Oh, my. Anytime I have a chat with Dana Mentink, I know I'm going to have a great time AND get obsessed with a new book. This one is no different. Listen in and see why Fire Mountain is at the top of my fall reading list!

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Well, this book erupts with smashing opening! (Okay, cheesy description, but come on! Couldn't resist!)

A woman long hauler? A volcano? A baby from out of nowhere? Dana has really gone all out on this one!

Fire Mountain by Dana Mentink

Fire rains from above as they fight to discover the truth and stay alive.

In the shadow of a threatening volcano, long-haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her crashed big rig, unable to recall what happened or why she's suddenly in possession of someone's baby. Fiercely independent, she has to admit that perhaps this time she could use a little help.

As the threat of eruption grows, former cop Cullen Landry refuses to leave his cabin in the evacuation area, which is why he's the only one left who can help Kit escape the crumpled cab of her truck. He doesn't want to get tangled up in the mystery of the beautiful woman with an abandoned infant, but when he sees the bullet hole in the windshield and the bloody handprint on the interior, he realizes that he's in this thing, like it or not.

When two armed men with ill intent approach, the race is on to stay alive, discover the truth, and find the baby's missing mother--all while a deadly mountain rains fire from above.

Learn more Dana about on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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If you asked me who my top three women's fiction author are, I'd definitely add Amanda Cox--probably at the top. Definitely at the top if I've read one of her books in the past month or so. Listen in and see why The Bitter End Birding Society could be my favorite... again (they're always my favorite).

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Bitter End, Tennessee--a nowhere place at the top of a mountain. Learn how she found out its history (not easy) and how it got its name (spoiler: she didn't).

Mobile Wedding Chapel? She's got it.

Moonshine? Get all you can drink in and no hangover!!! (just joking around! Avoid the moonshine in jars on your counter--your gut will thank you).

The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox

A forbidden romance, a fractured family, and one woman's journey to piece it all together

Hometown hero Ana Leigh Watkins ventures to Bitter End, Tennessee, to help her great-aunt prepare for retirement. A town called Bitter End seems an ironic place for Ana to refresh her weary spirit, but she's desperate for respite from the attention and unwarranted admiration of her community. While on a hike in Roan Mountain, a ragtag group of amateur bird-watchers takes her under their wing--a little against her will. However, she quickly warms to these genuine souls seeking solace in the great outdoors.

But when Ana's adventures in Bitter End lead her to a severed branch of her family tree--one that involves the forbidden love between a moonshiner's daughter and a preacher's son--what began as a getaway to help her great-aunt becomes a transformative journey that binds together two women who, though they live on the same street, have been estranged for sixty years.

An immersive faith-based novel of finding belonging, reconciliation, and new beginnings for fans of southern fiction. This narrative of friendship and community makes for a perfect book club selection.

Don't miss the preorder at 40% off from BakerBookHouse (or the 30% off after release)--both with free shipping!

Learn more about Amanda Cox on her WEBSITE. Follow her on BookBub and GoodReads.

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A Hosea and Gomer retelling... in Nigeria? Yes, please! Listen in and learn about IyanuOluwa's inspiration, love of words, and love of the Lord and his people in Love's Beacon.

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I had a lovely time chatting with IyanoOluwa about her The Way Home series and how she weaves faith, Nigerian culture, and Biblical inspiration into her contemporary romance stories.

Love's Beacon by IyanuOluwa Olorode

Goal/Wish List

Mini Cooper that I didn’t buy with my own money. Check.
MSc from London College of Fashion. Check.
Become a millionaire, not just because of dad’s money. Check.
Have at least five thriving businesses. Check.
Get married to the love of my life. FUTURE IMPOSSIBLE TENSE!

Regina has everything she possibly wants. At least almost everything. Two things elude her.

One. Dapo.

Dapo is all shades wrong and not hers. He’s her sister’s man, yet her heart can’t stop beating for him. Why? Maybe because he has the other one thing she knows she can never have—a relationship with God. Something she once had but foolishly threw away.

Rachel is wife material. Not just any wife material. Pastor’s wife material. She’s godly, calm, and reserved. She loves the Lord, and she’s pretty enough that they’d both look good on a church poster. Dapo’s plan to become the youngest youth pastor at Solid Rock Assembly is set in motion and meets an abrupt end when his fiancée marries Brother Bisola instead.

