by Crystal Caudill | Jan 20, 2023 | Counterfeit Hope
Counterfeit Hope is about four weeks from its release date, and one thing I always like to do leading up to my release day is to take time to put the spotlight on the authors who endorsed my book. Not only did they sacrifice their time to read it, but they also wrote words that touched my heart and encouraged me. These are authors that I respect and look up to. Authors who know their craft, have been writing far longer than I have, and know what makes a good story. To be endorsed by them is an honor that I cannot express adequately.
For the next seven weeks, I am going to continue to spotlight an endorser, share what they have to say about Counterfeit Hope, share more about them, the books they’ve written, and how you can connect with them, as well as give you a chance to win one of their books. At the end of each post, I hope you will leave the author an uplifting note so they may be encouraged just as they have encouraged me.
I am pleased to introduce to you . . .
Grace Hitchcock
Author of The Pursuit of Miss Parish
Grace Hitchcock is the author of multiple historical novels and novellas. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives in Baton Rouge with her husband, Dakota, son and daughter. Connect with her online at GraceHitchcock.com.
Connect with Laura: Website | Facebook | Instagram | BookBub | Goodreads | Pinterest | Twitter
What Grace had to say about Counterfeit Hope:
“With a unique premise and astonishing twists, Crystal Caudill’s Counterfeit Hope is an impressive sequel expertly penned that will leave readers eager for the next book from this fresh voice!”
Purchase Links for Counterfeit Hope: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Book Despository | Bookshop.org | Christianbook | Logos | Indiebound
Grace’s Books
Grace has written a wide range of stories, from historical romantic suspense to romantic comedy to romance and soon-to-be Regency. I can’t list all her books, but her newest and my favorite ones are here.
The Finding of Miss Fairfield (New Release)
When an engagement of convenience becomes anything but convenient . . .
Forced into a betrothal with a widower twice her age, Charleston socialite, Sophia Fairfield is desperate for an escape. But, while her fiancé is away on business, he assigns his handsome stepson, Carver, the task of looking after his bride-to-be. Much to her dismay, Sophia finds herself falling in love with the wrong gentleman—a man society would never allow her to marry, given Sophia was supposed to be his new stepmother. The only way to save Carver from scandal and financial ruin is to run away, leaving him and all else behind to become a Harvey Girl waitress at the Castañeda Hotel in New Mexico.
Carver Ashton has had his life planned out for him since birth, but when he encounters Sophia Fairfield, he glimpses a new life—apart from his overbearing stepfather’s business. But, when the woman he loves disappears before he can express his devotion, Carver abandons all to find her. However, his stepfather has other intentions for Sophia and will stop at nothing until she is his bride . . . even if it is against her will.
Purchase Links for The Finding of Miss Fairfield: Autographed Copy | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Dear Miss Dupré
Willow Dupré never thought she would have to marry, but with her father’s unexpected retirement from running the prosperous Dupré sugar refinery, she is forced into a different future. The shareholders are unwilling to allow a female to take over the company without a man at her side, so her parents devise a plan–find Willow a spokesman king in order for her to become queen of the business empire.
Willow is presented with thirty potential suitors from the families of New York society’s elite group called the Four Hundred. She has six months to court the group and is told to to eliminate men each month to narrow her beaus until she chooses one to marry, ending the competition with a wedding. Willow reluctantly agrees, knowing she must do what is best for the business. She doesn’t expect to find anything other than a proxy . . . until she meets a gentleman who captures her attention, and she must discover for herself if his motives are pure.
The White City
Mysterious Disappearances Taint the Chicago World’s Fair
Step into Book One of True Colors, a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime
While attending the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, Winnifred Wylde believes she witnessed a woman being kidnapped. She tries to convince her father, an inspector with the Chicago police, to look into reports of mysterious disappearances around the White City. Inspector Wylde tries to dismiss her claims as exaggeration of an overactive imagination, but he eventually concedes to letting her go undercover as secretary to the man in question—if she takes her pistol for protection and Jude Thorpe, a policeman, for bodyguard.
Will she be able to expose H. H. Holmes’s illicit activity, or will Winnifred become his next victim?
