When decorated FBI undercover agent Scott Sinclair suffers a gunshot wound in his right arm, the injury threatens his future career in the field. He is determined to regain his former job by training himself to use his left hand, and failure is not an option--especially when he's unofficially pulled into an investigation.
Tori Mitchell is a passionate crime reporter and podcaster who has dedicated her life to seeking justice. Her relentless pursuit of the truth has freed a wrongfully convicted man from prison, making Tori an enemy of the true killer. When her nephew is accused of a different murder, nothing can stop her from getting involved and clearing his name.
Soon after Tori and Scott reconnect on the case, shots are fired, leaving them to wonder which of them has been targeted. As the investigation intensifies, so do the threats and the sparks between them, but Tori's doubtful if she can extend grace and trust to Scott. They'll have to combine their skills and rely on their growing relationship to outsmart the killer.
Perfect for fans of Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn, Elizabeth Goddard, and readers who love faith-based fiction and edge-of-your-seat thrillers, this riveting, clean romantic suspense delivers heart-pounding danger and forced-proximity romance.
English
11.11.2025
On the Edge of Trust ~ Review
11.04.2025
Mistletoe and Malice ~ Review

Mistletoe and Malice
Guarded Hearts Series #1
By Lori DeJong
Riley Hudson doesn't fit the mold that society expects from her. She isn't a spoiled little rich girl living for her next post going viral. Nope she's an attorney who fights for the wrongly imprisoned, runs various charities, and gives her spare time to serve others. When she targeted in a kidnapping attempt, she thinks it's just a random attack, until it proves to be something more. But why?
Colton Blankenship is looking forward to 12 hours of sleep and then a vacation with his former college buddies. But everything comes to a screeching halt when he gets a new assignment - guarding the daughter of rich client. Oh, joy! NOT!! The last thing wants right now is dealing with a security detail for a society princess. Well, he's about walk into a case that defies his expectations: Riley is more than he expected and she does it well, really well. Now he just has to keep her at arm's length, figure out what's going on with his heart, and keep Riley alive.
Mistletoe and Malice opens with a glimpse into the past. This sets up the rest of the story - giving Riley a case to pursue while dealing with her near abduction. But how does one carry on while dealing with such an attack? That's what Riley has to figure out after being stuck with a team of bodyguards.
This is a jump into the action and don't stop kind of read. I stayed up way too late and got up way too early because I needed to know what was going to happen next. The is she going to survive this, why is this happening, and who is behind everything kept the intensity on the high end throughout the book. Highly recommended for those who want romance, suspense, and Christian faith to come together in a single well-written reading experience.
I was provided a complimentary copy with no expectations. All thoughts expressed are my own.
About the Book
Guarded Hearts Series #1
By Lori DeJong
Title: Mistletoe and Malice
Series: Guarded Hearts Series #1
Author: Lori DeJong
Publisher: Scrivenings Press
Release Date: October 21, 2025
Genre: Romantic Suspense
He’s sworn to protect her life … but guarding his heart may be his biggest challenge.
After barely escaping an attempted abduction, Houston attorney Riley Hudson is forced to accept her wealthy father's demand for private security. The last thing she wants is a bodyguard—especially one as maddeningly arrogant, bossy … and handsome as Colton Blankenship. Yet as the threat against her escalates, she begins to rely not only on his skills, but his steadfast presence.
Colton isn’t thrilled about giving up his hard-earned holiday vacation to protect a spoiled heiress. But he soon learns Riley is nothing like he expected. Fierce, independent, and unwavering in her faith, she’s everything he thought he’d left behind after tragedy shattered his own beliefs. As the unknown threat circles closer, the tension between them ignites into something deeper ... and far more perilous.
When a second attempt on Riley’s life nearly succeeds, Colton faces a terrifying truth. Protecting her means risking more than just his life. Haunted by a past he can't outrun, and a faith he’s all but lost, he must decide if he can trust God again ... before he loses Riley—and his heart—for good.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub
Also Available
About the Author

Lori DeJong is a contemporary Christian romance author who enjoys penning stories full of grace and the redemptive power of God’s love that inspire others to hope regardless of circumstance, find joy in the moment, and grow in their faith. She resides in Georgetown, Texas, with her husband and two fur-babies, with a daughter and son-in-love in DFW. Lori's debut novel, Love's True Calling, was the 2022 winner of the ACFW Genesis Award for Romance, a double finalist in the 2024 Selah Awards, and was named the 2023 Scrivenings Press Contemporary Book of the Year. Love’s True Home, Book 2 of the True Calling Series, was a 2025 Selah finalist. Love’s True Measure released in June. Lori's Christmas novella, Jingle Bell Matchmakers, a part of A Match Made at Christmas novella collection, was named a 2025 ACFW Carol Award finalist.
