Blog Tour and Review: The Holly and the Ivy 

by Sarah M. Eden, Esther Hatch, Dana LeCheminant, Anneka R. Walker

Publisher ‏: ‎Covenant Communications (October 3, 2022)
Language ‏: ‎English
Paperback ‏:‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏: ‎1524422223
ISBN-13 ‏: ‎978-1524422226

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Spend the holidays with four of your favorite historical romance authors, whose stories of Yuletide romance will brighten the season with humor, hope, and the promise of true love.

“The Holly and the Ivy” by Sarah M. Eden
As nursemaid to the eight-year-old Duke of Kielder, Robbie will spend her holidays with her young charge as a guest of Lord and Lady Jonquil. While the couple makes the child’s holiday magical, the handsome gardener works his own magic on Nurse Robbie’s heart.


“Hiding Christmas” by Esther Hatch
Celebrating Christmas in Scotland will only invite persecution. But that never stopped Kirstine’s English grandmother. When they are almost caught, Kirstine is forced to beg for the help of the one man she cannot abide.


“A Twist of Christmas” by Dana LeCheminant
A Christmas house party offers two members of the ton an irresistible opportunity: a weekend of anonymity. But their charade comes with unexpected romantic consequences.


“A Season to Love” by Anneka R. Walker

Alice Hunt is searching for a Christmas miracle: a husband of her choosing. With the threat of an arranged marriage looming, she looks to an unlikely matchmaker for help.

“The Holly and the Ivy” by Sarah M. Eden

Adam is my favorite Sarah Eden character, and I loved that this story took place when he was 8 and just a “little Duke” at the time. If you haven’t read Adam’s other stories yet, I highly suggest you do.

Robbie and Howard had a sweet romance. I liked seeing Robbie’s point of view of having been with Adam for 8 years but she knew her time with the family was drawing to a close now that Adam was being sent away for his education.

Adam missed celebrating Christmas because his mother sent him away and he was alone at school during the holiday. The Jonquils, Robbie, and Howard help create Christmas for Adam to celebrate in April. While this takes place in the story, it is not the main focus. The story focuses more on Adam growing up and taking on the serious role of a Duke, and Robbie trying to find out where she fits in.

No spoilers, but there is an Easter egg at the end of chapter 15 for people who have read other connected books, and I was losing it!

“Hiding Christmas” by Esther Hatch

While not illegal any longer, Christmas is still frowned upon in Scotland. Every year Kirstine and her grandmother have to travel a few days by carriage in order to celebrate in England with family.

This year, Kirstine’s grandmother starts one of their Christmas traditions early, and in order to hide it from Kirstine’s cousin, the new kirk elder, estranged neighbor Mr Parker gets roped into the trip to England.

Mr Parker has never felt like he fit into English society. When his friend and fellow soldier talks about his home and family in Scotland, Mr Parker feels drawn there.

This story was so cute, sweet, and funny! I always think it’s harder to have fully developed characters in a novella that you can connect with and a non rushed storyline, but this story nails it.

“A Twist of Christmas” by Dana LeCheminant

Graham is a Viscount who is tired of people only seeing him for his title and overlooking his younger brother for his lack of one. They decide to switch places for a house party so Graham can have a break and blend into the background, and Henry can be seen for the wonderful man his brother knows he is.

Lady Elizabeth is a Duke’s daughter, and she and her companion Jemma decide to switch places as well for the house party.

I love how Graham got awkward around Beth because he liked her. It was adorable. They had some really cute scenes together.

I have never read this author before, and I really enjoyed this story. Her book The Thief and the Noble is on my TBR list and now I want to bump it higher up on the list.

“A Season to Love” by Anneka R. Walker

As the last of her sisters to remain unmarried, Alice prays that God will bring her a husband before she is forced to marry someone not of her choosing. The pastor Mr Perry overhears her plea, and they work together to find her a husband.

I loved that Mr Perry wasn’t your traditional serious clergyman. He wanted people to realize the man behind the clergyman, and he had a fun, playful side.

I liked the dynamic of this couple and how they played off of each other.

The children in this story are so cute. I liked the choir boys and little “Freckles”.

I always enjoy interconnected stories, especially novellas. You can read it as a standalone, but if you have read Julia and Ivy’s stories, you already feel connected to this family.

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Blog Tour and Review: The Dreaming Beauty

by Anneka R. Walker

Publisher : Covenant Communications (July 11, 2022)
Language : English
Paperback : 256 pages
ISBN-10 : 1524422061
ISBN-13 : 978-1524422066

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An Enchanted Regency Romance


Once upon a dream, two cursed people fell in love…


Tansy White doesn’t want to end up alone like her three aunts who raised her, but when she is betrayed by her would-be betrothed, she fears she might never change her fate. At her aunts’ suggestion, she seizes the chance to visit Rose Cottage, the country home of her late mother. For years, dreams of the cottage have haunted Tansy, and she is convinced it holds the answer to her hidden past. But after getting caught in a terrible storm, she meets a man who is just as determined as she is to learn all her secrets.


