Sunday, August 31, 2025

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: The Undercover Heiress of Brockton by Kelly J. Goshorn

Book: The Undercover Heiress of Brockton

Author: Kelly J. Goshorn

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release Date: August 1, 2025

A Socialite in Disguise Seeks Truth and Justice

Henrietta “Etta” Maxwell is a hard-hitting investigative reporter for The Enterprise Daily. The catch? Etta must pen her columns under the nom de plume, Henry Mason—a fact that routinely puts a knot in her knickerbockers.

Leo Eriksson is a second-generation firefighter with a passion for rendering aid to those in need. When Leo discovers that Henry Mason is really Henrietta Maxwell, the fire department’s wealthy benefactress, he agrees to keep her identity secret. After a sudden blast rocks the Grover Shoe Factory, Leo and Etta team up to determine if the explosion is related to a series of suspicious fires in the area.

When an unnamed source reveals Etta’s secret identity to a rival reporter, she falsely accuses Leo of being the informant. As the truth comes to light, Etta must persuade Leo to give her a second chance or lose the only man she’s ever loved.

Click here to get your copy!

Kelly J. Goshorn weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into uplifting stories of love, faith, and family set in nineteenth century America. Her debut novel, A Love Restored, won the Director’s Choice Award for Adult/YA fiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference in 2019, and earned recognition as both a Selah Award finalist in the Historical Romance category and as a Maggie Award Finalist for Inspirational Fiction. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys spending time with her young adult children, binge-watching BBC period dramas, board gaming with her husband, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Levi.

More from Kelly

A Little Swedish Flavor

Beginning in 1844, Swedish immigrants began arriving in Brockton, Massachusetts. By 1920, Swedes accounted for approximately 30% of the city’s population. Their long-lasting impact on Brockton’s character remains evident today with annual cultural celebrations and religious festivals.

The Undercover Heiress of Brockton is set in the Swedish neighborhood of Campello. My hero Leo Eriksson’s favorite meal is Kalops, a savory beef stew that is traditionally served with boiled potatoes and pickled beets. For Leo, a bachelor who takes most of his meals at The Drake Tavern, the dish recalls happy childhood memories of his mother’s cooking.

Kalops contains typical stew ingredients like carrots, celery, onions, and garlic, but what makes this dish unique is the addition of allspice. Allspice adds a warm spicey flavor to the recipe that makes it perfect for a chilly winter day.

I had the opportunity to taste test this recipe, and while I would never brag about my own cooking skills, I have to say that it turned out quite well. I’d love to hear from you if you decide to give this traditional Swedish dish a try.

Kalops (Swedish Beef Stew)

Recipe courtesy of Skandibaking.

SERVINGS: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

2.4 lbs chuck roast (or other beef cut suited for stews)

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

3 large carrots

1 stalk celery

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp ground allspice (or more to taste!)

2-3 bay leaves

3 cups beef stock (can also use water and bouillon)

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

SERVED WITH: 7 large potatoes

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep the beef by cutting into 1 inch cubes. Season well with salt.
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil when preheated and add beef in one layer, searing on all sides. If you need to sear the meat in batches, you can remove one batch before adding the next to ensure that it browns well.
Dice your onion and celery while the beef is cooking (or prep ahead of time). Finely mince the garlic cloves.
Once the meat is browned on all sides, add in the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until just softened.
Chop your carrots into bite sized pieces. You can either add the carrots now if you like them super soft or add them with about 45 minutes left of cooking if you prefer them to have more of a bite.
Add one tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Once melted, add in three tablespoons of flour and stir until everything is coated. Add in ground allspice.
Pour in beef stock, stirring while adding to dissolve the flour coating. Once all of it has mixed in, add in 2-3 bay leaves. Now is a good time to taste for initial seasoning – add in salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Let the stew simmer for about an hour and 15 minutes; add more water or stock if needed! Now is also the time to add the carrots if you want them to be less soft.
Simmer for an additional 45 minutes or until the beef is very tender – in the meantime, prepare the potatoes for serving.
Prep potatoes by peeling and cutting in half. Place in a pot with cold water and add salt. Heat over medium-high heat with the lid on until it boils. Remove the lid and boil for about 15 minutes or until a knife poked into the center of a potato releases easily (you can also just taste for doneness!). Drain and set aside until ready to serve.
Remove bay leaves. Check for final seasoning (add more salt if needed). Add stew to bowls and serve with boiled potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley if you would like. Enjoy!