The Gray Chamber
Will Edyth prove her sanity before it is too late?
On Blackwell’s Island, New York, a hospital was built to keep its patients from ever leaving.
With her late parents’ fortune under her uncle’s care until her twenty-fifth birthday in the year 1887, Edyth Foster does not feel pressured to marry or to bow to society’s demands. She freely indulges in eccentric hobbies like fencing and riding her velocipede in her cycling costume about the city for all to see. Finding a loophole in the will, though, her uncle whisks Edyth off to the women’s lunatic asylum just weeks before her birthday. And Edyth fears she will never be found.
At the asylum she meets another inmate, who upon discovering Edyth’s plight, confesses that she is Nellie Bly, an undercover journalist for The World. Will either woman find a way to leave the terrifying island and reclaim her true self?
Giveaway
I am giving away one e-book copy of Grace’s The Finding of Miss Fairfield to someone who leaves an encouraging message for Grace below between January 20th and January 27th. The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST and is open to US and international residents legally able to enter (follow your country’s rules). If you want to earn extra entries, use the Rafflecopter widget below. The only requirement to be entered is that you leave Grace an encouraging note on this post. Thank you for participating.
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Please leave Grace an encouraging message below.
by Crystal Caudill | Jan 13, 2023 | Counterfeit Hope
Counterfeit Hope is about five weeks from its release date and one thing I always like to do leading up to my release day is to take time to put the spotlight on the authors who endorsed my book. Not only did they sacrifice their time to read it, but they also wrote words that touched my heart and encouraged me. These are authors that I respect and look up to. Authors who know their craft, have been writing far longer than I have, and know what makes a good story. To be endorsed by them is an honor that I cannot express adequately.
For the next eight weeks, I am going to continue to spotlight an endorser, share what they have to say about Counterfeit Hope, share more about them, the books they’ve written, and how you can connect with them, as well as give you a chance to win one of their books. At the end of each post, I hope you will leave the author an uplifting note so they may be encouraged just as they have encouraged me.
I am pleased to introduce to you . . .
Liz Tolsma
Author of What I Would Tell You
intro
Connect with Laura: Website | Podcast. | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | BookBub | Goodreads | Pinterest | YouTube
What Liz had to say about Counterfeit Hope:
“A round of applause for Crystal Caudill and the fabulous story she penned. The rich, well-developed characters, the plot twists, and Crystal’s unique voice made it a very enjoyable read and kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning, just waiting to see what would happen. I would highly recommend it for any lover of historical fiction.”
Purchase Links for Counterfeit Hope: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Book Despository | Bookshop.org | Christianbook | Logos | Indiebound
Liz’s Books
Liz has written a TON of historical novels mostly set during the World Wars, and there is no way that I can feature them all here, but I’m choosing to feature her newest one a couple of my favorites from her.
What I Would Tell You (New Release)
DNA Test Unlocks a Family Mystery
Sephardic Jew Mathilda Nissim watches in horror as the Germans invade her beloved city of Salonika, Greece. What angers her most is the lack of resistance her people put up to their captors. In secret and at great risk to her life, she continues to publish her newspaper, calling her people to action. She doesn’t trust God to help them. When she and her husband find out they are expecting a child, Mathilda may have to resort to desperate measures to ensure her daughter’s survival.
Three generations later, college student Riley Payson and her cousin take a popular DNA test only to discover they don’t share any common ancestors. In fact, the test shows Riley is a Sephardic Jew from Greece. This revelation shakes Riley’s tenuous faith and sends her on a journey to discover what happened to her great-grandmother and how all this relates to her faith and her life today.
Purchase Links for What I Would Tell You: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Book Despository | Bookshop.org | Christianbook
Slashed Canvas
Held prisoner by all she’s lost, Katarina’s about to lose all she has.
Princess Katarina Volstova barely escaped the Russian revolution, arriving in Paris just before the birth of her twin daughters. With her heart still captive in her homeland, she haunts the Louvre each day, spending hours gazing at one painting, lost in her pain.
Not the man he once was before the Great War, Georges Velvey hides himself away doing janitorial service in the Louvre and watching the beautiful woman whose pain seems riveted on one painting.
