by Crystal Caudill | Feb 28, 2022 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge
We’ve finished the first month of the Unlocking the Past 2022 Reading Challenge: Around the World. This month we traveled to Asia, and my choice of story was Every Word Unsaid by Kimberly Duffy Once you read my review, don’t forget to comment to be entered for your chance to win a copy.
*Want more interaction and/or suggestions each month? Join the Facebook Group. Want a bookmark with the monthly themes? Fill out this Google Form. Need a reminder on the details of the challenge? Go to the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge page.*
Every Word Unsaid
by Kimberly Duffy
This month I had the incredible privilege of listening to Every Word Unsaid by Kimberly Duffy. She’d long been an author on my TBR pile and I was determined to use this reading challenge as an excuse to force me to pick it up. Oh my goodness! I ADORE Gussie and the whole cast of characters. Gussie is a free-spirited woman who struggles with the confines of her parents’ and society’s expectations of what a woman should be and do. She runs from place to place, taking photographs and travel articles for Ladies Weekly as means of trying to satisfy this deep longing for something more.
When scandal forces her out of the country, she escapes to India for experiences, photographs, and articles. What she finds, is a personal growth experience that transforms her into the fullness of her herself and God’s plan for her. She is forced to confront the pain of rejection for others and finds acceptance in a people in place that speaks to her soul. It is an incredibly beautiful story with a swoony hero who is atypical, but rock steady and exactly what Gussie needs in her life. While necessarily a romance story, there is plenty of romance to knock your socks off. But at the core of this story is a woman discovering who she is and accepting the fact that she is enough despite what others say about her.
I highly recommend this story to those seeking to experience other lands, real characters who also seem larger than life, love heroines and heroes who don’t quite fit the mold of expectation, and are looking for stories that go beyond entertaining to speak to your soul.
Genre: Historical, 1897, New York and India
Plot Overview:
Augusta Travers has spent the last three years avoiding the stifling expectations of New York society and her family’s constant disappointment. As the nation’s most fearless–and reviled–columnist, Gussie travels the country with her Kodak camera and spins stories for women unable to leave hearth and home. But when her adventurous nature lands her in the middle of a scandal, an opportunity to leave America offers the perfect escape.
Arriving in India, she expects only a nice visit with childhood friends, siblings Catherine and Gabriel, and escapades that will further her career. Instead, she finds herself facing a plague epidemic, confusion over Gabriel’s sudden appeal, and the realization that what she wants from life is changing. But slowing down means facing all the hurts of her past that she’s long been trying to outrun. And that may be an undertaking too great even for her.
What I loved: Gussie’s whole story just pulled me along on an adventure and eye-opening experience of a world not my own. Her personality, struggles, and experiences just left me desperate to not put the book down. Or in my case, get out of the car.
Favorite Character and Why: This book has a full cast of characters that I love, but Gussie remains firm as my favorite. She is unapologetically who she is on the outside, but inside she struggles and hurts like so many of us in unseen ways. She is beautiful soul, and I loved walking her story with her.
Who would like this? I highly recommend this story to those seeking to experience other lands, real characters who also seem larger than life, love heroines and heroes who don’t quite fit the mold of expectation, and are looking for stories that go beyond entertaining to speak to your soul.
PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon Baker Bookhouse Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million Book Depository Bookshop.org Christianbook.com Indiebound.org
Giveaway
For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month and you will also be entered into the year-end Grand Prize Reader Basket. Use the Rafflecopter below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on March 7th at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced don’t the Rafflecopter widget. *Open to all residents of the contiguous USA, legally able to enter, and an e-book format or Amazon Gift Card will be awarded to those outside that range who are legally able to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
What did you read for February’s Challenge? What do you hope to read in March?
by Crystal Caudill | Feb 22, 2022 | Character Interview
One of my new favorite things to do this year is to interview characters. They are so much fun, and it just really gets you connected to them even before (or after) you’ve read the book. Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to Jillian Parisi-Duffy from Now That I Know You by Olivia Newport. Before we meet officially, let me introduce you to her story:
Now that I Know You by Olivia Newport
A Father-Daughter Genealogy Team Links Present to Past on Family Trees
Cate Butler is the distant cousin genealogist Jillian was so certain she wanted to find-and the only connection she has to her deceased mother’s Parisi family tree. So why does she wish Cate would stop pestering her? And why can’t Jillian find a paper trail proving Cate is who she says she is?