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 27
Pens Pages & Pulses, August 27
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 28
Mornings at Character Cafe, August 28
Texas Book-aholic, August 29
Devoted To Hope, August 29
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 30
Books You Can Feel Good About, August 30
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 31
Blogging With Carol, August 31
Hannahbandanarama, September 1
For Him and My Family, September 1
Stories By Gina, September 2 (Author Interview)
Simple Harvest Reads, September 2 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
She Lives To Read, September 3
Mary Hake, September 3
Book Looks by Lisa, September 4
Books Less Travelled, September 4
Blossoms and Blessings, September 5
Bizwings Book Blog, September 6
Holly’s Book Corner, September 6
Lily’s Corner, September 7
Jodie Wolfe, September 7
Pause for Tales, September 8
Life on Chickadee Lane, September 9
Cover Lover Book Review, September 9

To celebrate her tour, Kelly is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and a print copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54286

Pin It

Saturday, August 30, 2025

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Finding Juniper by Cindi Thomson

Book: Finding Juniper

Author: Cindy Thomson

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: January 2, 2025

For Patrick Doyle, the claim that time heals all wounds is a cruel lie.

In 1920, returning from WWI, Paddy finds Ireland creeping toward civil war. Invisible borders separate people, including Paddy and his pregnant girlfriend. With few prospects, Paddy sails to America. However, America is far from the land of opportunity he’d hoped for. And worse, his girl refuses to follow him because of her political involvement.

Thirty years later, Patrick has moved on with his life, building a new family. A letter arrives, suggesting the child he’d assumed died may be alive. Patrick’s American daughter Mardell pushes him to find out what happened to her sister, named Juniper. Patrick anxiously sails to Ireland.

Juniper endured a childhood in institutions, and when she’s released, she moves on without the parents who left her. Operating an apothecary out of an inherited cottage where villagers are slow to trust outsiders, Juniper finally finds a home when her grandmother arrives. Just as she feels comfortable and content, her father shows up at her door, bringing shocking news about her mother.

Finding Juniper invites readers on a journey of confronting the past, healing from old traumas, and redefining what family truly means.

Click here to get your copy!

Christian Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres. Finding Juniper by Cindy Thomson is the latest book in this genre that I have read.

WOW, I was captivated by the storyline from the very beginning. The main characters in this book are Patrick "Paddy" Doyle and Juniper. Patrick returns to Ireland after WWII and had hoped to settle back into Life in Ireland. He is disappointed when he is separated from his Pregnant girlfriend due to the ongoing war. Patrick heads to America and makes a life for himself with a Family and Wife. The story picks up 30 years later when Patrick discovers the daughter in Ireland might be alive. He flies to Ireland at the urging of his Daughter. Juniper, his daughter in Ireland, has had a rough life and now has settled into running her own business. She was surprised when her Dad shows up at her Door. Patrick and Juniper share many things about their lives and what has happened since he was last in Ireland. The storyline really gets real here and the fact that they are able to start a relationship after many decades apart was so heartwarming. The bond that happened between Patrick and Juniper was all about forgiveness and being able to look toward the future. The story is about Wartimes, Forgiveness, Family and Faith. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian Historical Fiction. WONDERFUL BOOK!

Known for the inspirational Celtic theme employed in most of her books, Cindy Thomson writes both fiction and nonfiction and has published more than a dozen books. She is co-founder of the Faith & Fellowship Book Festival, vice president of the Mordecai Brown Legacy Foundation, frequent creative writing teacher at Thurber House, and a genealogy researcher. Her love of history inspires everything she writes. When she’s not minding grandbabies, she writes from her home in central Ohio where she lives with her husband Tom.

More from Cindy

Q&A Finding Juniper by Cindy Thomson

Q: What led you to write this book?

I answer this question in my author’s note, but with this novel hearing about how soldiers returning to Ireland after WWI were treated made me want to explore how someone might have coped. It was a tough time for them but it was also a tough time to be an Irish immigrant in America with no connections. Prohibition offered easy money so it was easy to imagine how someone like Paddy Doyle might have been drawn to work as a rumrunner. I was also interested in how a young girl left at an institution might have coped once she was released. Those two story ideas sparked the writing of Finding Juniper.

Q:What was the most unexpected challenge you encountered while writing a book?