Connect with Lori by visiting loridejongwrites.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card, a signed copy of Mistletoe and Malice, and a signed copy of A Match Made at Christmas novella collection (released in Oct 2024)!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight November 3, 2025, and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 10, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

10.29.2025
So, To Honor Him ~ Review
With Samuel’s Christmas wish driving her forward, Elizabeth leaves her home in Virginia to accompany Samuel back to his father’s home in Maryland where he hopes to play his drum for his father, Thomas. Along the way, war and loss continues to threaten them at every turn, but Elizabeth also catches a glimmer of hope against such suffering as Samuel relays Bible stories, including the story of Jesus’s birth, to Elizabeth. When they finally reach Samuel’s father Thomas, Elizabeth’s heart begins to heal. As she helps care for Samuel and spends time with Thomas, Elizabeth questions whether she should remain in mourning or open her heart to new love and embrace the peace that only comes through trusting in His plan.
Inspired by the song, “The Little Drummer Boy,” So, To Honor Him released on October 27, 2025. It is part of The Carols of Christmas, a multi-author series, though it can be read as a standalone novella.
10.22.2025
Snowbound Threat ~ Review
Left for dead by a treacherous DEA team, Caleb Rourke returns to his quiet hometown in Montana, seeking to escape his troubled past. When his neighbor, Tessa Langley, discovers encrypted documents hidden in her father's secret safe, Caleb’s return takes a perilous turn. He soon realizes that both his enemies and an enigmatic ally know exactly where to find him. Tessa's family becomes a target for those intent on keeping the truth buried. Determined to protect her, Caleb confronts the secrets his own parents concealed for years. Together, they must rely on their faith, each other, and a God who sees what remains hidden. This Christmas isn’t just about the holiday—it’s about the future they could build together.
Silent Snowfall Secrets - Mary Alford
In the snowbound town of Pine Haven, Colorado, Charlie Wells returns home to settle her uncle’s estate—and stumbles into a chilling mystery. Fifteen years earlier, her best friend Abby vanished during a midnight meeting. Now, someone is determined to keep the past buried at any cost. As a deadly blizzard isolates the town, Charlie and deputy Ryan McCabe race to uncover the truth behind Abby’s disappearance and a string of deadly secrets tied to Charlie’s tragic past. But the closer they get, the more dangerous their search becomes—and the killer watching from the shadows will stop at nothing.
Critical Velocity - Jessica Ashley
Ten years after her husband’s plane crash, Beckett Wallace receives proof it wasn’t an accident. To find the truth, she must team up with Detective Shawn Sampson—the guarded man she hoped never to see again. He hasn’t forgotten the sharp-tongued lawyer who nearly wrecked his last case. Working together is a terrible idea… but their only shot. As danger closes in and sparks fly, the truth might cost them everything. And for Shawn, protecting Beckett may mean risking more than his badge—it may cost him his heart.
9.22.2025
Watch of Wand'ring Love ~ Review
Adam McCleary carries more than scars from the battlefield. He holds a final message from Constance’s husband... and a dangerous secret that could cost them both everything.
As Christmas nears and old ghosts stir, Constance must decide whether to bury the past—or let love find her again. But when powerful enemies threaten to steal the ranch and lies twist loyalty into betrayal, she and Adam must stand together to protect the land, the truth, and a second chance neither expected.
A story of resilience, romance, and redemption set against the rugged beauty of Alta California, Watch of Wand’ring Love is a heart-stirring novella about loving after loss—and the courage it takes to begin again
Western danger with plenty of romance, Watch of Wand’ring Love captures the rugged land and strong souls in nineteenth century California. A tale of heartbreak and hope.
~Michelle Griep, Christy Award-winning author of Of Silver and Secrets
Filled with heartbreak, redemption, and hope, Watch of Wand'ring Love is a story that explores loss and the unconditional love that can restore the most broken of hearts. A tale to savor and an author to watch!
~Tara Johnson, Christy and Carol award finalist of Engraved on the Heart
Watch of Wand’ring Love by Kendall Hoxsey is a tender romance that paints a vivid picture of the west in the nineteenth century—a story rich with heartbreak, resilience, and hope. A new author to be watching.
~Ane Mulligan
Kendall Hoxsey shines in this heartwarming Christmas novella. With romance and intrigue, she wraps a delightful story around two wounded hearts. For readers who love Tracie Peterson or Janette Oke, this author is one to watch!
~Publishers Weekly Best-Selling Author, Jaime Jo Wright - The House on Foster Hill
9.15.2025
Heir of Light ~ Review
Until now.
