REVIEW WEDNESDAY - The Wagon Master's Wife

 Good morning, friends!

First off, I apologize for posting the wrong book title in yesterday's spotlight post. I had copied the bio and info from when I featured Christine last month, failing to proof my post. 

Today, we are reviewing...

AMAZON

BLURB:

A runaway bride in hiding. A wagon master with rules. One wagon train journey could cost them everything—or lead them straight to love.

Amanda Crumb is desperate to escape. Trapped under her brother’s cruel thumb and facing a future she never chose, she’ll risk everything for a chance at freedom on the Colorado trail. When stern wagon master Charlie Holstead refuses to let her join his train, Amanda makes a reckless choice and hides in one of his wagons.

Charlie Holstead trusts order. Scarred by loss and determined never to marry again, the seasoned wagon master has one rule above all others: no unmarried women on his train. But when he discovers a fiery stowaway with nowhere else to turn, Charlie’s carefully laid plans begin to unravel. Protecting Amanda becomes far more dangerous than sending her away.

Even though Amanda is falling for Charlie’s steady strength, quiet faith, and the way he makes her feel safe for the first time in years, her brother’s threats and her own fears could destroy their fragile trust. And although Charlie is drawn to Amanda’s courage, tender heart, and fierce determination, the pain of his past and the risks of loving someone in danger keep him from claiming the future he wants.

Will Amanda and Charlie trust God—and each other—before the unforgiving frontier tears them apart?

One of the first things I noticed in the beginning of the book was the blurb, 'if you enjoy books by Karen Whitmere or Shanna Hatfield...'

I am a fan of both of those authors. Karen Whitmer ( Karen Whitmer-Gow/ Elizabeth Grayson) was a dear friend of my sister and I had the pleasure of getting to know her as well. Almost thirty years ago, I received a gift of embroidery scissors from Karen for one of her books. I can't remember the book now, but I cherish those little scissors. Sadly, Karen passed in 2025. I met Shanna at the last RT Convention in Dallas and have featured on the blog several times. 

With that information, and having reviewed The Farmer's Wife last month, I was not surprised to find this book just as enjoyable. 

Christine Sterling is one of the best novella authors I've read. She has the format down to a science. 'This is where we are, this is what's happening, this is where we find our happy-ever-after'.

I loved Amanda's determination to escape her brother and thwart his evil plan to use her as a bargaining chip in a high-stakes poker game. The fact he eluded to the fact the winner could do whatever they wanted with her was down right disgusting. However, Christine let this add to the characterization of why Amanda was desperate to get away, and why she chose Charles as her 'knight in shining armor'. 

Which brings me to Charlie Holstead. He may not be in the market for a bride, much to his mother's dismay, but when he hears Amanda's brother's evil plan he sets his reservations aside to save her. He has his own history with the man. He won't let history repeat itself.

How Christine brought the two together was perfect. Mind you, if I'd crawled out of a wagon to go relieve myself and walked into a 'tree with arms', I'm not sure I'd have the control Amanda possessed. One more little nugget of showing the heroine's strength.

Christine Sterling is masterful and I hope to read more of her books, including the rest in this series as well as the first one we featured last month. She writes tight, while leaving nothing out in any of her series'. I encourage you to go to her Amazon Author Page link below and begin a summer full of entertainment and enjoyment. If you don't have time to curl up with a larger book, her stories are perfect.

I'm giving The Wagon Master's Wife...

You'll find more about Christine Sterling by following any of the links below.

FACEBOOK  INSTAGRAM  GOODREADS    AUDIBLE

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE 

All my best!

~ Angela

RETURN TO HISTORY - Part 3

Until I began researching how to portray the subject of bringing home Lt. Daniel Sterlings remains home from the Korean War in A OZARKS HOMECOMING I didn't know anything about Mortuary Affairs.

I knew our service men and women came home but I didn't know anything about the process - what steps were taken to honor our fallen heroes and bring them home with the dignity they deserve.

Today, we reconize Funeral Directors and Morticians around the globe. I dated a Mortuary Affairs officer, (though I did not know that at the time. I think he still serves in that capacity - feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, Darrold)

Footnote: Darrold passed away in 2025. He was looking forward to reading this story.

Death is something we all have to deal with at some/ multiple points in our our life. Take time today to thank your local mortician. They do so much to preserve the precious memories we have of our loved ones.

Thank you, David Lenz, Joe Gross and Darrold Davies

All my best!

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Christine Sterling

 Good  morning, readers!

I have a repeat performance Author Spotlight tonight. Christine Sterling. I didn't realize until after I'd chosen this week's book and setting up blog posts that we were stepping into a book from a different series.