I honestly had no idea it would take me so long to write this book. I mean years. It took me about two years initially and that was because my time to write is so limited right now. I watch my grandchildren full time. When I first thought it was ready, it was not. I got some good feedback and did a lot of re-writing. When I finally got the book to my editor I discovered that working sporadically had a cost. There were too many threads in the story that went no where, mostly because I lost track of the main story here and there. I tend to be a seat-of-the-pants writer rather than a plotter and when a lot of time passes between writing sessions I get lost. I do need some kind of outline rather than what I keep in my head. So to answer your question, finishing was the biggest challenge with this particular book.

Q: Can you share a moment from your personal life that inspired a scene or character in the book?

On my first trip to Ireland my father passed away back home. It happened toward the end of the vacation. When my husband and I were in Dublin the night before the flight home, we kind of wandered aimlessly. We stopped in at pub to grab a light dinner. It was a quaint place with round tables scattered about. It was fairly early in the evening so not too crowded. I took a quick photo of our drinks and the menu. On our way out the door, the bartender handed us two small keychains bearing the name of the place. I didn’t realize until after we’d gotten home that we’d wandered into a famous place with a literary connection: Davy Byrnes. From the pub’s website: “The literary giant with which Davy Byrnes is synonymous, is of course, James Joyce. Joyce regularly visited the premises and developed a special relationship with the friendly but abstemious Davy Byrne. Joyce’s Dubliners has mention of Davy Byrnes, but the Joycean character with which the premises is most associated with is Leopold Bloom of Ulysses.” So when my characters Paddy and Mardell arrived in Dublin in 1950, I wanted them to visit the pub and to know, unlike me, where they were.

Q: How did you choose the title for your book, and what significance does it hold for you?

Choosing this title was very different from the process for my other books. The title popped into my head first. From there I imagined a journey where a father searches for a daughter he never knew. Later I contemplated changing it. There are a couple of other novels with the title. But I couldn’t. This was the story, finding Juniper. So I kept it.

Q: Were there any themes or messages you consciously set out to explore in this book?

Yes, the definition of family. The process of healing from past hurts, forgiveness, reconciliation.

Q: What research did you conduct for this book, and did you uncover anything surprising or fascinating?

Research is one of my favorite parts of the writing process. I love finding the lessons characters from the past learned and passing those on in fiction. As I mentioned, learning about Irish soldiers returning to an Ireland that was not the same as the one they left sent me researching for what I could find about this. As one fellow author who was born in Ireland told me, it was not talked about. The fact that Ireland was slower to recover from the Great Depression was another detail I wanted to include. Not everyone was poor but it was tough to make a living. Asylums in Ireland often held people who did not need to be there. Not everyone was mistreated but many were, their only offenses being too pretty, pregnant outside of marriage, or having no family to care for them. How someone heals from this was another thread I wanted to explore. And of course visiting Ireland is the best part of research, at least I think so!

Q: Can you describe a memorable interaction you’ve had with a reader about this book?

I’ve been pleasantly amazed at what readers have been saying. Those who have read my other books say Finding Juniper is my best. Readers tend to say they love this story, which pleases me greatly. One of my favorite quotes from a review by Kathy: “It’s been a long time since a book brought me to tears, evoking a depth of emotion I rarely experience from reading a novel. Finding Juniper contains that kind of depth.”

Q: Are there any characters in the book that you relate to on a personal level?

There are bits and pieces in most of them but I would have to say Mardell. I was the youngest daughter with only half siblings. Some I was raised with and some I wasn’t. The circumstances are not the same as in the novel, but I think wanting to find out things about my parents’ lives before they had me has always interested me. I would have loved to take a trip of discovery with my father. Perhaps I was unknowingly aware of that while writing. And perhaps I actually did in a way since my father moved on to heaven while I was over there.

Q: What was the most rewarding moment you experienced during the writing process?

The editing phase always brings me the most rewarding moment. When the story I wanted to tell is actually there on the pages (with the help of an editor), when I know I’m close to the end, is so very exciting.

Q: How do you approach writing dialogue, and do you have any tips for crafting authentic conversations?

I hear the conversations as though they are actually happening. Sometimes that causes me to invent a word or a sound that doesn’t exist. Another reason I appreciate editors. Dialogue needs to feel natural and not like the author is dumping in information. What would the characters be thinking, feeling, questioning? It’s the time they come alive.

Q: What was the most challenging scene for you to write, and how did you overcome it?

When reading this question the first thing I thought of was the memories Paddy has of the traumatic events he experienced in WWI. Readers needed to know what Paddy went through so they’d understand why it affected him so much. It breaks my heart, though. Oh, what these men suffered. I tried not to re-read that scene any more than was necessarily. It’s not graphic violence but it is heart wrenching.