When Katarina returns home to find her daughters and their nanny missing, the loss opens her eyes to all she has to lose now.
Frantic to find her girls, her distress causes Georges to offer his assistance. Together they put together clues to a puzzle they must complete before the kidnapper ensures Katarina and her daughters are never reunited.
Slashed Canvas offers a retelling of The Lost Princess that mingles self-centered grief, spoiled little girls, and proof that nothing will stop a mother from saving her children.
The Silver Shadow
Will the reporter and the policeman team up to find the man clubbing women before he strikes too close for comfort?
Denver of 1900 is still a dangerous place to be following the silver crash of 1893. And of out of the dark comes a shadow intent on harming women. Ambitious young Denver newspaper reporter Polly Blythe is searching for the big story that’s going to launch her career. On Friday evening, August 24, 1900, she gets her break when two women are cracked over the head within a two-minute walk of each other. But policeman Edwin Timmer thwarts Polly’s ideas of a serial criminal. . .until the shadowy figure strikes again. Will the reporter and the policeman team up to find the culprit before her strikes too close for comfort?
A Promise Engraved
Can Promises Made in Times of Struggle Endure 200 Years?
Visit historic American landmarks through the Doors to the Past series. History and today collide in stories full of mystery, intrigue, faith, and romance.
Young, spirited Josie Wilkins life is about to take a turn when faced with political turmoil and forbidden love in San Antonio of 1836. John Gilbert has won her heart, despite being a Protestant preacher who is forbidden to practice his faith in Texas. Will either of them survive an epic battle for liberty to create a legacy of love?
Nearly 200 years later, Kayleigh Hernandez takes breaks from her demanding job as a refugee coordinator working with Mexican migrants to attend flea markets where she has found a uniquely engraved ring. Enlisting the help of appraiser Brandon Shuman, they piece together a love story long forgotten. But will dangers linked to Kayleigh’s work end her own hopes for leaving a legacy built on hope, faith, and love?
Giveaway
I am giving away one e-book copy of Liz’s Slashed Canvas to someone who leaves an encouraging message for Laura below between January 13th and January 20th. The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST and is open to US and international residents legally able to enter (follow your country’s rules). If you would like to earn extra entries, use the Rafflecopter widget below. The only requirement to be entered is that you leave Liz an encouraging note on this post. Thank you for participating.
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Please leave Liz an encouraging message below.
by Crystal Caudill | Jan 6, 2023 | Counterfeit Hope
Counterfeit Hope is about six weeks from its release date and one thing I always like to do leading up to my release day is to take time to put the spotlight on the authors who endorsed my book. Not only did they sacrifice their time to read it, but they also wrote words that touched my heart and encouraged me. These are authors that I respect and look up to. Authors who know their craft, have been writing far longer than I have, and know what makes a good story. To be endorsed by them is an honor that I cannot express adequately.
For the next nine weeks, I am going to spotlight an endorser, share what they have to say about Counterfeit Hope, share more about them, the books they’ve written, and how you can connect with them, as well as give you a chance to win one of their books. At the end of each post, I hope you will leave the author an uplifting note so they may be encouraged just as they have encouraged me.
I am pleased to introduce to you . . .
Laura Frantz
Author of The Rose and the Thistle
Laura Frantz was one of the first authors I met and spoke with when I started my writing journey in earnest. From the very first time she met me, I was impressed with her humble spirit, love for encouraging other writers, and desire to obey God in her writing. She is one of the sweetest and kindest women I know, and her stories are beyond remarkable. They are so well researched, the language rich and lyrical, the characters real and full of such depth, and the kind of stories that leave you in a book hangover when you are finished. At the end of this post, I am giving readers a chance to win an e-copy of A Heart Adrift, so be sure to check that out.
Connect with Laura: Website | Facebook | Instagram | BookBub | Goodreads | Pinterest | Twitter
What Laura had to say about Counterfeit Hope:
“A stirring novel of second chances and redemptive choices set amid the pulse-pounding backdrop of counterfeiters in Gilded Age America. Counterfeit Hope shines light on little known history brought to vivid life through the finely tuned characters of Andrew and Lu. A delightful blend of danger and romance!”
