Jennifer Graeser Dornbush: Walking on White

By Kelly Bridgewater

 The coroner’s daughter is back when a ferocious snowstorm buries Freeport, Michigan—and with it, a deadly secret.

When the frozen body of high school senior Ethan Quon is found wedged deep in a snowbank, medical examiner Dr. Emily Hartford is called in to determine how—and why—he died. What should be a routine case quickly turns thorny. The evidence is inconclusive, the timeline fractured, and the town’s citizens close ranks.

As Emily digs deeper, she uncovers a tangle of lies, betrayals, and half truths that ignite outrage among Freeport’s residents. Tensions explode when local teenagers begin receiving chilling text messages—apparently sent by Ethan himself. A dead boy is speaking, and the town is listening in horror.

As the investigation intensifies, Emily’s personal life begins to unravel. Her closest friend is leaving town. Her half sister, Anna, newly divorced, may take her children and move out of the Hartford home. And Emily is forced to rule on the death of a violent criminal killed during a struggle with Nick Larsen—the man she loves—which could determine the future of not only his career but his life with Emily.

Racing against time to uncover the truth before anyone else dies, Emily exposes long-buried family secrets, a dangerous teenage conspiracy, and disturbing sexual transgressions. In a town where lies spread faster than the storm, truth comes at a devastating cost. Emily must not only solve a murder but confront the truths she’s been avoiding about herself and the life she’s willing to fight for.

 

My Thoughts:

Walking on White by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush is a riveting story that will keep readers flipping through the pages. Dornbush does a wonderful job at presenting the less likely character who helps Emily solve the mystery. If readers are familiar with the previous five stories, then they will see some familiar characters and see what is going on in their lives. As for the mystery, it kept me glued to the pages, and I knew who the villain was before it was shown but that happens to me a lot when I read suspense novels. I do like that the story happens with snow falling A LOT during the story. Dornbush does a good job at using the snow to create havoc in the story. Overall, Walking on White by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush was a exhilarating story that checked all the boxes for me.

I received a complimentary copy of Walking on White by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Patricia Raybon: The Sedalia Code

 By Kelly Bridgewater

 A courageous young woman struggles to rise above her dirt-poor beginnings and outsmart a Nazi threat on U.S. soil during WWII in this thrilling Southern tale of bravery, love, and forgiveness.

Sedalia, North Carolina, 1943. While war rages overseas, Laurette Lowe faces a more personal battle when she lands a job teaching math at La Porte Academy, a prestigious Black finishing school. Determined to rise above her sharecropping roots, deep family hurt, and the suffocating limits of Jim Crow, Laurette quickly learns that survival and success demand constant vigilance, carefully measuring every step and word to earn her place among the social elite.

A chance encounter with Nev Pierce, a handsome Army lieutenant from nearby Camp Butner, threatens to derail her plans. Though she first dismisses him as an unwelcome distraction, she’s drawn in by his request to decipher a cryptic message passed to him by an Italian POW. What begins as an intellectual puzzle becomes a chilling revelation: details of a Nazi plot to assassinate the U.S. president.

Cracking the cipher, however, only brings a more troubling puzzle. Army officials at the segregated base are unlikely to heed a Black schoolteacher’s warning and Nev could land in serious trouble for involving an unauthorized civilian. With time running out, Laurette and Nev enlist a small circle of allies from the school in a cunning and courageous ploy, boldly risking their futures and lives to stop a deadly threat no one else sees coming.

 

My Thoughts:

The Sedalia Code by Patricia Raybon opens readers’ eyes to a whole different view of World War II. I loved how she didn’t shy away from the racial tension of the time. It happened, and I’m glad she stayed true to the period. As for the plot with the codebreaking, it was important to advance the storyline along. Without these clues left in the hero’s knapsack, then the heroine would not have gotten involved with trying to stop Nazi sympathizers who were on American soil. As for the romance, I had a really hard time believing that the couple would fall in love so fast. Yes, I believe they could have feelings for each other, but to say that they wanted to spend forever with each other. No. Honestly, they really don’t know much about each other to justify their quick wedding. Overall, The Sedalia Code by Patricia Raybon is a unique view into the world of World War II in the South. Readers that enjoy World War II novels might enjoy this novel too.

I received a complimentary copy of The Sedalia Code by Patricia Raybon, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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Michelle Griep: Belle's Christmas Carol

 By Kelly Bridgewater

                   

About the Book

Book: Belle’s Christmas Carol

Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance

Release Date: September 1, 2026

While all of London waits for snow, an orphanage in need holds holiday cheer, sparks of love, and secrets waiting to be discovered.

When Ebeneezer Scrooge's former fiancée, Belle Beaumont, unexpectedly inherits a struggling London orphanage, she dreams of giving the children of Haven House the most splendid Christmas they've ever known. But her vision of snowflakes and merriment quickly collides with reality: Fire damage has rendered part of the building unsafe, and the paperwork is years behind.