Q: Can you share a behind-the-scenes anecdote or interesting fact about the creation of this book?

I’ve already shared some, but here’s another. Postman Evans. I love him, and I hope readers will too. He’s helpful, cheerful, and takes his duties seriously. My dad was a postal worker. There’s a bit of him in Toby Evans. There is also a bit of the wonderful Irish people I’ve met wrapped up in this one character.

Q: What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

If you are dragging around past hurts you can’t run from them. Facing them is the only way through. Whether or not you can make amends is not as important as laying them to rest is. Also, family isn’t always about blood or about those you are close to. Family is about who is in your heart. In my view, only God creates a family and we are all his children.

Q: What projects are you currently working on, and can you offer any hints or teasers for your upcoming work?

I hope that my next novel is not so long in coming. I have a good start on it, but I’m still hatching out the story. Readers will meet Juniper and many of the characters from Finding Juniper. I’m also working on a devotional for creatives.

Simple Harvest Reads, August 23 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 24
Artistic Nobody, August 25 (Author Interview)
Guild Master, August 26 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, August 26
Fiction Book Lover, August 27 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, August 28
Stories By Gina, August 29 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 30
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, August 31 (Author Interview)
A Reader’s Brain , September 1 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 1
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 2 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, September 3
Vicky Sluiter, September 4 (Author Interview)
For the Love of Literature, September 5 (Author Interview)

To celebrate her tour, Cindy is giving away the grand prize of an eBook copy of the book, a mug, and tea!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54284

Pin It

Friday, August 29, 2025

FrontGate Media Blog Tour: The God You Need to Know by Margaret Feinberg

Learn practical ways to engage the Holy Spirit in your life as you encounter God's Spirit throughout the Old Testament.

This 6-session video Bible study guide (streaming access included) will change the way you interact with the Holy Spirit. Many of us jump to Acts 2 and Pentecost to understand the Spirit of God. But if you look closely, you'll find hints and delightful surprises throughout the entirety of Scripture as Holy Spirit works powerfully in unexpected places.

The God You Need to Know Bible Study Guide will deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit as beloved Bible teacher Margaret Feinberg uncovers the Spirit's work throughout the Old Testament—in the lives of David, Gideon, Ezekiel, and others. With their stories as a guide, Margaret provides 12 practices to help you engage with the Spirit and experience a more vibrant faith life.

This study guide has everything you need for a rich Bible study experience, including:

The study guide itself—with discussion and personal reflection questions, video notes, and Scripture exercises.

An individual access code to stream all six video sessions online (you don't need a DVD).

In The God You Need to Know, you'll discover:

Tools to identify how the Spirit is working in your life

Practical ways to engage the Spirit through Scripture study, prayer, and journaling

Obvious markers of the Spirit moving powerfully in unexpected places

Five powerful questions for guided discernment

12 practices to help you live in constant communion with God

Bible Studies are an important part of my Christian Growth and Faith. The God You Need to Know by Margaret Feinberg is the latest Bible Study book that I have read.

WOW, this Book and Video Sessions are absolutely one of the BEST I have ever read and Studied. The God You Need to Know is based on the Old Testament teachings. I am BLOWN away by the Format, the Layout, the Content and how interactive the book is, all intrigued me. I have never had a Study on the Holy Spirit and that also excited me about this book. The Holy Spirit really touches our lives in ways that help us listen to God and guides us to follow his ways. I can honestly say that this book and how the Author writes the book and teaches the videos, really woke me up to accept the Holy Spirit when I feel the Holy Spirit in me. I HIGHLY recommend this book, which comes with a code to watch the 6 Video Sessions also, to anyone who is interested in being touched by the Holy Spirit. GREAT BOOK!

Margaret Feinberg, one of America’s most beloved Bible teachers, speaks at churches and leading conferences around the world. She’s host of the popular podcast The Joycast, and her books and Bible studies, including Taste and See: Discovering God Among Butchers, Bakers, and Fresh Food Makers, have sold more than one million copies. She lives life with her husband, Leif, and their rowdy pup, Zoom.

PURCHASE the Book for a Group Study

or for a Personal Study.

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

Pin It

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: The Engineered Engagement by Erica Vetsch

Book: The Engineered Engagement

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

A hidden genius, an ambitious shipbuilder, and a daring deception—can she prove her worth without losing her heart?

Eli Kennebrae plans to revolutionize cargo transportation on the Great Lakes. But his grandfather’s meddling obligates him to an arranged engagement. Though Josie Zahn is kindhearted and strikes his interest, Eli needs an engineer for his ship, not a fiancée.