Purchase Links for Counterfeit Hope: Amazon | Baker Book House | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Book Despository | Bookshop.org | Christianbook | Logos | Indiebound
Laura’s Books
Laura has written a TON of historical novels mostly ranging in the 1700s, and there is no way that I can feature them all here, but I’m choosing to feature her newest one a couple of my favorites from her.
The Rose and the Thistle (New Release)
In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley’s father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Lady Blythe awaits who will ultimately be crowned king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.
No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with the clothes on her back and her mistress in tow. He has his own problems–a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction in the wake of losing his father. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.
Drawn into a whirlwind of intrigue, shifting alliances, and ambitions, Lady Blythe must be careful whom she trusts. Her fortune, her future, and her very life are at stake. Those who appear to be adversaries may turn out to be allies–and those who pretend friendship may be enemies.
Purchase Links for The Rose and the Thistle: Amazon | Baker Book House | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Book Despository | Bookshop.org | Christianbook | Indiebound
A Heart Adrift
A Virginia chocolatier and a privateering sea captain collide once more after a failed love affair a decade before. Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart? Or will a new shared vision reunite them?
It is 1755, and the threat of war with France looms over colonial York, Virginia. Chocolatier Esmée Shaw is fighting her own battle of the heart. Having reached her twenty-eighth birthday, she is reconciled to life alone after a decade-old failed love affair from which she’s never quite recovered. But she longs to find something worthwhile to do with her life.
Captain Henri Lennox has returned to port after a lengthy absence, intent on completing the lighthouse in the dangerous Chesapeake Bay, a dream he once shared with Esmée. But when the colonial government asks him to lead a secret naval expedition against the French, his future is plunged into uncertainty.
Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart, or can their shared vision and dedication to the colonial cause heal the wounds of the past? Bestselling and award-winning author Laura Frantz whisks you away to a time fraught with peril–on the sea and in the heart–in this redemptive, romantic story.
The Lacemaker
When colonial Williamsburg explodes like a powder keg on the eve of the American Revolution, Lady Elisabeth “Liberty” Lawson is abandoned by her fiancé and suspected of being a spy for the hated British. No one comes to her aid save the Patriot Noble Rynallt, a man with formidable enemies of his own. Liberty is left with a terrible choice. Will the Virginia belle turned lacemaker side with the radical revolutionaries, or stay true to her English roots? And at what cost?
Historical romance favorite Laura Frantz is back with a suspenseful story of love, betrayal, and new beginnings. With her meticulous eye for detail and her knack for creating living, breathing characters, Frantz continues to enchant historical fiction readers who long to feel they are a part of the story.
A Bound Heart
Though Magnus MacLeish and Lark MacDougall grew up on the same castle grounds, Magnus is now laird of the great house and the Isle of Kerrera. Lark is but the keeper of his bees and the woman he is hoping will provide a tincture that might help his ailing wife conceive and bear him an heir. But when his wife dies suddenly, Magnus and Lark find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of accusations, expelled from their beloved island, and sold as indentured servants across the Atlantic. Yet even when all hope seems dashed against the rocky coastline of the Virginia colony, it may be that in this New World the two of them could make a new beginning–together.
Laura Frantz’s prose sparkles with authenticity and deep feeling as she digs into her own family history to share this breathless tale of love, exile, and courage in Colonial America.
Giveaway
I am giving away one e-book copy of Laura’s A Heart Adrift to someone who leaves an encouraging message for Laura below between January 6th and January 13th. The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST and is open to US and international residents legally able to enter (follow your country’s rules). If you would like to earn extra entries, use the Rafflecopter widget below. The only requirement to be entered is that you leave Laura an encouraging note on this post. Thank you for participating.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Please leave Laura an encouraging message below.
by Crystal Caudill | Jan 3, 2023 | Author Interviews
Last year I had the blessing of getting to meet Liz Tolsma when I was on her podcast Christian Historical Fiction Talk, and it was so wonderful to get to know her through an actual conversation instead of just email or Facebook conversations. Today, it is my pleasure to get to introduce you to her and her newest release, What I Would Tell You.