Cate wants something for her own career that Jillian can’t give, but she also holds the key to family history Jillian can’t bring herself to walk away from. Nolan, Jillian’s father, steps in when Cate’s chronic career chaos requires legal rescue. Drew, the man who holds Jillian’s heart, has a surprising past with Cate. The truths Jillian, Cate, and Drew find while untangling these knotted threads tie them back together in remarkable ways none of them ever would have imagined.
Now That I Know You is Book 5 in the Tree of Life series, exploring and celebrating unforgettable family stories in Canyon Mines, the mountain town that invites you back again and again.
CC: Hi Jillian! It is so great to meet you. Would you please introduce yourself to my readers? I’ve heard that you don’t like people so I thought maybe it best if you give your side of things.
JPD: It’s not true that I don’t like people. I just like to buckle down and get to work, and sometimes I forget to brush my hair. I have crazy hair. I’m Jillian Parisi-Duffy, hermit-like, determined, and lucky to have the greatest Irish dad on earth. As a genealogist, I’ve always wondered where my crazy hair came from, and for that I had to look into my Italian mother’s family line. In my line of work, I never know what mystery is going to pop up.
CC: It sounds like you have a wonderful family and fascinating life. What is your role in the story Now That I Know You?
JDP: I’m a genealogist and I’m not afraid of digging into a complex challenge. I like to think I’m low maintenance on the personal side. I work from home, I’m content living in a small mountain town and sharing a home with my dad, and I’m grateful for my girlfriends who drag me out of the house for contact with the real world from time to time.
CC: Ha! Ha! I can relate to being dragged out of the house for contact with the real world. Who is your least favorite person to deal with?
JDP: Ironically, my least favorite is the person I went looking for. I never knew much about my mom’s side of the family, so I sent off my DNA to see who was out there. Cate Butler turned up, a distant cousin. Pushy. Needy. Annoying. Intrusive. Scared about something she thinks I can fix. But she’s also the gateway to the family I never knew I had. So what am I supposed to do?
CC: It’s a struggle to work with those people who both annoy and need you, but that you also need. Since we’re talking about other people, do you know any secrets about other characters that you can share with us?
JDP: Mm. My father is acting stranger than usual these days, and I’m starting to think he has a secret that I’m going to have to shake loose from him. And my girlfriends are all fixated on the idea that I need to buy a new dress, which I absolutely do not since I hardly wear dresses, and I don’t know what that’s about.
CC: It sounds like there is some plotting against you going on in your life . . . better switch to a happier topic. Speaking of happiness, what is one of your happiest memories?
JDP: I had a favorite mug for a long time, and when it got leaky I had to admit I had to start using something else for my coffee concoctions. I tried a lot of mugs from the cupboard until I found the one that felt perfect for becoming my new favorite. It had been my mom’s favorite. She died when I was 14, but I remember how she loved this mug and the way the big wide maroon stripe swirls around it. Now I use it often and share her happiness.
CC: Family sounds really important to you. Do you enjoy family gatherings?
JDP: My dad’s side of the family is a large, noisy, imperfect, flawed, loving, Irish clan, and I love every single one of them. I grew up gathering with the Duffys to celebrate every occasion or no occasion at all. My mom’s side was just us and her parents. They’re all gone now–except I went looking for more Parisi who might be out there. I guess I’d like to gather with as many as I can find. I’m a genealogist, after all!
Wow, where has the time gone. Thank you so much for joining us today, Jillian. If people wanted to check out your book to really get to know you, where should they go?
Amazon Barnes and Noble Books-a-Million Book Depository Bookshop.org
Readers, In the comments below, what questions would YOU ask of Jillian?
Olivia Newport’s novels blend the truth of how our pasts carry us into where we find ourselves now. Curiosity about history seems to creep into everything she does. Her books include Amish, historical, and contemporary stories that span the centuries from before the Revolutionary War right up to the present moment. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of Pikes Peak. Visit www.olivianewport.com.