Barrister Rafe Munro is fighting to clear an innocent man and searching for a child, who may be his relative. His pursuit leads him to Haven House, where Rafe offers to help Belle sort through the chaotic records that might lead to the missing child. Amid the mayhem of running an orphanage full of mischievous children and eccentric staff, will Belle and Rafe find love and the answers they seek this holiday season?

With characters from Dickens's A Christmas Carol, this festive historical romance Christmas novella of family and second chances from Michelle Griep is set in Victorian England.

 

My Thoughts:

Belle’s Christmas Carol by Michelle Griep is a delightful story about what happened to Isabella from The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. The story is a novella, so it moves really fast, but Griep does a wonderful job at creating a setting that grips at the readers’ hearts. She crafted two main characters that started to fall in love almost instantly, but in true romance fashion, the gentlemen knew right away, but the lady kept pondering her feelings. Readers will love the Christmas cover. At least, I know I do. Griep does a terrific job at showing how hard it was to run an orphanage from actually helping at the orphanage. Overall, Belle’s Christmas Carol by Michelle Griep is an adorable story that continues during the story of Dicken’s classic but allows readers to see a different side of the story.

I received a complimentary copy of Belle’s Christmas Carol by Michelle Griep from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Belle’s Christmas Carol

About the Author

Michelle Griep is an award-winning author known for her captivating historical romances. With a keen eye for detail, she pens tales that transport readers to the past where they’ll experience romance, adventure, and unforgettable characters. When she’s not writing, you can find her in her garden scaring away armadillos.

 

 

 

 

More from Michelle

Why I Gave Scrooge’s Belle Her Own Christmas Carol

Guest post by Michelle Griep

I’ve always been suspicious of characters who appear just long enough to break your heart and then vanish without so much as a forwarding address. Belle from A Christmas Carol is one of those.

Scrooge, of course, gets the full treatment. Ghosts. Doom. Moral terror. A dramatic overnight transformation. Turkey delivery. The works. And yes, yes, it’s all very moving. But Belle? Come on. All she gets is one aching goodbye and then is shoved neatly into Scrooge’s past. So, excuse me, Mr. Dickens, but I have questions.

What became of the woman who loved Ebenezer before greed got to him? Did she regret walking away? Did Christmas ever sting? Did she build a fine, sensible life or did some little corner of her heart still ache for him or not? That wondering became Belle’s Christmas Carol.

In my story, Belle Beaumont unexpectedly inherits Haven House, a struggling London orphanage with fire damage, muddled ledgers, eccentric staff, and children who are more than rambunctious. Naturally, Belle decides she will set everything to rights and give the children the most splendid Christmas imaginable because—like me—apparently the woman has never heard of pacing herself.

Then along comes Rafe Munro, a handsome barrister searching for a missing child, and Belle’s tidy plans start to change. Oh, did I mention he’s single? That’s because I wanted Belle to be more than Scrooge’s lost love. I wanted her to have grit, flaws, hope, purpose, and a future all her own.

Because sometimes the story doesn’t end with goodbye. Sometimes that’s where the real story begins.

Blog Stops

Where Faith and Books Meet, October 6

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 6

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , October 7

The Avid Reader, October 7

She Lives To Read, October 7

Texas Book-aholic, October 8

Devoted To Hope, October 8

Betti Mace, October 9

Inkwell Inspirations , October 9

The Lofty Pages, October 9

For Him and My Family, October 10

Romances of the Cross, October 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 11

Jeanette’s Thoughts , October 11

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 12

The Vine and The Branch, October 12

Maureen’s Musings, October 13

Fruitfully Planted, October 13

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, October 13

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 14

Mornings at Character Cafe, October 14

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 15

Simple Harvest Reads, October 15 (Guest Review from Donna)

Cover Lover Book Review, October 16

Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, October 16

Vicky Sluiter, October 16

Devoted Steps, October 17

Lily’s Corner, October 17

Holly’s Book Corner, October 18

Mary Hake, October 18

Blossoms and Blessings, October 19

Pause for Tales, October 19

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

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

https://gleam.io/KNJXt/belles-christmas-carol-celebration-tour-giveaway

Julie Lessman: A Whim and A Prayer

 By Kelly Bridgewater

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

About the Book

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

(NOTE! THIS BOOK IS A SWEET INSPIRATIONAL WITH A HIGHER LEVEL OF ROMANTIC PASSION)

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.

My Thoughts:

A Whim and a Prayer by Julie Lessman is definitely my most favorite book of the O'Connor's clan stories. I love how Lessman includes a family that has been in my imagination for a LOOOONG time. I have loved this family, and every time Lessman writes another story that includes this family, it is a must purchase book. With this story, Lessman has crafted my favorite romance tropes. I love a Best Friend to More story. With Beckett and Winnie, Lessman does exactly that. She gives Winnie personal scares that she has to overcome in order to accept God, then she can accept love from others. The description does include more spice than normal Christian fiction. BUT at least, the romance is between married couples. Some might not like this aspect but I actually enjoy it to show that Christian are not prudes when it comes to romance. Overall, A Whim and A Prayer ended too quickly for me. I needed more. I definitely will be purchasing a physical copy when available.  

