A Noble Friend ~ Review

A Noble Friend

Cornerstone #15

By Kendra E. Ardnek

Joah was abandoned when he was 7 years old. When he was first left on the Rowanshaw doorstep, Joah was raised as if he were a sibling to Charles, Anton, and Aloise. But once the brothers were sent away to school, Joah discovered his true place within the family: that of a servant. 

Since that time, he has devoted his life to being there for Lady Aloise Rowanshaw. However, the time has come for Aloise to get married. When Joah is assigned as her personal guard, the dynamics of their relationship shift once again. 

Joah is to be a silent sentinel, ready to give his life if need be, but never to address Aloise. There is just one little problem, Aloise asks him to share his insights on her potential suitors. Yes, that works so well when Aloise is instantly smitten with a suitor, whom Joah names Bluebeard.

This is when the Bluebeard retelling really becomes apparent. Overall, it is a good story. The more gruesome aspects of the original fairytale are omitted from the story, making it suitable for teen readers.

I was provided a complimentary ARC copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the Book:

He'll follow her to the ends of the earth, even as she marries another. But what happens when her husband proves to be a monster?

A Noble Friend is a New Adult Christian fantasy retelling of Bluebeard. 

Book #15 in the Cornerstone Series.

Waylaid ~ Review

Waylaid
Windy City Westons #1
By Jerusha Agen

Spring Weston is a rising star in the world of cycling, and she's determined to be the best. But when she learns the truth about the team she's on, she doesn't want anything to do with it. But before she can decide what she will do, her whole life is shattered. She's the victim of a hit-and-run accident. 

Spring is officially the Weston family failure. Her father's biggest disappointment. She'll never ride a bike again. No, she's trapped by her broken body. If only the driver had killer her, then she would have at least not been left to endure her father's disgust and the pity of others.

 

Sergeant Torin Cotter has let people down too many times. He knows the feeling of such failure. When he is asked to take over the investigation of Spring's case, something just feels off to him. He can tell Spring is holding something back and that she is scared. Torin will discover the truth and do all he can to help Spring. 

 

When his own past comes into play during his investigation, Spring may offer the only hope to overcome his pain. If only he could offer her the same. But he refuses to allow himself to connect with Spring. It's all about surviving until he learns the truth about his wife. 

 

When a killer comes after Spring, Torin is determined to protect her, while Spring is more concerned about anyone losing their lives for her.   

Waylaid is the first book in the Windy City Westons series. The Weston family siblings are focused on helping Spring overcome and conquer her depression over the fallout of the hit-and-run that left her paralyzed. I found it interesting how the family dynamics played out throughout this book. They had differences when it came to matters of faith, but they were all about loyalty to one another. No one messed with one of their own without the others rallying around them. The dynamics between the Westons came across as authentic and believable. This was an excellent and engaging read that kept me up way too late reading. The suspense was way too tempting. I wanted to know who and why, and it was definitely not what I was expecting.

 

I was provided a complimentary ARC copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the Book:

Someone wants to kill her. She wants the killer to finish the job.

Spring Weston will do anything to rise in the ranks of pro cycling and prove she isn’t the one failure of the five Weston siblings. Anything except cheat. When she learns of doping on her cycling team, she’s determined to uncover the truth. But she can’t if she’s dead.

Sergeant Torin Cotter may not be the hero the public thinks he is, but he recognizes fear when he sees it. When he takes over the investigation of the collision that landed Spring in the hospital, he’s compelled to protect her from whatever danger she’s in, even though he knows he might fail. Again.

Spring’s faith in God isn’t enough to help her face the living nightmare she awakened to after the accident. But neither she nor the handsome sergeant see the greater threat that’s coming until it’s too late.

If they’re going to survive, Spring and Torin will not only have to confront their worst fears—they’ll have to find a reason to live.

 

Rosalyn and the Wolf ~ Review

Rosalyn and the Wolf: A Regency Retelling
Once in a Wood #2
By Sienna Peake

This is a sweet Little Red Riding Hood-inspired retelling within a Regency setting. Rosalyn Lennox is expected to marry well. Her parents favor a certain young man, but Rosalyn isn't so sure. In their youth, George Foster was a bully and was best avoided. He has changed, maybe.

Four years ago, Jasper Wooldridge was sent away to join the navy. But the time has left a darkness in his being. Only when he spends time with his childhood friend does the darkness lift. Rosalyn brings back some of the lightness of his youth, but he fears the duties of war have made him unsuitable to pursue her hand. With her parents partial to his childhood nemesis, he knows he cannot win her heart. 

This book has elements from the original fairy tale but presents them in such a way that this story is original. This was an easy read and one that can be enjoyed over a weekend. There are a few tense scenes but nothing to take away from the sweet, clean aspects of the rest of the book. This is a friends-to-something-more, feel-good read that is appropriate for tweens and up, in my opinion. It's less scary than the original tale!

I was provided a complimentary ARC copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

What if the wolf wasn't the problem?
Rosalyn Lennox wants nothing more than to please her parents and stay close to home until her childhood friend returns from the navy and makes her question everything she thought she needed in a match.