Enraged and heartbroken, Dapo finds himself nursing a heartbreak and feelings towards his best friend’s baby sister, Regina.

Regina is all shades wrong. She’s loud, impulsive, has close to zero interest in the things of the Lord, wears skimpy clothes, and is too beautiful for her own good. Despite all the red flags, he can’t stop himself from loving her. And three words ring loud and clear: RECIPE FOR DISASTER.

Regina believes in fate. Could it be fate bringing them together? Or is there something else, something more powerful intent on weaving something marvellous out of that disaster?

Love’s Beacon is a Nigerian contemporary loose retelling of the Hosea and Gomer story.

Learn more about Iyanu on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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What happens when you take the Great War, train folks to be cryptographers and spies, and then send them home to live "normal lives" later? Listen in to what Emma Donovan shows in her book, The Victory Party.

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First up--cover. Can I just say it' STUNNING? I bought mine the minute we got off recording and... yeah. Still haven't read it but not for want of trying. Sooooooo looking forward to this one!

The Victory Party by Emma Donovan

The storm is coming.

When the Great War ends, former cryptographer Lady Jill Morgan has only two things remaining: to host a house party for her brother and to decide her future. That changes when she receives a warning from her one-time employer that her guests may not be as they seem.

Captain Richard Darnaway comes to Huntingtower with his own plans - plans that don't involve tracking traitors like he did during the war. But he finds he needs all his old skills when a perhaps-not-so-retired fellow agent is murdered.

Now Richard and Jill have to navigate a guest list of war heroes and supposedly retired spies to find out which one is a murderer... and a traitor.

The Victory Party is a historical mystery with Christian themes and sweet, kisses only romance.

Learn more about Emma on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

Don't miss Thoughts from a Novelist on Substack.

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Split-time fiction focusing on contemporary issues and complementing them with historical ones? YEAH. Because while no one has ever had the temptation of screens at every moment of the day, the principle of that temptation is timeless. Listen in to see why I think this series is brilliant.

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**Each book in the Sister in Arms Collection can be read as a standalone. The collection can be read in any order.**

Whatever It Takes by Sarah Hanks

At the brink of the Civil War, Henrietta Frontenac is a fierce protector of her five younger sisters. As poverty and despair threaten their survival, Henrietta takes a bold step to protect her family. She disguises herself as a man to find work at the docks and is soon swept into the ranks of the Confederate army. Facing unimaginable risks, will she maintain her secret identity, or will unexpected love unravel all she’s worked for?

In the present, Everly Moore, a former wild spirit turned compassionate chiropractor, has spent fifteen years trying to redeem her past. When her beloved sister Ivy faces the heart-wrenching challenge of infertility, Everly finds herself at a crossroads, unsure if she can confront her own trauma and step up as Ivy’s surrogate. After Everly and Ivy stumble upon the story of their brave relative Henrietta, they are inspired to confront their own fears. But will they make the difficult choices that could change their lives forever?

Dive deep into this intertwined narrative where past and present collide, showcasing the unyielding strength of sisterhood. A story of love, resilience, and the battles that unite us across generations.

Learn more about Sarah on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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Love a good mystery? Me too. That's why finding out that Emily Hanlon has a super cool series with two opposites as sleuths made me nearly dance (it would've been loud on the recording!). Listen in to find out my favorite elements we discussed (book 1 is here and I'm eager to dig in!

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Books 1 and 2 are available and let's all read and review so we get a dozen more, because this just sounds so awesome!

A Cloud of Witnesses by Emily Hanlon

Life at Saint John of the Cross Parish in Pequot Bays should have returned to normal after one of its priests was cleared of murdering a parishioner and the true killer put behind bars. But a troublesome new group called Dies Irae has moved in, led by the fire-and-brimstone Father Thaddeus. When one of its devoted followers dies under suspicious circumstances, Father Seamus enlists Martha Collins to help him oust Father Thaddeus from the parish. But when a second member of Dies Irae dies, the Purple Pest detective, Marya Cook, shuffles back into action. Can Marya unmask another murderer before he or she strikes again—or will Martha become the next victim?

In this sequel to Emily Hanlon’s phenomenal debut, Who Am I to Judge?, the scatterbrained octogenarian sleuth, Marya, and her sensible sidekick, Martha, are back in action with new twists and turns, an assortment of scheming suspects, and of course, plenty of purple-penned notecards.

Learn more about Emily on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads.

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