Connect with Olivai Newport: website | facebook | instagram |
by Crystal Caudill | Feb 18, 2022 | Book Reviews
*Special note: As of 2022, I will no longer be giving a star rating. Any books I review will be ones I would have rated between four and five stars. Anything less than that and the book will not be reviewed on my blog, but may be reviewed on my Goodreads account.*
To Stand in the Breach
by Danielle Grandinetti
To Stand in the Breach is a novella prequel to the Strike to the Heart Series. This fascinating story brought to light a piece of our nation’s history I’d never really had any knowledge of: the dairy strikes of the Great Depression. It really brought to life a piece of forgotten history. I really appreciated the view of both sides and the stress everyone endured. From an engagement bridging the gap of the two feuding sides, to a son of a dairy farmer who’s stuck in the middle as a neutral police office, to the life of an immigrant female veterinarian in a time that was frowned up, and the threats looming over her both from her past and in the present, it’s an engaging read. The romance between Joey and Katy was sweet and slow in a way that just makes you love Joey all the more. Throw in the danger involved on both sides and I was hooked. I look forward to following Joey’s sister in the next story, A Strike to the Heart releasing in April 2022.
Genre: Historial Romance, Wisconsin, 1833
Plot Overview:
She came to America to escape a workhouse prison, but will the cost of freedom be too high a price to pay?
1933, Wisconsin — Large animal veterinarian Katy Wells takes her patients’ welfare personally, so it’s no surprise when she stands up to angry farmers planning a milk strike or takes in an injured draft horse to save its life.
But after a visitor from the past discovers her location and reveals a threat, she must choose between her work and her freedom, and whether to trust a man to keep her safe.
Prequel novella to A Strike to the Heart, releasing April 2022 from Heritage Beacon Press/Iron Stream Media
What I loved: If you’ve followed many of my reviews, you know I’m a huge history nerd. I really loved delving into this piece of history which I pretty much had no knowledge of. I also loved how sweet and patient Joey was with Katy.
Favorite Character and Why: Katy was so real and believable. Her strength of character and her flaws were so real and relatable, plus you get that touch of Irish culture and speech.
Who would like this? Readers who like exploring obscure times in history, a splash of danger, and romances that are sweet and patient will really enjoy this story.
PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon Barnes & Noble
Are you familiar with the dairy strikes of the Great Depression? What other books have you read that you’d recommend from this time period.
by Crystal Caudill | Feb 11, 2022 | Counterfeit Love
One of the most nerve-racking parts of being an author is sending your book out into the world for the first time, knowing you can no longer change a single word of your book. Thankfully, the first people to read my novel outside of my critique partners and the Kregel team are endorsers. I am so honored and encouraged by the ladies who read my book and then wrote up beautiful endorsements. For the next few months, I’m going to feature one endorser every couple of weeks. So settle in, hear what they have to say about Counterfeit Love, and then learn about who they are, the books they’ve written, and how you can connect with them. Maybe you will be blessed to discover a new author.
At the end, I’d be blessed if you would leave an encouraging note for this author who has encouraged me so much!
I am pleased to introduce you to . . .
Erica Vetsch
Author & Avid History Museum Patron
Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she married her total opposite and soul mate! When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!
Connect with Erica:
What she had to say about Counterfeit Love:
“Caudill’s debut is a fast-paced tale full of brave and brilliant characters, much skull-duggery, and conflict that will have you unable to tear yourself away.”
—Erica Vetsch, author of The Debutante’s Code
Don’t you just LOVE the word skull-duggery? Eep! I am so excited for this story to be so well received by Erica. Her books are wonderful, as you’ll see below. Thank you so much, Erica! (And I’m shamelessly putting the link to Counterfeit Love here if you would like to learn more or preorder it.)
Erica’s Books
Erica has written tons of novels and novellas, and I can’t possibly list them all here. Where there are series, I’ve only listed the first book, and then a few of my favorites from her. You can purchase them from any major retailer, but here is the link to her Amazon Author Profile where you can grab any of the titles you like.
The Debutante’s Code
Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this new Regency mystery series
Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away, she hasn’t spent much time with her parents, and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love. But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They’ve been living double lives as government spies–and they’re only the latest in a long history of espionage that is the family’s legacy.
Now Lady Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spy craft. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts, regattas, and soirees of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors–not to mention nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner Daniel Swann, who suspects her of a daring theft.
Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents’ last mission? Or will it lead her to a terrible end?
Best-selling author Erica Vetsch is back with a rollicking, exciting new series destined to be a hit with Regency readers who enjoy a touch of mystery in their love stories. Fans of Julie Klassen, Sarah Ladd, and Anne Perry will love the wit, action, and romance.
