The Voice We Find By Nicole Deese

The Voice We Find

by Nicole Deese

Publisher: Bethany House

Series: A Fog Harbor Romance

ISBN: 9780764241208

I'm a fan of everything Nicole Deese writes! Her stories are deep, powerful, and poignant. This series has brought out a lot of emotion for me as a reader. Who doesn't love when an author can do that? The author and publisher sent me the book for review.

Summary:

Two voices. One story. A chance to rewrite their future. 

Sophie Wilder returns home to California with nothing more than a failed Broadway career and a geriatric cat. Stuck working at the family winery with her egotistical brother and desperate for a way to revive her acting dreams, she takes a side gig as an audiobook narrator with Fog Harbor Books. But getting mixed up in the life of her reluctant sound engineer was never a part of her plans. 

August Tate is still reeling from taking on guardianship of his teen sister. Determined to find a solution to her degenerative hearing loss and to prevent his private recording studio from going under, he agrees to produce audiobooks part-time. When Sophie breathes new life into his creativity and forms an unexpected bond with his sister rooted in their common faith, he must confront the reasons he turned away from his own or risk losing the second chance he's only just started to believe in.

My Review:

I'll start off by saying that The Voice We Find is an emotional rollercoaster ride! We meet Sophie as she's heading back to her family home in defeat after a mishap on a Broadway stage. Her defeat and discouragement are palpable. When she arrives "home", which is also part of the family's winery property, we get a glimpse at how unhealthy that situation is. There's also something suspicious going on with how Sophie reacts to being there.

Then, there's August, who owns a music production studio. He has guardianship of his adopted little sister, Gabby, who play a great role in the story. His best friend, Chip, convinces him to produce audiobooks for his publishing house. What a great way for Sophie and August to meet.

Sophie and August have time to get to know each other while Gabby is at camp, and when she comes home, she and Sophie hit it off. Gabby and August lost their parents in a tragedy and they both are handling their grief differently. Gabby is leaning into her faith and August has closed himself off. One of the facets to the accident that they disagree about is Gabby's hearing loss. Gabby wants to make the most of it, but August has other ideas. 

The time Sophie and August spend together creating an audiobook helps draw them together. It's a very sweet progression and it certainly gave me heart eyes! Again, as August keeps himself closed off from his faith, Sophie is drawn to it thanks to Gabby and Portia, the owner of a rundown theater & ASL interpreter.

It was so beautiful watching God work throughout this story. You can feel Him drawing Sophie and August to Himself. He gave them numerous opportunities to hear Truth. It was a good reminder that we don't all respond the same way to the Gospel. While August pushed back against it, he also had to work through guilt he was carrying. It was just a reminder of how patient the Lord is with each one of us.

There was also a mystery lying under the surface of the winery. Not only was Sophie's family a piece of work, there was something nefarious going on. It was easy to get that ick feeling right along with Sophie feeling it. I was glad she spent more time away than there. 

Each of the stories in this series are very different. They each stand on their own and are incredibly powerful. I will say the first one made me cry and the last one brought tears to my eyes. This one had me wanting to throw hands when it came to Sophie's father & brother. Her mother I just wanted to shake. I'm telling you, lost of emotions.

About the Author:

Nicole Deese is a Christy and Carol Award-winning and bestselling author. When she's not sorting out character arcs and story plots of her own, she can usually be found listening to an audiobook and multitasking at least four different chores at once. She's a hoarder of sparkling water, a lover of long walks and even longer talks with friends, and a seeker of fun and adventure at all times. She lives in small-town Idaho with her happily-ever-after hubby, two freakishly tall teenage sons, and one princess daughter with the heart of a warrior. For more, visit NicoleDeese.com.

Perfect By Kimberly Keagan + GIVE AWAY

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Perfect by Kimberly Keagan, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! This cover is so fun! It reminds me of back in the day of Cathy Marie Hake covers. Be sure to check out Kimberly's author post where she answers a couple of my questions!

About the Book

Title: Perfect
Series: Hearts on Display #1
Author: Kimberly Keagan
Publisher: Ventana Publishing, LLC
Release Date: May 6, 2025
Genre: Historical Romance

In the glittering era of the Gilded Age, the heirs of Philadelphia’s Denwall Department Stores navigate family expectations, relentless ambition, and unexpected love. 

William Walraven’s picture perfect life is turned upside down when his fiancée jilts him for an English aristocrat and his father refuses to name him as his successor. To prove he’s worthy of leading Denwall Department Stores, Will must open their first New York store under budget and before the Christmas shopping season. 