Long-time Wisconsin resident Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance and has been an award finalist on several occasions. She is a popular podcaster, speaker, and editor. Together, she and her husband adopted three children internationally. They reside next to a farm field with their youngest daughter. Their son is a U.S. Marine, and their oldest daughter is a recent college graduate. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping.
You can connect with her through:
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | BookBub | GoodReads
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Liz with rapid-fire.
CC: Sweet or Salty?
LT: Both! I LOVE chocolate-covered pretzels!
CC: Print, E-book, or Audiobook?
LT: Ebook. I mostly read at bedtime, and my husband wouldn’t appreciate me leaving the light on or listening to an audiobook.
CC: Coffee, Tea, or Other?
LT: Coffee but only if it doesn’t taste like coffee; otherwise, tea.
Morning Person or Night Owl?
LT: Morning person
CC: Favorite Holiday?
LT: Christmas! I was married on December 23, my husband was born on December 25, and my daughter on December 17.
Oh wow! That is a lot of really important events in December! No wonder Christmas is your favorite. Let’s move into some of the more in-depth questions.
What does your writing process look like from beginning to end?
LT: A big, old, sloppy mess. I start with an idea or a character or a historical event. I do a good bit of research, learn a little bit about my characters, and then I’m off to the races. The characters reveal more of themselves and their stories as I write, which often means I have to go back and change things. Sometimes plot lines will hit me in the middle of the book, which means more rewriting. I spend more time actually reworking a book than I do writing it. That’s why I’m thankful for a good editing team. They really help me clean my mess up and make it presentable to the world.
CC: That honestly makes me feel better as I’m really struggling to wrangle this story into some semblance of an order for a synopsis.
What has been the biggest challenge for you on your writing journey?
LT: Juggling writing, marketing, editing, podcasting, and a family life. I wear a lot of hats, and it can get to be too much at times. I need to stay focused and disciplined, and it’s amazing how much I can accomplish if I do that. I also have to be sure to carve out the time that my husband and children need and deserve. My husband has been known to come by me on a Saturday afternoon, firmly close my laptop, and tell me that’s enough for the week. He helps me to stay balanced, so he’s good for me and my mental health!
That is so important to have a family that helps you stay balanced. I’m struggling with doing it all as well, and last year was pretty brutal. I don’t know how you podcast on top of everything. I feel like I’m drowning with much less on my plate.
How have you seen God working through your writing journey?
LT: He has really used this process to grow my patience. I’ve had to trust his timing to be perfect for my first contract. I’d been writing for almost ten years when that first came along. I’ve had to place myself in his hands with each subsequent contract and not allow my fear of never getting a contract again to take over if I don’t have a deadline. I’ve also learned so much from my characters’ story arcs. As they learn things about the Lord and about the Christian life, there are lessons in there for me as well.
CC: Amen and amen. What a blessing it is to see how you lean into Him for the whole writing life.
Do you have any advice for those who want to write their own stories?
LT: This sounds so simple, but my advice is to write. You can’t be a writer if you don’t have words down on paper. If I had a nickel for everyone over the years who has told me they want to be a writer but never wrote a word, I’d be able to write from my private Caribbean island! Even if it’s only a couple of hundred words a day, it’s amazing how fast they add up and become a book. Once you have them down, then you have something to work with and to improve on.
Sage advice.
Now I’m really excited to talk about your newest release, What I Would Tell You.
Determined to resist the invading Nazis, a Greek Jewish woman’s greatest dream has become her worst nightmare, and now she faces an impossible choice whose consequences echo across the generations.
1941—The pounding of Nazi boots on the streets of Salonika, Greece, reverberates in Mathilda Nissim’s ears, shaking her large community of Sephardic Jews to its core and altering her life forever. If only her people would rise up and resist their captors. At great risk to herself and those around her, she uses the small newspaper she publishes to call them to action, all to no avail. Her husband encourages her to trust God to watch over them, but God has once again deserted His people. Amid the chaos, Mathilda discovers she’s expecting a longed-for child. Still, nothing stops the occupiers’ noose from tightening around their necks, and she may have to resort to desperate measures to ensure her daughter’s survival.