Josie has admired Eli for years, but to him, she’s just “one of the Zahn girls.” Worse, society expects her to marry, not pursue her passion for mathematics and engineering. If she could only get Eli’s attention, she could help him achieve his goals.

Then “Professor Josephson,” a brilliant mathematical mind, provides the analyses to make Eli’s ship design a reality. As Eli finds unexpected kinship in the professor’s work, he remains unaware of the truth—Josie is the genius behind the numbers. When deception and ambition collide, will Eli see Josie for who she truly is before it’s too late?

Click here to get your copy!

Christian Historical Romance is a favorite genre that I enjoy. The Engineered Engagement by Erica Vetsch is Book 3 in The Kennabrae Brides series. I have read this series from the beginning and always look forward to new releases.

WOW, this storyline is just as interesting as the first book. The setting is 1906 in Duluth, Minnesota. The 2 main characters are Eli Kennebrae and Josie Zahn. Eli is working hard to make his dream career come true. He wants to take the Cargo Transportation business in the Great Lakes area to new levels, which would be amazing in the times of 1906. Grandpa is at it again with arranging Marriages for his 3rd Grandson. Josie Zahn is the one that Grandpa has chosen for Eli. Josie has her interests that she has been keeping secret, she loves Math and Engineering, something women in the early 1900's were not commonly known to do. Eli isn't interested in Marriage right now, as he is looking for an engineer for his business. Josie is actually interested in Eli and has interest in him for sometime. I really LOVE that Josie goes "undercover" and creates the Engineering plans for Eli's business. Eli is quite shocked when he discovers that the plans were made by a woman and that Josie was behind the plans. The joy in my heart when Eli has a change of heart for Josie and sees that Women are capable of achieving great things also. The storyline really goes against the standards of the early 1900's,as women were not expected to have jobs and excel in life. Josie and Eli truly have a wonderful friendship and relationship and it is because of Josie's knowledge and help to Eli! The book is about Going outside the norm. Trusting yourself and others, and LOVE I would HIGHLY recommend this book. AMAZING BOOK!

Best-selling, award-winning author of The Debutante’s Code, first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series, Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum.

More from Erica

One of the most frequently asked questions an author gets is “Where do your ideas come from?” The truth is…all over! But for me, the main place that story ideas start is in a museum. I see an artifact or object or hear a story as I wander a museum, and I begin to wonder about the people who used the object or survived the events that led to their story being in a museum.

The Engineered Engagement was inspired by a tour of the Great Lakes cargo ship the Meteor. The Meteor is a whaleback and is on display in Superior, WI, just across the harbor from Duluth, MN where the story is set.

I first toured the Meteor when I was eleven years old…awhile ago now. But many years later my husband and I took our kids to tour this amazing piece of engineering. The design, which is characterized by low rounded hulls, decks, and deckhouses looks decidedly odd and different from other ships. This design minimized the wind and water resistance encountered in more traditional hull shapes. The creator/design engineer of the whaleback was a Scotsman named Alexander McDougall who was a ship master and seaman on the Great Lakes.

The first whaleback hit the lakes in 1887, and over the next 11 years, 43 more joined her. One of the largest whalebacks was the steamer named the Frank Rockefeller. This ship was later renamed the SS Meteor. The Meteor hauled iron ore and sand for much of her career, and she is the only whaleback that remains.

As I toured the ship, learning nautical terms and all but feeling the rolling of the deck beneath my feet, I couldn’t help but admire Alexander McDougall for ignoring the critics, the snide remarks, and the jeers that always accompany a design pioneer and creating anyway. Looking for a better way to make something or do a task should be admired. He was tenacious, and I wanted to imbue my characters, Eli Kennebrae and Josie Zahn, with that same tenacity.

The Engineered Engagement involves ship building and hydrodynamics. Now, I know nothing about either of these disciplines, but I did glean some information, hopefully enough to make my characters, Eli and Josie, sound like they do. Ah, the joys of writing fiction! And while Eli and Josie are loaded with brains and tenacity, I also wanted them to have real emotions, to care about each other. One of the joys of writing fiction is getting to live through the eyes/hearts of your characters and feel what they feel. The Engineered Engagement was a joy to write.

If you are interested in Great Lakes shipping, I highly recommend the Duluth Canal Camera, https://www.duluthharborcam.com/p/canal-park-cams.html

And if you are interested in learning more about the SS Meteor, I recommend this site: https://superiorpublicmuseums.org/ss-meteor/