Overwhelmed by disappointment and a nearly impossible deadline, Will has no time for distractions—especially not the captivating bookseller he saves from being crushed by a beer wagon. 

Ivy King and her aging grandmother are barely keeping their struggling bookshop afloat. Though drawn to the charming, enigmatic man who saved her life, Ivy has no illusions about her place in the world. It certainly isn’t beside a department store heir whose dazzling emporium threatens to close her family’s business. 

Brought together in the wake of an attack on Will’s brother, Will and Ivy find themselves at a crossroads—torn between the expectations that define them and a future neither expected.  

Perfect is a clean, wholesome historical romance featuring opposites-attract tension, class differences, a touch of mystery and humor, and an inspirational journey of faith and love.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

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Guest Post

1. The research done to write in the Gilded Age
The idea to set my story during the Gilded Age came from an unexpected place. I was helping someone research their family tree when I stumbled across an 1895 newspaper article about the growing backlash against department stores. Small shop owners were worried, and rightfully so, that these big, shiny stores were going to push them out of business. That little discovery opened a door for me. 

What I love most about the Gilded Age is how much change was happening all at once. Technology was advancing, cities were booming, social expectations were shifting, especially for women. It was a world trying to figure out who it was going to be. To build an authentic world for my story, I spent weeks researching daily life in the 1890s, especially Philadelphia and New York. I read many newspaper articles, studied fashion plates, and researched travel guides published in the late 1800s.

2. How do you decide the characters' professions and how they'll factor into the story?
I love picking professions that aren’t just interesting, but that mean something for the character’s journey. Their work isn’t just a background detail, it’s often the stage where their biggest struggles and growth happen.

For example, my heroine Ivy is a bookseller running her family’s little shop in New York. That idea came from another article I found during research about newsdealers in Brooklyn who were trying to figure out how to survive against the rise of department stores. I loved the thought of someone like Ivy having to fight for her place in a world that's changing faster than she can keep up.

On the flip side, Will, the hero of the story is one of the heirs to Denwall, the very department store that threatens shops like Ivy’s. It sets up natural tension between them but also opens the door for a lot of growth, compromise, and ultimately, understanding.

In general, when I’m deciding on professions, I ask: How can this job challenge them? How can it reveal what they value—and what they’re afraid of losing? Whether it’s a bookseller or a department store executive, each role helps drive the heart of the story.

About the Author

Kimberly Keagan discovered her love for romance novels at thirteen, often choosing a book over chores. She believes there's nothing like being transported to another time and place to find a happily ever after.

Kimberly is blessed to have her own handsome hero husband and two wonderful children. After earning a degree in accounting, she enjoyed a career in investor relations, writing financial reports and press releases—terrific jobs, though not very romantic. Now, she's pursuing her dream of writing historical romance. Her short stories have been published in Spark Flash Fiction and Short Fiction Break. Kimberly's debut novel will release in 2025. When not reading or writing, Kimberly enjoys baking, gardening, watching sports, and researching her family tree.

Connect with Kimberly by visiting kimberlykeagan.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will receive a “Perfect” Tea Time Bundle which includes a lovely tea set, a signed copy of Perfect, and other cozy reader treats—like a candle, stickers, coaster, and bookmark!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 6, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 13, 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.

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

The One Who Changed Everything By Tara Grace Erickson

The One Who Changed Everything

by Tara Grace Erickson

Publisher: Silver Fountain Press

Series: Second Chance Fire Station

ISBN: 978-1949896732

Do you love book mail? I was so shocked to get physical book mail a couple of weeks ago! Tara Grace sent me her newest release, The One Who Changed Everything. I had already read it with an ebook, so this was a fun surprise to open!

Summary:

I never expected to see him again.

When I met Evan, he was everything I never thought I could have—steady, kind, the kind of man who made me believe in something more. But one reckless night changed everything. By the time I found out I was pregnant, he was gone, and I had every reason to believe he’d never come back.

For fourteen years, I built a life for my daughter, protecting her, providing for her, never letting myself wonder what if. Evan was a stranger from my past, a man whose wealthy family could take everything from me if they ever found out. But then he showed up in my small town—stronger, haunted, and completely unaware of the little girl who carried his eyes. And the moment he looks at her, I know the truth will come out.

I wanted to keep my distance. I told myself he only cared because of Sophia, that he’d never really wanted me. But every look, every touch, every moment together makes it harder to deny the truth.