The Lost Lieutenant (Serendipity & Secrets, Book 1)
He’s doing what he can to save the Prince Regent’s life . . . but can he save his new marriage as well?
Evan Eldridge never meant to be a war hero–he just wanted to fight Napoleon for the future of his country. And he certainly didn’t think that saving the life of a peer would mean being made the Earl of Whitelock. But when the life you save is dear to the Prince Regent, things can change in a hurry.
Now Evan has a new title, a manor house in shambles, and a stranger for a bride, all thrust upon him by a grateful ruler. What he doesn’t have are all his memories. Traumatized as a result of his wounds and bravery on the battlefield, Evan knows there’s something he can’t quite remember. It’s important, dangerous–and if he doesn’t recall it in time, will jeopardize not only his marriage but someone’s very life.
Readers who enjoy Julie Klassen, Carolyn Miller, and Kristi Ann Hunter will love diving into this brand-new Regency series filled with suspense, aristocratic struggles, and a firm foundation of faith.
Seven Brides for Seven Texans
Seven brothers must marry within 1874 or lose their inheritance.
Meet the seven Hart brothers of the 7-Heart ranch in central Texas. Each man is content in his independent life, without the responsibilities of a wife and children—until their father decides 1874 will be the year his grown sons finally marry, or they will be cut from his will. How will each man who values his freedom respond to the ultimatum? Can love develop on a timeline, or will it be sacrificed for the sake of an inheritance?
Love at Last by Erica Vetsch
When her former patient, Confederate officer Bowie Hart, shows up on her doorstep, Elise Rivers agrees to his marriage-of-convenience proposal. But as she gets to know her scarred and taciturn new husband, she realizes she has a chance to turn a marriage-of-convenience into the love of a lifetime, if only she can convince Bowie that he is worthy to be loved.
Seven Brides for Seven Texas Rangers
No One Is Too Tough to be Loved
Join seven Texas Rangers on the hunt for a menacing gang, who run straight into romances with women who foil their plans for both the job and their futures.
Guard Your Heart by Erica Vetsch
When Constance Spanner witnesses a murder, Branch Kilborn is tasked with protecting her until she can testify against Cass Markham. This is the Ranger squad’s chance to abolish the Markham gang once and for all, but Branch soon finds that protecting Constance has become about more than just the job.
![The Cactus Creek Challenge by [Erica Vetsch]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51fDEuHDNLL.jpg)
The Cactus Creek Challenge
Anything he can do, I can do better. At least that was what Cassie Bucknell thought before she pinned on Ben Wilder’s badge and took to patrolling the streets of Cactus Creek, Texas. Cassie has been in love with Ben since primer school, but Ben treats her like a little sister. When they are picked to swap jobs for a month as part of the annual Cactus Creek Challenge in their Texas hometown, the schoolhouse is thrown into an uproar, the jail becomes a temporary bank vault, and Cassie and Ben square off in a battle of wills that becomes a battle for their hearts.
Leave an encouraging note for Erica Vetsch in the comments. This writing journey is rough, and I’d love to bless her as much as she has blessed me.
by Crystal Caudill | Feb 1, 2022 | Reading Challenge
Welcome to the second month of the Unlocking the Past 2022 Reading Challenge: Around the World. This month focuses on books that take place in Asia. While I will generally focus on Historical Fiction novels, I have included plenty of contemporary options as well. The majority of recommendations come from https://inspirationalhistoricalfiction.com/, other readers, or other authors. Especially don’t forget to check out my partner’s website, http://amongthereads.net/. The books aren’t broken down by country, but you can find all sorts of wonderful reads. If none of these suggestions appeal to you, I highly recommend joining the Avid Readers Facebook Group and asking for their recommendations. They are AMAZING and your TBR pile will never be the same.
Add your suggestions in the comments, and/or tell me what you are reading. Have you read any of these below?
Monthly Reminders:
*If you read a book for January, don’t forget to go to yesterday’s post to comment and get your name entered for your chance to win a print copy. (You’ll also earn your entry for the end of the year giveaway.)
*You can also join the Facebook Group. for more interaction and suggestions, or if you’d like a bookmark to remind you of the monthly challenges, fill out this Google Form.
1921 – India
1946 – India
