JustRead Tours Blog Tour: A Whim and a Prayer by Julie Lessman

Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Whim and a Prayer by Julie Lessman, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: A Whim and a Prayer 
Series: The Cousins O'Connor #4 
Author: Julie Lessman 
Publisher: Independent 
Release Date: September 8, 2026 
Genre: Historical Romance

She’s a former orphan desperate to protect her heart. 
He’s a best friend who protects her from the start. 
Till prayer protects them both from a true love torn apart. 

Discarded like so much trash on the steps of an orphanage at age two, seventeen-year-old Winifred Dennehy thinks God has it out for her. Abandoned by abusive parents and born cross-eyed to boot, she spent the first four years of her life battling bullies and verbal abuse. Deliverance came in the form of one Beckett Campbell, the ten-year-old orphan who became her best friend and guardian angel for life, along with an orphanage volunteer by the name of Mrs. D. When Mrs. Charity Dennehy adopts Winnie into her family, has her crossed eyes fixed, and secretly arranges for Beckett to be fostered and then adopted by elderly neighbors down the street, Winnie figures her luck has changed. But instead of attributing it to God like Beckett does, she’s inclined to believe it’s her own grit, charm, and spontaneity that has paved the way. 

From the moment twenty-four-year-old Beckett Campbell saw the tiny, cross-eyed orphan who reminded him of the sister he lost, he wanted to love and protect her forever. Best friends from the start despite over five years apart, Winnie’s naïve spontaneity for wild hairs and whims keeps Beck’s mature responsibility busy and happily so. Until the little girl he wanted to protect suddenly becomes the young woman he wants to love. When Winnie insists on protecting their friendship from the fear and risk of anything more, Beck has a decision to make. Friendship forever … or a life apart from the best friend he loves. Praying that Winnie will change her mind, Beck doesn’t hold out much hope for that day. But when an unexpected turn of events alters both of their lives, it puts “a whim and a prayer” on a collision course that just might make a way.  

Christian Historical Romance is a favorite genre of mine. A Whim and a Prayer by Julie Lessman is Book 4 in the The Cousins O'Connor series. I have not read the first books in this series, although this book seems to read good as a stand alone novel also. I do enjoy reading books from the beginning of a series, so I am probably going to go back and read the first books soon. 

The storyline had me hooked from the very beginning. The main characters in this story are Winifred "Winnie" Dennehy and Beckett. Winnie and Beckett have known each other since Childhood, meeting in an Orphanage where they were residents. Winnie has had a rough life, abused and then abandoned by her parents, she came to live at the Orphanage. Beckett and Winnie became best friends while at the Orphanage and remained on each other minds, even after Winnie was adopted and found her forever family. Mrs. D, who is now Winnie's family, also arranges for Beckett to be adopted by a family who lives really close to their family, including Winnie.  Beckett is very grateful to God for all that has happened in his life, whereas Winnie feels God has abandoned her just like her parents did. I really LOVE that Beckett is strong in his faith and he sees that Winnie has grown into a beautiful young woman. He truly has his heart set on getting Winnie to notice him and he hopes that the LOVE he feels for her she feels for him. Winnie is determined to remain BEST FRIENDS with Beckett and isn't too keen on taking the friendship to a relationship level. I was very engrossed in the storyline that I couldn't stop reading. I really LOVE that Winnie had a change of heart and began to trust others in her life. Beckett was a gentleman and always there for Winnie, especially through the tough times. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian Historical Romance. FANTASTIC BOOK!

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

More in This Series

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A lover of all things Irish, Julie Lessman writes close-knit Irish family sagas that evolve into 3-D love stories: the hero, the heroine, and the God that brings them together. Award-winning author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, Heart of San Francisco, Isle of Hope, Silver Lining Ranch, and The Cousins O’Connor series, Julie was American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has garnered over 24 Romance Writers of America and other awards.

Voted #1 Romance Author in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Reader’s Choice Awards, Julie also made Family Fiction magazine’s Best of 2015, 2014, and “Essential Christian Romance Authors” 2017-2021, 2023, as well as Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction. 

In addition, Julie has written a self-help workbook for writers entitled Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets, and What’s the Story, Morning Glory: A Memoir Devotional with a “Novel” Approach to Practical Christianity. Contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com.

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(1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 21, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 28, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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JustRead Tours Blog Tour: A Whim and a Prayer by Julie Lessman

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