Because Evan Mercer wasn’t just the man I lost. He was The One Who Changed Everything.

The One Who Changed Everything is the final standalone book in the inspirational Second Chance Fire Station series. Dive into this heartwarming second chance romance today!

My Review:

Sam works at a library in Minden (one of my favorite fictional small towns), and an accidental fire sends the fire department to make sure everyone is safe. What she's not expecting is to see her past show up to the rescue in the form of Evan, a one week (and night) stand from her younger years! Neither of them has any idea what transpired after "that night," which leads to the rest of the story! 

While I'm not usually a fan of hidden pregnancy, the author made it completely work for this story! By the end, your heart goes out to all three of them! This is another one of those stories where you'll want to reach into the pages and wallop the jerk of a father! I'm just sayin'...

I really liked Sam's daughter because even though she's a young teenager, she's observant and a smart kiddo. As Sam tries to keep her distance from Evan, he's drawn to her just as much as he was years ago.

This is another story where I have strong feelings about Evan's father. Meddling parents, and not in the good way, make me want to pull my hair out! That's kudos to the author for getting me so worked up! On the flip side, I always want to cheer when the MMC stands up to the parent who has had such a negative impact on their child's life.

One of the many things I enjoyed about this story is that Evan, once he knew he was Sophia's dad, he really stepped up to the plate. I thought it was a good representation of how hard it must've been for all of them to integrate into a new family... that wasn't a family. After being a single mom, it's hard to let someone else help parent your child, even if it is the biological dad!

I'm sad this is the end of the series, but I hope we'll have the opportunity to go back to Minden!

About the Author:

Tara Grace Ericson lives in Missouri with her husband and three sons. She studied engineering and worked as an engineer for many years before embracing her creative side to become a full-time author and mom. 

She loves cooking, crocheting, and reading books by the dozen. She also loves a good “happily ever after” with an engaging love story. 

That's why Tara focuses on writing clean contemporary romance, with an emphasis on Christian faith and living. She wants to encourage her readers with stories of men and women who live out their faith in tough situations.

The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House By Joanna Davidson Politano

the Curious Inheritance of Blakely House

by Joanna Davidson Politano

Publisher: Revell

ISBN: 9780800742980

As a long time fan of JDP, I couldn't wait to read this story! They really should be in a class of their own. This book certainly doesn't fit into one specific genre and I love that! The author & publisher sent me the book for review!

Summary:

A clever young woman, a contested will, and an estate that does not easily give up its secrets.

It is 1901 when clockmaker and tinker Sydney Forrester receives a most unusual inheritance. Blakely House, the island estate of an estranged uncle she's never met, seems almost alive, revealing and hiding its secrets at will. It is filled with remarkable inventions, including an intriguing unfinished automaton Sydney is itching to get her skilled hands on.

The estate is also home to a number of peculiar people--including two men intent on removing this interloper from the island. Convinced that Sydney has something to do with their uncle's death, the late master's nephews contest the will and work against their cousin at every turn. 

Sydney finds a sometimes-ally in the estate's butler, an ex-adventurer who ran aground on the island years ago. But when a mysterious man washes ashore with a stunning surprise that upsets everything, Sydney must prove she has inherited the late master's brilliance as well as his property--or someone else will.

My Review:

The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House was such a fascinating story. It's different than any of the other books this author has written and I'm sure I've never read anything like it before.

The beginning felt a bit disjointed. I didn't quite understand what was going on, but it turns out it was intentional, at least in my opinion. I feel like now that I've read the book once, reading it from the start wouldn't be as "confusing." I know this might sound negative, but it's not. I have lived with ADD all of my life, and could see & understand the beginning more as I got further into it. That being said, I could also see myself in Sydney with some of her different quirks. I actually thought she was on the Autism spectrum, but extremely high functioning. If you want to get a fictional idea of what it's like to live in someone's brain that's wired differently, this story will give it to you in spades!

I really liked awkward Sydney. She knows she's not like most people. She accepts her lot in life and tries to make the best of it with her Aunt Lottie. That is until a strange woman shows up at their little shop and sends Sydney on an adventure, which is completely outside of her carefully crafted world of the same things day in and day out.

She takes her cat, Micah, with her as she makes her way to Blakely House, where she encounters the oddest of men who all look at her with suspicion. She upends their already strange existence in her Uncle Emmet's home. Turns out, she's not the only one vying for the inheritance.

We also meet the butler, André. Having lived in Emmet's home, he's had a glimpse into the mind of someone who's different than most. André's past is a mystery, but Sydney is sure he's a pirate in hiding. He has his own struggles, but overcomes them as best he can. 