Because in Land's End, he sees a face he never thought he’d see again . . . at least, not outside his dreams. And if she's alive, he'll do anything for a second chance to save her.
Years of captivity to a madman left Sethe with a face full of scars and one rule: never be trapped again. Except, to keep that rule, she'll have to ask for help from Rigil, the thief who broke her heart and abandoned her long ago. Now, years later, he shows up to rescue her from Land’s End like a knight in shining armor? Who does he think he is?
And even if the boy from her past has become a real knight with real honor, can she fall for a man who lied to her?
Maybe that doesn't matter now, because Sethe’s old captor is hot on her heels with a new invention that could turn her into something worse than a prisoner. He could turn her into a weapon.
Fortunately, Rigil and Sethe always did know how to pull off a heist--and if they can steal the enemy’s deadly new weapon, they can save the kingdom. For Sethe, this means trusting Rigil without letting him anywhere near her heart. For Rigil, it means a second chance with the woman whose heart he once broke.
And this time, failure could cost them everything.
Dive into this swashbuckling story of second chances, forbidden love, espionage and epic adventure in this fourth book in the Blood of Kings: Legends series.
8.11.2025
Doyle ~ Review
Meet Doyle, who finds peril in paradise in this rivals romance, book 3 in the Minnesota Kingston series by USA Today bestselling author Susan May Warren
When love and danger collide, paradise plays by its own rules.
When Tiana Pepper lands on the lush island of Mariposa, she just wants to put her sad past behind her. Her goal is a new beginning as fundraiser and director of Hope House, a local orphanage. Except she’s not the director. She’s co-director, and nobody told her she’d have to work with an impulsive, out-of-bounds, depend on his charm, annoying disaster rescuer, named Doyle Kingston.
She can run this show on her own, thanks.
Doyle Kingston, bearing the weight of his own grief, arrives at Hope House ready to leave behind a history of loss. He hopes to find forever homes for these orphans, and the last thing he expects is to have to work with a woman who thinks she’s the boss of this island paradise.
And yet…they have problems.
Like becoming the target of a local gang.
And boss, Billionaire Declan Stone has invited his fancy friends to the island to see Hope House up close, in hopes they’ll donate and get the orphanage on its feet. So…please, could they work together?
And wouldn’t you know it but among the donors is a treasure hunter who believes a pirate left a stash under Hope House. What-ever.
Then an earthquake rocks the island, kids go missing and Tia and Doyle have no choice but trust each other if they hope to save the children and each other.
Doyle is a pulse-pounding romantic suspense featuring rivals turned rescuers, where opposites attract amidst peril in paradise, are two hearts scarred by tragedy just might find a second chance at true love.
The Minnesota Kingstons
Book 1: Jack
Book 2: Conrad
Book 3: Doyle
Book 4: Austen
Book 5: Steinbeck
7.23.2025
Of Sea and Sorrow ~ Release Day Review
Disappointed in love, Edith Linton has given up on her dreams of matrimony and a home of her own. Concerned about her beloved brother’s health, she acquiesces to a summer by the sea after her mother determines it is the only way to improve his health, setting aside her own worries about her future.
Recently returned from the war in Crimea, Dr. Henry Forester hopes to improve medical practices in the seaside town of Weymouth, England. Not everyone is receptive to his new methods, especially his new patient's protective older sister.
Will Edith and Henry find a way to see past their differences? Or will all hope for the future pass before it has a chance to thrive?
Part of Victorians at the Beach, a series of standalone sweet Victorian novellas. Of Sea and Sorrow is a standalone novella in the Victorians at the Beach series, where seaside summers meet sweet romance.
7.21.2025
The Lady of Red River Valley ~ Release Day
Lady Eleanor Brooke has one regret, not marrying Arran when he proposed to her four years ago. At the time, her father had been in deep financial trouble and needed her to marry well. Now, with her father in Newgate Prison, and a scandal hanging over her head, Eleanor has nothing left to lose. She travels to the Red River Colony as a teacher, hoping to rekindle her relationship with Arran, but quickly realizes that coming to the North American Wilderness was a mistake.
Life in the colony is dangerous and heartbreaking, and Arran doesn’t want Eleanor to suffer. He plans to put her on the first ship back to England in the spring, but his plans are thwarted when their enemy attacks, and they are faced with insurmountable odds. When the worst happens, will they have what it takes to fight for the Red River Colony, and for each other?
7.16.2025
Amidst Ruins and Remembrances ~ Release Day and Review
Eloise Deighton grew up sharing secret adventures along the shores of Whitby, England, with summer visitor Griffith Hastings. One summer, Griffith declared his love for her and promised to return. He never did, leaving Eloise’s heart in ruins.