Here's a bit about Christine:

USA TODAY bestselling author Christine Sterling loves immersing her readers in the small towns she’s created. Her inspirational stories feature humor, redemption, and romance, with themes of friendship, forgiveness, and fighting for the love you want.

She’s the author of over eighty romances, including the reader favorites, First Families of Flat River, and The Flat River Matchmaker series. She loves to create tight-knit families with strong family values, and you’ll often find that her characters cross over in many of her stories. Her readers describe her characters as old friends and her settings as places they would love to visit.

An empty nester, she lives with her husband and a menagerie of animals on a Pennsylvania farm. When she’s not writing, she can be found, drinking tea, being judged by her cat, eating snacks or napping.

While waiting for the review of The Wagon Master's Wife, you can check out any of Christine's links below.

FACEBOOK  INSTAGRAM  GOODREADS    AUDIBLE

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE 

All my best!

~ Angela

THOUGHTFUL MONDAY

Good morning, friends!

The story is finally coming together, little by little. If you're writing, how is your project progressing?

All my best!

~ Angela

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - A June Bride

 Good morning, readers!

We're stepping into June all about the brides. This week's novella was interesting. Let's get into the book and the review.

AMAZON

BLURB:

The reality show ended with an engagement, so why doesn’t this feel like the fairy tale she thought it would be?

The Rejection Connection hardly sounds like the place to fall in love, but Wynne Hardy walked off the reality-TV set with an engagement ring. And in the whirlwind of publicity and preparation that follows a TV-bride-to-be in her fifteen minutes of fame, Wynne barely has time to consider how she really feels about her new fiancé . . . to say nothing of how she still feels about her ex.

As the wedding plans develop, so too do Wynne’s doubts: Is she in love with Andy? Or is this really about Callum—the ex-boyfriend who sent her onto Rejection Connection in the first place? A nationally televised snub might be the best revenge . . . but is it a good reason to get married?

When Callum resurfaces at the worst possible moment, Wynne can’t help wondering if she’s made a huge mistake. Is her marriage a publicity stunt? And what happens when the cameras stop rolling, and she has a husband she barely knows?

A June Bride is Book 7 in the A Year of Weddings series. 

I've never been a fan of reality TV, unless it's a cooking show (those are a little harder to script, I think, though not impossible). But as this story brings to light, most of it is scripted for ratings. Meredith brings that to light when, as her Marathon Mom fame is dying, she steps onto Wynne's wedding dress train for a shot at a new run; a way to keep herself in the spotlight. Wynne doesn't see this at first. She's too caught up in her upcoming wedding to her chosen one on the reality show, The Rejection Connection. But was she really 'rejected'? Or did she misunderstand why Callum walked away? 

The evolution of this story was smooth, believable, and worth the read. Once you read the book, please leave a comment either here, or in your own review whether or not Andy was really in it to find a partner or was he also riding the reality train?

I'm giving A June Bride...

Remember, you can find out more about Marybeth Whalen and her books by clicking any of the links below.

WEBSITE

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

~ Angela

RETURNING TO HISTORY - Part 2

 As readers we think (or at least I've heard) that writing a book is easy. For those authors who are pumping out 4-6 books a year I just can't imagine. Do they not do anything but write? No other interests?

I have always had some experience, feeling, something to draw from and to add a dimension to my stories. With An Ozarks Homecoming, I started with a clean slate. The closest I have to experience with this book is 1) my passion for all things Eureka Springs and 2) my desire to in some way, pay my respects to Corporal Donald Matney, the Korean War Veteran who inspired the secondary story line.

For those of you who are authors, you'll understand what I'm about to say next. The Hero, Marc, informed me last night that his last name can NOT be the same as the Veteran, because his mother (the daughter of the late Cpl. Sterling) married. Marc's name would be that of his parents... not his mother's maiden name. (As I repost this I realize I've still not addressed this in the story. Hmm)

My strongest desires for this book are to do justice to Cpl, Matney and his family, to pay honor our Veterans, and to put out the very best book I can.

So tell me, are you are writer? a reader? both?

All my best!

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Marybeth Whalen

 Good morning, friends!

This week we are preparing for a June wedding. That story comes tomorrow. For now, let's meet this week's author.

BIO:

Marybeth Mayhew Whalen is the author of THE THINGS WE WISH WERE TRUE (7/16) and five previous novels. She speaks to women's groups around the US. She is the co-founder of the popular women's fiction site, She Reads www.shereads.org. Marybeth and her husband Curt have been married for 24 years and are the parents of six children, ranging from young adult to elementary age. The family lives in North Carolina. Marybeth spends most of her time in the grocery store but occasionally escapes long enough to scribble some words. She is always at work on her next novel. 

You'll find out more about Marybeth and her works by clicking the links below.

WEBSITE

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

~ Angela