Sydney has a lot to contend with in this odd house with inventions Uncle Emmet has left incomplete, rooms that seem to come and go, and lights that turn off and on randomly. It's easy to see a brilliant mind lived in that house. We also learn of Emmet's great love who left his little island when she was a young girl.

There are twists and turns galore, mysterious ship wrecks, more adventure, romance, and faith. I loved how André helped turn Sydney's eyes to a Creator!

About the Author:

Joanna Davidson Politano is the award-winning author of Lady Jayne Disappears, A Rumored Fortune, Finding Lady Enderly, The Love Note, A Midnight Dance, The Lost Melody, and The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple. She loves tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives and is eager to hear anyone's story. She lives with her husband and their children in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan. You can find her online at JDPStories.com.

Tempest at Annabel's Lighthouse By JAIME JO WRIGHT

Tempest at Annabel's Lighthouse

by Jaime Jo Wright

Publisher: Bethany House Publisher

ISBN: 9780764243790

When a new book comes out by the author I will devour it and it was no different this time. Tempest at Annabel's Lighthouse was different from her previous books, but thoughtful and made me introspective! The publisher sent me the book for review.

Summary:

Where the lighthouse no longer illuminates, ghostly lore and legends emerge . . . 

1874
A battered woman awakens atop a forgotten gravesite by Lake Superior's southern shore. Identified only by the locket around her neck inscribed with the name Rebecca, she seeks refuge with an elderly lighthouse keeper. But as Rebecca struggles to remember who she is, she finds herself haunted by the lingering memories of Annabel, a mysterious woman who perished in the lake's unforgiving waves years earlier. With the spirit of Annabel seemingly reawakened, and an unknown adversary on the hunt to silence Rebecca once and for all, more is at stake than reclaiming her own memories. Rebecca must reclaim Annabel's as well. 

Present Day
Author and researcher Shea Radclyffe escapes to the lighthouse outside a historic Michigan mining town to seek clarity about her failing marriage. Instantly drawn to the lighthouse's landlord, Shea contends with the legend of Annabel's vengeful ghost and a superstitious community that has buried the truth about a current murder. As the secrets harbored around Annabel's lighthouse unravel, Shea must navigate a fight between torn loyalty, self-discovery, and the haunting forces of love.

. . . demanding vengeance for secrets that should have drowned a century before.

My Review:

Once again, JJW takes us on a journey and we have no idea where she's leading us to! The thing you know with her stories is that there's always "something." She's going to creep us out, but along the ways, she's going to teach us a valuable lesson. I thought she did that in such a great way with this story! I felt like Tempest at Annabel's Lighthouse was told differently than all of her other ones. It had a different feel to me, and I enjoyed it just like I have all of her others!

First we meet Rebecca, who is running for her life in the late 1800s. She's found by Edgar and taken back to Annabel's lighthouse. Unfortunately, she doesn't remember anyone or anything. What she does know is fear and mistrust. We also get to know Abel and Niina at the lighthouse. They all share a secret, but getting it out of them wasn't easy, nor was it quick. All we know is men are after Rebecca, and her time at the lighthouse brings us to the story of why! Be ready for your heart to be broken for her and all she has gone through and goes through!

Then we meet Shea. Shea is fed up with her humdrum life with husband Pete. Boring, not-so-exciting Pete. She's heading to the lighthouse to learn more about Annabel and the mystery surrounding her. Her time there makes her wistful of what life could look like and she walks a precarious line. Then, her research of Annabel puts her life in danger because, apparently, Annabel isn't a fan of people looking into the past and snooping around her lighthouse.

This was a story that stopped me in my tracks. It made me introspective of not only my views on how I view my life, but my marriage as well. JJW wasn't playing around when she wrote that storyline. She gives a one, two punch to readers who are married so all I can say is, "Brace yourself."

The faith in these stories always hit home for me. I appreciate how she weaves it into the story and causes us to think more deeply with our own walk in faith.

About the Author:

Jaime Jo Wright is a three-time Christy Award finalist and the author of thirteen novels, including Christy Award-winner and ECPA bestseller The Vanishing at Castle Moreau,Christy Award and Daphne du Maurier Award-winner The House on Foster Hill, and Carol Award-winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. Jaime has also written two Publishers Weekly bestselling novellas. She lives in Wisconsin with her family and fabulous felines. Learn more at JaimeWrightBooks.com.