I received a complimentary copy of A Whim and A Prayer by Julie Lessman through Just Read Tours, but the opinions stated are all my own. 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

More in This Series

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About the Author

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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Tour Giveaway

(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.

Enter Giveaway

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

Tamera Alexander: In These Hills

 By Kelly Bridgewater

 A young suffragist on the run finds more than refuge in the hills and hollers of Tennessee in this gripping historical romance from USA Today bestselling author Tamera Alexander.

1905. Josephine Dunham is running for her life. After a women’s suffrage rally in Atlanta turns deadly, she buys a one-way ticket on the first train out and lands in rural Tennessee. There, Dodge Coburn―a rough-edged stranger with undeniable appeal―begrudgingly offers her a ride to Lynchburg, a speck of a town where Josephine hopes to disappear.

Battered and desperate, Josephine has little to say when Dodge delivers her to Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House. Hoping to work in exchange for room and board, she soon discovers the only job matching her skills is at Jack Daniel’s Distillery, an irony not lost on a suffragist committed to prohibition.

Dodge is skeptical of Josephine’s claim that she’s on the run from an abusive husband. But between running Jack Daniel’s cattle farm and raising his young niece, he has little time or inclination to press her . . . at first. But when Josephine’s convictions and compassion draw him in, Dodge begins to reconsider the life he’s chasing, while Josephine must face a world far more complicated than the principles she’s held to.

As Jack Daniel’s Distillery gains national recognition, Josephine’s secrets resurface. In a place where whiskey making takes time but justice is too often hurried, Dodge and Josephine must decide what―and who―they are willing to risk everything for, and whether faith will hold when the cost is high and time is running out.

My Thoughts:

In These Hills by Tamera Alexander has a beautiful cover and an intriguing synopsis for the story hidden within the pages of the book. The plot does start out with plenty of intrigue and a mystery that wanted me to keep reading. However, after that time, the story really dragged. Not much is happening. Just normal day life stuff in Tennessee. Fights. Working. Household items. A little bit of romance. Alexander does a wonderful job at bringing the rural countryside to life and show what life is like, which is what I like about historical fiction. Overall, In These Hills by Tamera Alexander really didn’t hold my attention. I honestly couldn’t wait to finish the book and move onto another one.

I received a complimentary copy of In These Hills by Tamera Alexander from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Purchase In These Hills

Cathy Gohlke: Every Given Day

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Inspired by true events, Christy Hall of Fame author Cathy Gohlke delivers a powerful new historical novel weaving together the discovery of insulin―a breakthrough that revolutionized modern medicine―and one woman’s brave fight to cling to her family and hope against unspeakable odds.

New York City, 1918. When schoolteacher Gwendolyn Armstrong learns of her sister’s worsening illness, she travels to Marion’s stately home to tutor her young niece and nephew, kept from school by the Spanish flu outbreak. Though the family lives in luxury, Gwen is wary of Marion’s sophisticated, often-absent husband, Russell, who once cast Gwen aside for her sister, leaving wounds that never fully healed.

As Marion’s health declines, a sense of foreboding settles over the family. Gwen observes strangers coming and going from Russell’s study at all hours, and her lingering distrust turns to suspicion that he is hiding something that could threaten the family’s safety and security. But when the deadly flu claims victims among the family and mansion staff, Gwen and her nephew, Alistair, are forced to accept terrible losses caused by the epidemic followed soon after by his own fatal diagnosis of juvenile diabetes.

When a compassionate doctor becomes both an advocate and friend, chasing down every promising medical development in the race for a cure, Gwen clings to each shred of hope. But as Russell’s clandestine dealings erupt into a shattering revelation, she must summon every ounce of courage she possesses. With Alistair’s life hanging in the balance, Gwen pleads for a faith she doesn’t yet possess, realizing she must surrender him to God and the possibility of a miracle that could save him and reshape her future in ways she never imagined.

My Thoughts:

Every Given Day by Cathy Gohlke shows a unknown story of the affects of diabetes on a young boy before the introduction of insulin. The plot does take a winding path to get to this aspect. Gohlke spends time setting up the family situation and how the Spanish flu affects their family before getting to this aspect of the plot. I love the mystery element with the husband, Russell. It was interesting and kept me guessing what was really going on. As for the romance, there really isn't much. At the end, there is a happily-ever-after moment, but the entire plot does not focus on this budding romance, which I liked. Gwen, the heroine, is a strong, fiesty woman who is not afraid to stand up to her brother-in-law as he deals with his own issues. I like her fierceness of fighting for Allistair's life. Even when others told her to stop. Overall, Every Given Day by Cathy Gohlke has a strong heroine, which Allstair needs, and a plot that shows a the history of insulin and diabetes with a mystery. I liked the well-crafted story, and the ending made me smile. 

I received a complimentary copy of Every Given Day by Cathy Gohlke from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own. 

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Every Given Day