2019—College student Tessa Payton and her cousin take a popular DNA heritage test only to discover they don’t share any common ancestors. In fact, the test reveals Tessa is a Greek Sephardic Jew. This revelation threatens her tenuous faith. Always the overlooked child in her family, she empties her savings account and jets off on a journey to Greece to discover where she belongs and which God demands her allegiance. The enchanting curator at the Jewish museum guides her as she navigates life in Thessaloniki, helps with her genealogical research, and loans her a fascinating journal written by a Jewish woman during WWII. Tessa’s search, however, may open old wounds and uncover long-hidden secrets that could fracture her family forever and leave her with more questions than when she started. Based in part on true accounts of Jews in Salonika, Greece, What I Would Tell You traces two women’s journeys, delving into what faith looks like and where it leads us as they navigate difficult circumstances and impossible choices that have ripple effects across the years.
Split time fiction: WWII and 2019
Stand-alone novel
Approximate book length: 91,000 words
Includes author’s notes
Purchase your copy at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Christianbook
CC: Where did you get the idea for What I Would Tell You?
LT: I can’t prove this because I can no longer find the source anywhere, but I read an article about a Greek Jewish woman faced with an impossible choice during WWII. I know I didn’t make it up because I knew nothing about WWII in Greece before I read that article. I didn’t keep the source anywhere, but the kernel of an idea that became this book never left me. It’s been so wonderful to finally get a chance to write it and to see it out in the world.
CC: I hate when I lose my sources, but what a neat thing. I love how the real-world inspires fiction.
What about this story drew you to it? Does this story have any special meaning to you?
LT: The compelling nature of the story drew me to it. I just couldn’t imagine what I would do if I ever found myself in my heroine’s position. I can’t say too much more without spoilers, and I wouldn’t want to do that! The story really took on flesh when I was able to travel to Greece to research it. It was 2021, Covid was still raging, and my daughter was waiting to hear about a missions trip she hoped to take to Greece that summer. Just about the time Greece reopened to US citizens and she knew she’d be going, I got the contract for What I Would Tell You. I knew I needed to go. Alyssa and I had a fabulous two weeks together researching the book. She traipsed all over the city of Thessaloniki without complaining, took notes for me, and was a fabulous navigator. It helped that she’d been in the country for almost three months at that point, so she was familiar with the culture.
CC: Wow! I love how God aligns things so beautifully! And what a special time with your daughter that was. I can’t imagine all the special memories you two have stored up.
What was some of your favorite research you discovered while preparing for What I Would Tell You?
LT: So much of what we saw and did on the trip made it into the book. I mention many of them in the author’s notes at the end. It was very sobering to visit the Jewish sites in Thessaloniki knowing that less than 2000 of the city’s 50,000 Jews survived the Holocaust. The Jewish museum brought me to tears, as did the train station where they were transported to Auschwitz. I did end up falling in love with Greek food, and a good bit of that made it into the contemporary storyline. If you look at my pictures from that trip, there are more of the food than there are of my daughter. Of course, my favorite part had to be when we did some research in a nearby beach town. It was tough, be we did it so the story could be the best possible story LOL!
CC: LOL more pictures of food than your daughter! I can relate. I love eating foods unique to the culture I’m visiting. I love how so much of your research made it into your story.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
LT: This is a story about where we belong and who we belong to. I hope that readers will take away that our identity and belonging ultimately lie in Christ. Even if the entire world should forsake us, He never will. He will be with us to the end of the age. If they come away from the story with nothing other that, I hope that will be what stays with them long after they finish the last page.
That is such an important and powerful message. As my final question, I have my usual “Fun Question”.
What animal is most like you?
LT: I’ve always said that if I believed in reincarnation, I would want to come back as the cat of an old woman who has no grandchildren. I know that’s super specific, but that way I could just curl up and sleep without anyone interrupting or bothering me.
CC: LOL, that would definitely be the life. As a previous author once said, I tend to live as a sleep-deprived pigeon, so a life of napping sounds amazing.
