It’s another month of our challenge: Tackle Your TBR Pile. So go dig through that stack taller than you of books you’ve been meaning to read and start reading away. Since this year is based on your TBR pile, I will not have a recommendations page, but I’m leaving the link here so it’s easier for me to set up NEXT year’s blog posts.
Find recommendations at Reading Challenge Recommendations, Crystal Caudill’s Reading Friends Facebook group, Avid Readers of Christian Fiction, or Inspirational Historical Fiction Index.
Don’t forget to comment at the bottom of the post for your chance to win a book off my prize shelf. *The list of prizes from my shelf can be found here.*
Reading Challenge 2025: Tackle the TBR Pile
If you’re anything like me, you have a TBR pile that is bigger than you can hope to read in a lifetime. This is the year we’re going to try an tackle at least twelve of those books. Head to your shelves and find books that fit each month’s challenge.
This Month: August – Book published before 2020
Next Month: September – New to you author
October – Title from a favorite author
November – Award-winning book
December – Oldest book on your TBR pile
The Bartered Bride
by Erica Vetsch
2009 – original, 2025 – rerelease REVIEW
I’ve always enjoyed Erica’s books, and it’s nice to go back and read her backlist. This story was a real quick read, full of wonderful historical detail, a forced marriage story I could get on board with, and strong-willed characters. I truly enjoyed reading Jonathan and Melissa’s story. I loved seeing them come together, was sort of annoyed by the taking something out of context over-hearing breakup (but it fit the story), but loved how things came back together in a healthy relationship way. I’m definitely looking forward to finishing the rest of the rereleased series after I finish drafting my current work in progress.
Genre: Historical Romance, American 1900s
Plot Overview:
A rebellious suffragette and a steadfast sailor—tied by duty, divided by secrets, and tempted by a love that changes everything.
A born sailor, Jonathan Kennebrae thrives in his role running his grandfather’s shipping enterprise. That is until his grandfather delivers a crippling ultimatum—Jonathan will marry Melissa Brooke or lose his inheritance and everything he’s worked for. Though Jonathan finds himself drawn to Melissa, he can’t help feeling his intended may not be who she appears to be.
Melissa Brooke is tired of being voiceless. She’s been the perfect daughter all her life, doing what she’s told for the good of the family. Except she has a secret. Melissa lives a double life, teaching literacy to struggling immigrant women and fighting for the suffragette movement. If she goes through with the wedding, she’ll be forced to abandon her life’s work. Yet refusing the union could cost her any chance at an inheritance to fund her cause. To make matters worse, she can’t deny the tender feelings blooming between her and her fiancé.
Originally published as part of the Kennebrae Brides series.
Purchase Links:
Giveaway
For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month. Use the Gleam Widget below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on the 7th of each month at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced on the Rafflecopter widget. *Giveaway Policies can be found here.
Sounds like a real good read and interesting one too
I enjoyed it!
I read Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck- 2008. I loved the Lowcountry settting and look forward to continuing the series. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was amazing.
Fun! I haven’t read any of her stuff, but I have a book or two of hers on my shelf I should check out.
I read the next two in Erica’s series: The Marriage Masquerade and An Engineered Engagement. Both published first in 2010.
Cute stories with a manipulation by a grandfather.
I’m hoping to read those soon. Writing has really cramped my reading schedule.
I read “The Ride of Her Life” by Lorna Seilstad – it’s the last book in the “Lake Manawa Summers” series, and I really enjoyed each story! This one was filled with great characters, and a unique profession – a roller coaster builder!
I KNOW I have that one on my shelf. I’ll have to check it out!
I read More Than Meets the Eye by Karen Witemeyer. It was the first in her Patchwork Family Series and published in 2018. Other than a few novellas, it’s the last series of hers that I hadn’t read yet.
Oh that one is still on my TBR. I think that was the first series I began to fall behind on in reading. I’m now several series behind on her books. Oops.
I read Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes. It was soooo good!!! I can’t believe it took me this long to read it!
Ohhh! That one is on my TBR pile!
I read A Healing Touch by Suzanne Woods Fisher. It was a really interesting book.
Oh, I haven’t heard of that one. I’ll have to look it up. I’ve heard of her as an author, but I haven’t read anything she’s written.
I read As Love Blooms by Lorna Seilstad. It was published in 2015 and is the final book of her Gregory Sisters Series. The entire series was good and recommended!
Good to know! I have a few of her books, and I *think* I’ve read a few, but I can’t remember. Now I’m going to have to check it out.
I read Summer of Dreams by Elizabeth Camden. Even though it was a short book, I really enjoyed it! I’ll have to get the next book in the series! It was published in 2016.
I love her books, but I haven’t read that one yet! I’ll have to check it out!
Long Way Home, by Brenda S Anderson. It’s a novella from 2018 (I felt like reading something short 🤫). I don’t know that contemporary fiction is really my cup of tea, but its good.