Now a widower, Griffith returns to the seaside town he loved as a boy, hoping to forge new, happy memories with his six-year-old daughter.
A chance encounter between Eloise and Griffith causes old memories to sweep in like the tide. Eloise’s resolve to protect her heart is crumbling like the abbey ruins, yet she fears Griffith will abandon her once again. Griffith is determined to win her back, but he will have to convince her that he has changed. Can the sea that once united them bring a second chance at love?
Amidst Ruins and Remembrances is a standalone novella in the Victorians at the Beach series where seaside summers meet sweet romance.
7.13.2025
Perilous Tides ~ Review
More surprising to Jo than being in danger is the identity of the person who steps in to protect, none other than her ex, former Green Beret Cole Mercer. Now a private investigator, Cole has been looking into her mother's death. If he can just uncover the truth, maybe Jo can end her self-imposed captivity and the two of them can pick up the pieces and build a future together.
As Cole and Jo search for answers, the past rushes in like a dangerous tide to sweep them away before the truth can be revealed.
In this action-packed thriller, USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard serves up a complex plot and the sizzling romance readers have come to expect.
2.03.2025
The Mouse and the Fairy ~ Review
Retelling Thumbelina and The Forest Bride
About the Book:
A fairy prince. A mousy widow. A contest of crowns—or hearts?
Hailey’s life has been anything but smooth. From the death of her husband to being cursed into a mouse, nothing has gone right. Her only solace is the kindness of her dear mole friend, Egbert, and the companionship of a sweet girl named Thumbelina. But just as Thumbelina and Egbert get closer, a handsome stranger crashes into their burrow…
Neil has never had any hope of inheriting the throne as the second of three princes. But when his father declares an unexpected contest for the throne, Neil must find a sweetheart right away. When he awakens after crashing in the snow to find a beautiful maiden caring for him, he considers Thumbelina a gift from above. But if fate brought him to Thumbelina, why does his heart beat for her mouse friend?
Retelling Thumbelina and The Forest Bride
The Intertwined Tales is a multi-author series of clean fairytale retellings. Each novella entwines a famous fairytale with a lesser-known story to create one happily ever after. These standalone stories can be enjoyed in any order.
11.25.2024
Dangerous Christmas Investigation ~ Review
Agreeing to take his late twin brother’s place in an undercover DEA operation reunites detective Jake Harris with a familiar face—and throws him into the line of fire. After he and his ex-girlfriend, Deputy Sabrina Reagan, survive a drive-by shooting, they’ll have to work together to capture a merciless drug trafficker. But when a price is placed on her head, Jake discovers Sabrina has a secret—his four-year-old son. With armed criminals out for blood, can Jake dismantle this drug operation to protect the family he didn’t know he had?
11.12.2024
Across the Ages ~ Review
One woman. Two separate lifetimes. A life-altering decision that could reshape her destiny.
This series has an intriguing premise: there are people among us who live in a second time period. Going to sleep finds you living your second life. You don't dream; you live.
In Across the Ages, Caroline dwells in 1727 and 1927. In both, she seeks answers about the "curse" she was born with. Could the answers she seeks come from the mother who abandoned her as a baby?
When a series uses a unique split-time scenario, such as this one, one would think it would become stale, but each time, it comes across as fresh and new. And with pirates in one timeline and gangsters in another, it is not boring.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.
Purchase at:
http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/across-the-ages/422230
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209357000-across-the-ages (or another link with purchase info
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Series: Timeless #4
Release Date: November 5, 2024
Genre: Christian Historical Time-Travel Romance Fiction
Caroline holds a deep secret. Living in 1727 and 1927 simultaneously, each night she goes to sleep in one life and wakes up in the other. In search of answers to her unique existence, Caroline stumbles upon a letter from her mother hinting at her own experiences as a time-crosser, sending Caroline on a daring quest to uncover the truth. In 1727, Caroline disguises herself as a cabin boy and joins a ship sailing for the Bahamas, her mother’s last known location, where she crosses paths with a ruthless but handsome pirate and is caught in a web of secrets, deception, and unexpected alliances.
In 1927 St. Paul, Minnesota, Caroline grapples with her other life as the daughter of a renowned preacher. Her two older brothers have fallen prey to the corruption rampant during Prohibition, and Caroline struggles to keep their involvement hidden to save her father’s career. As her search for answers about her time-crossing leads her to the dangerous yet exciting world of speakeasies, Caroline enlists the help of a childhood friend who is now a police officer. But with her family’s future at risk and their loyalties tested, Caroline faces a life-altering decision that could reshape her destiny.