Jasper Wooldridge is back after four long years at sea, scarred by the realities of warfare and hoping only for a bit of respite until he reconnects with his dearest childhood friend and begins hoping for more.

When an unwanted proposal and a call back to sea interrupt their reunion, will Rosalyn and Jasper find a way to come together?


Rosalyn and the Wolf is a sweet, clean Regency romance inspired by the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood. It is the second book in the Regency fairy tale retellings series Once in a Wood. The books in the series may be enjoyed in any order.


Once in a Wood series--Where fairy tale forests meet Regency romance

Pearl and the Baker - inspired by Hansel & Gretel

Rosalyn and the Wolf - inspired by Little Red Riding Hood

Guinevere and the Three Brothers - inspired by Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Hannah and the Nightingale - inspired by The Nightingale

Cover Reveal for Golden Lotus

 Today, I'm thrilled to share the cover reveal for my upcoming book
Golden Lotus. This is one of seven books in a multi-author collection
titled A Garden of Fairy Tales.

Golden Lotus is a retelling of the Little Mermaid with some elements
from the Winter Fairy and the Legend of the Frozen Lake.
The ebook is currently available for preorder for $0.99.

There will be a paperback and hardcover edition too. The hardcover will have an
exclusive cover that is just so pretty.

But I know that you're here for the cover reveals.

First, here is the eBook/Paperback cover.

 

 

This cover was created by follow author Kendra E. Ardnek
who is creating all the eBook/Paperback covers.

 

Now for the hardcover cover reveal, which I will
admit I designed. 

 

 

I confess I found designing this cover
to be as enjoyable as writing the book.

 

The release date is May 9, 2025!

Preorder ebook at https://amazon.com/dp/B0DQM5K88W

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

 Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

May your pot of gold be filled with good books.

Break My Fall is Coming Soon

Break My Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn is about to be released.

Don't miss this new addition to her Gossamer Falls series!

Written in Secret ~ Review

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for  

Written in Secret by Crystal Caudill hosted by  

JustRead Publicity Tours!

 

Written in Secret 

The Art of Love and Danger #1 

By Crystal Caudill 

Lydia Pelton finds herself in trouble with the law when she agrees to help out a friend. But that is nothing when someone decides to bring her writing out of the realm of fiction and into the real world. Lydia's mystery series meets out justice to those she feels have escaped it. Now someone has decided to use her stories as a blueprint. With a serial killer targeting her victims, Lydia finds her "hero" suspect number one. 

Officer Abraham Hall doesn't have time for Lydia's antics, and their first meeting is not about to be forgotten soon. First impressions aside, he is even more flabbergasted when Lydia's alter ego turns out to be prime suspect number one. 

 

But when the very city who embraced her hero, Billy Poe turns on him, Lydia's life just gets much more complicated. How can she prove that a character who is only a figment of her imagination is innocent? And when the good people of Cincinnati decide that her writing is it blame, how can she get the answers she seeks and keep her loved ones safe?

 

This is an interesting read that delves into more than just murder and motive, it examines the heart. Do the words we use make us guilty even if we don't do the deed? Is it the thought that counts? And then there is the question of justice, vengeance, and mercy. Which do we pass out? 

This is a book that makes you think and examine while entertaining. I love how the characters grapple with these very issues. This book was a page-turner that had some moments of levity, it isn't heavy or dreary. This is a historical romantic suspense that is well-worth reading. I love how Lydia compares what she is "experiencing" to how she writes the scenes. 

 

Of note: There are no overly graphic scenes, but there is enough description that one feels the scene. (Sensitive readers may find some scenes a little disturbing.)

 

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.

 

About the Book

 

Title: Written in Secret 

Series: The Art of Love and Danger #1 

Author: Crystal Caudill 

Publisher: Kregel Publications 

Release Date: March 11, 2025 

Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspense Romance 

What happens when fiction becomes reality? In the corruption-infested Queen City, danger lurks in every shadow, but Lydia Pelton refuses to stay silent. She writes under a pseudonym, E. A. Dupin, crafting crime novels to exact justice and right the wrongs she sees in society. When a serial killer decides to be the sword to her pen, Lydia is confronted with the consequences of her words. Four men are dead, and the city blames her. 

With murders on the rise, Officer Abraham Hall's only lead is Lydia's fiction, and he is thrust into an investigation with the "Killer Queen of Romance." Despite his misgivings about the woman, he realizes that even with his reputation for catching elusive criminals, he needs her help. But his unexpected attraction to Lydia proves as difficult to manage as the woman herself. 

As the mystery unfolds, Abraham and Lydia race to rewrite the ending, not only for Cincinnati's citizens, but for their own hearts too.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Kregel Publications | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop

Also Available

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About the Author

Crystal Caudill is the Christy Award–winning author of “dangerously good romance,” including the Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age series. She is a stay-at-home mom and caregiver, and when she isn’t writing, Caudill can be found playing board games with her family, drinking hot tea, or reading other great books at her home outside Cincinnati, Ohio.

Connect with Crystal by visiting crystalcaudill.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Written in Secrets and a $25 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 12, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on March 19, 2025. Winner 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 the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!