THE POWER OF DRAMA IN A WOMEN'S PRISON, published by St. Martin's Press, 2001. I was the first person to direct a Shakespeare play in prison and was awarded the prestigious Gramsci Award in Italy for my work in theatre and literature for the past 30 years.

Prison work changed me, and I've written many articles and been featured on The Today Show, All Things Considered-NPR, and The Connection. I helped to establish Changing Lives Through Literature for women in Massachusetts where those on probation are sentenced to a literature seminar and probation instead of jail.

My first fiction, MOTHERLOVE, was published in 2024 by Concord Free Press is about the mothers of teens who killed other teens, and is my first fiction. Now, a novel, and I hope to bring readers into a world they do not know.

I live more happily than not with my husband in Massachusetts.

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Fatal Finale by Nancy Mehl


 

They'd started back to the house when they heard a male voice behind them. Then a shot rang out.
"Run!" Kaely said.

When bestselling author Erin Delaney's novel gets picked up for a movie deal, she eagerly awaits her friend Kaely Quinn-Hunter's arrival in Tennessee before they head to California to observe the film's production. However, when Kaely does not arrive at the scheduled time and Erin can't reach her by phone, her concern grows.

A cryptic phone call from Kaely's kidnapper confirms Erin's worst fear--she has exactly six days to save her friend's life by solving his twisted clues. The message comes with a warning: Contact the police or FBI, and Kaely dies. But Erin works for the Sanctuary Police Department, and Kaely's husband is with the FBI, putting her in an impossible situation. As Erin races against time, she's forced to crack the kidnapper's chilling puzzle before it's too late.

Pick up your copy here...


Nancy Mehl lives in Missouri, with her husband Norman, and her puggle, Watson. She's authored over fifty books and is currently at work on a new FBI suspense series for Bethany House Publishing.

All of Nancy's novels have an added touch - something for your spirit as well as your soul. "I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing," Nancy says. "It's a part of me and of everything I think or do. God is number one in my life. I wouldn't be writing at all if I didn't believe that this is what He's called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan especially for your life, and there is nothing you can't overcome with His help."

You can find out more about Nancy by visiting her Web site at: www.nancymehl.com. She also is active on the Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com and on FaceBook!

Tuesday, August 4, 2026

The Roman Holiday Rule by Andra Loy


 You can't fall in love with someone who lives somewhere else and expect a happily-ever-after.


Lexi Walker has finally committed to the Italian adventure that she and her late mother dreamed of for years--complete with a meticulously crafted itinerary, four sealed letters to open at Rome's most iconic sites, and her mother's final painting to present at the art festival Lexi is helping organize. She's ready for the perfect Roman getaway. What she doesn't expect is for her mother's artwork to start manifesting in real life, turning her carefully planned trip into something unpredictable.

Italian-American architect Mark Russo has sworn off American tourists after having his heart broken, and he's certainly not about to let another one distract him from winning the restoration bid that could reunite his estranged father with his grandfather. But when the captivating woman next to him on the flight to Rome proposes a photography challenge--whoever captures the heart of Italy in seven days wins--Mark can't resist the bet or her charm.

As Lexi follows the letters from her mother around the city, she encounters Mark everywhere she goes. Their competitive banter turns to undeniable chemistry, but they both know the cardinal rule of holiday romances. Will a little magic--and a lot of mishaps--break the Roman Holiday Rule?

Pick up your copy here...


Andra Loy writes hopelessly romantic rom-coms where love bends reality. Her unpublished works of fiction have received multiple awards. An avid explorer of storied castle ruins, Andra lived in Europe for over twenty years with her husband and three kids, but she recently moved back to the United States. When not reading and writing, she enjoys teaching English, traveling, and playing piano.

Monday, August 3, 2026

While you Were Trending by Pippa Grant


 

A former child reality TV star, a retired hockey player, and one rule they shouldn't break - don't date your ex's best friend.

There are three things I will never do (again) in my life:
1. Agree to be filmed doing something stupid
2. Let someone else decide if I’m worthy
3. Fall in love

Four years ago, I went viral in a moment that earned me the nickname
The Wedding Wrecker. I’ve been in hiding at a closed winery with a small group of other accidentally viral women ever since.

But the winery is in financial trouble, and we’re taking every opportunity we get to try to save it.

Including agreeing to be the focus of a documentary about re-opening.

Unfortunately, the documentarian is my ex’s best friend.

My ex’s best friend who always hated me with the passion of a million angry internet users.

But if it’ll save our home, then fine. I’ll tolerate Declan Fox again.

Except the Declan I last knew four years ago is different.

Kinder.

Less arrogant.

More charming.

Unexpectedly attractive.

And finally free to tell me that he’s always loved me.

Thanks, life. I really needed this plot twist.

Pick up your copy here...


Pippa Grant wanted to write books, so she did.

Before she became a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling romantic comedy author, she was a young military spouse who got into writing as self-therapy. That happened around the time she discovered reading romance novels, and the two eventually merged into a career. Today, she has more than 30 knee-slapping Pippa Grant titles and nine published under the name Jamie Farrell.

When she’s not writing romantic comedies, she’s fumbling through being a mom, wife, and mountain woman, and sometimes tries to find hobbies. Her crowning achievement? Having impeccable timing for telling stories that will make people snort beverages out of their noses. Consider yourself warned.

Pippa Grant® is a registered trademark of Bang Laugh Love LLC.


My thoughts...
This is the second book in the Accidentally Infamous series, and it was outstanding. Grant always makes me laugh out loud and her characters are so easy to connect with. Ginny and Delcan's story was amazing, and I can't wait for the next book.
Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.