Readers, I hope you’ll check out What I Would Tell You, and come back next Friday to learn more about what stories Liz has written, what she has to say about my upcoming release Counterfeit Hope, and for a chance to win an e-book of Slashed Canvas from Liz Tolsma.
Reader, what do you know about Greece’s experience during the World Wars?
by Crystal Caudill | Dec 31, 2022 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge
We’ve finished the last month of the Unlocking the Past 2022 Reading Challenge: Around the World. This month we traveled to any country, so long as it was Christmas, and my choice of story was actually the Christmas collection from Karen Witemeyer, Under the Texas Mistletoe Once you read my review, don’t forget to comment to be entered for your chance to win a copy.
January 2023’s Theme: A Book with a Spy
*Want more interaction and/or suggestions each month? Join the Facebook Group. Need a reminder of the details of the challenge? Go to the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge page or sign up for my newsletter to have reminders at the beginning of the month in your inbox.*
Under the Texas Mistletoe
by Karen Witemeyer
Karen Witemeyer is a Christy Award winner for a reason. I listened to the first story in the collection called “A Texas Christmas Carol” last Christmas and loved all the creative connections to the beloved Christmas story. I definitely understand why it won the Christy. While I did not reread that particular novella this Christmas, I did get the chance to listen to the last two and an exclusive short story during the drives back and forth to my parents during my Nanny’s decline and ultimate passing.
“An Archer Family Christmas” ultimately was my favorite one. The Archers have long been my favorite, but it was the sweet story of Jim’s and Cassie’s married life and struggles that really touched me the most out of the entire collection. Cassie and Jim lost their only child and were told it would be impossible to have another a few years previous to the setting of this story. Watching them go through Christmas in such a family-oriented and child-heavy family was poignant and beautiful. Without giving away spoilers, the danger, love, and beautiful weaving of this story were one that will long stick with me. Far longer than any of the other stories.
“Gift of the Heart” was another beautiful story with unique characters–a strong widowed mother who will do anything to provide for her daughter, even confront a rich and reclusive resort owner. The romance and growth they brought to each other was one I also enjoyed. I especially like that the hero had an arm that had been crippled as a child, and that we got to see how he adapted to life and how it molded him into the man he was.
I can’t remember the name of the short story as it was on audio, but it had to do with the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and a man’s determination to prove to a father that he was the right man for his daughter to marry. It was a super cute story with a fun twist on the song.
I definitely recommend this series to those who enjoy Christmas stories connected to other stories and Christmas songs, stories with depth, romance, and unique characters, and fans of Karen Witemeyer.
Genre: Historical Romance, Texas, Late 1800s
Plot Overview:
Three Charming and Festive Holiday Novellas Spiced with Humor, Frontier Action, and Sweet Romance
In this 3-in-1 novella collection, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer presents the new story “A Texas Christmas Carol,” in which a town’s wealthy, Scrooge-like bachelor finds his world invaded by a woman set on earning his donation for helping the local poor, and by the penetrating questions of three mysterious visitors.
It also includes, for the first time in print, “An Archer Family Christmas.” When the Archer clan gathers for the Christmas holiday, an unexpected request for help leaves Cassandra Archer directly in the path of a dangerous outlaw. Desperate to protect the woman he loves, Jim Archer races to the rescue, only to find that Cassie’s life is not the only one in peril. It will take a Christmas miracle–and the entire Archer clan–to keep a second Archer Christmas from ending in disaster.
In previously published “Gift of the Heart,” a widow and her young daughter move to Hope Springs for a fresh start. But with no money to secure a home, Ruth must convince a wealthy resort owner to accept her heirloom brooch as collateral. Will the pin that brought love to three generations soften the heart of a wounded recluse and give Ruth a second chance at love as the holidays draw near?
Sprinkled throughout the collection, you’ll find a hope-filled Christmas devotion, Witemeyer holiday recipes, and fun facts about nineteenth-century Christmas celebrations!
PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon Baker Bookhouse Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million Book Depository Bookshop.org Christianbook.com Indiebound.org
Giveaway
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What did you read for December’s Challenge? Are you going to be joining the 2023 Reading challenge?