Marcus Taylor, brother to the Duke of Westmorland, is also troubled by vivid dreams. On a sleepless night, as a tempest rages outside his brother’s estate, he makes a discovery far more mysterious than any dream: a young woman, cold as ice, lies unconscious in the library, and he is sure she is the key to solving his problems. When she makes, what begins as a shared quest for information turns into an unexpected friendship. As they piece together the fragments of their past, they discover a tangled web of lies, and their feelings for each other become just as entwined. But is their love as strong as their dreams. . . or their fate?


Growing up, my favorite fairy tale was Sleeping Beauty. The Dreaming Beauty was such a great twist on this classic! I loved all the little nods to the original, but I liked the storyline and characters in this book even better. Anneka Walker is such a beautiful storyteller. This book has romance, mystery, and so many secrets.

Marcus Taylor has always had to live his life in his step brother’s shadow. His entire focus has been to help Simon with the Dukedom. Simon comes off as somewhat lazy and irresponsible, but his family are also enablers because they do everything for him and he never has a need to do it himself.

Tansy White has always been conflicted by her dreams. Her aunts have kept her parentage from her, and she feels like a large part of herself is missing.

Tansy and Marcus are both kind hearted people who struggle with finding the balance of family and putting their personal needs first. I loved them together. They had some beautiful scenes under the stars.

I loved that there were some appearances with characters from The Masked Baron. That is such a great book! I hope we have more books in this series. I would love for Simon to get his own story. The covers in this series are stunning!

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Blog Tour and Review: To Kiss a Wallflower

by Jen Geigle Johnson, Heather B. Moore, Anneka R. Walker

Publisher : Mirror Press (June 21, 2022)
Language : English
ISBN-10 : 1952611261
ISBN-13 : 978-1952611261

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Eventually, all wallflowers will have their chance at love . . . This is where it begins.

The Wallflower’s Dance 
by Jen Geigle Johnson
Lottie Hughes likes people, as long as they aren’t too close. Does it bother her that no one asks her to dance? Yes, but she’s not sure how to drum up dance partners when she has almost no dowry, no title, and freezes up when anyone tries to talk to her. When she suddenly inherits a huge amount and is the new center of attention all over London, her secret dreams might come true but also her worst nightmares. Suddenly everyone wants to talk to her. Men ask her to dance. And she is inundated with interested suitors. She fights to stay close to the few friends she knows are true. One man saw her before her life changed forever. But does she want to accept his help when he, too, might be insincere?

Letters to a Wallflower by Heather B. Moore
Ellen might be beautiful and considered a diamond of the first water by Society, but she is so very tired of the pressure to marry a titled gentleman so that her beauty won’t go to waste. When her cousin Dinah dares Ellen to attend a ball with no frills and to stand with the wallflowers, Ellen takes on the dare. What’s in the wager for her? The prize cuttings of her aunt’s extraordinary roses. But what Ellen isn’t expecting is Lord Ravenshire to engage her in the most interesting conversation. When she confesses to him of her opposition in marrying for a title, he confesses his distaste of the London scene. They strike a bargain together, one which will either push them apart or lead to a future sweeter than either of them could have imagined.

To Marry a Wallflower by Anneka R. Walker
Charlotte Winters is destined to spinsterhood until she turns down an unwanted proposal and everything changes. With gossip rampant, her father attempts to salvage her reputation by betrothing her to another. Soon she is sent off to her aunt’s to meet Lord Templeton, her intended. Anxiety-ridden, Charlotte begs her aunt to let her observe Lord Templeton from afar before their introduction. She never planned to pretend to be her fictional cousin to learn more about him, or to fall in love with Lord Templeton’s friend in the process. Lord Templeton dreads returning to the empty halls of Newcliff Manor. When his father’s old friend, Mr. Winters reaches out for assistance, Lord Templeton finds himself returning home engaged to a woman he has never met. Desperate to learn more about Miss Winters, he befriends her cousin. He wouldn’t have spoken to her, or lied about his identity, if he’d known the quiet woman would sneak into his heart.


To Kiss a Wallflower brings together 3 great authors with stories about Wallflowers. They are often overlooked and in the background, but these stories give Wallflowers their happily ever afters.

The Wallflower’s Dance by Jen Geigle Johnson

Lottie Hughes has always been awkward in social situations. She feels most comfortable with her best friend Denny, a book, and a corner to hide in. When she is suddenly an heiress, her popularity rises overnight. She doesn’t know who she can trust. Even Denny.

Childhood friendship to realizing there is more as adults is always one of my favorite tropes, and this was a sweet story. I liked all the little memories they shared from childhood.

Letters to a Wallflower by Heather B. Moore

Ellen and Aaron both have mothers who wish for them to find spouses. Ellen makes a bet with her cousin that if she dresses like a wallflower, she won’t get many dances. Aaron makes a deal with his mother to dance with the wallflowers, then call upon one, and go for a carriage ride. This is how Ellen and Aaron meet. After the success of their first meeting, they decide in order to avoid all the trappings of the season, they will fake a courtship.

I adored this story. It was cute, and I liked the characters a lot. I like when relationships progress through letters, and I love the conversations they had. My favorite was the one in the London garden, and the lamb scene was sweet.

To Marry a Wallflower by Anneka R. Walker

After a spurned suitor starts rumors about Charlotte Winters, her father arranges a marriage for her with his friend’s son Luke.

Charlotte has a shy personality and hides behind fans, but she is a very kind and talented person. Luke has lost all his family and his friends are married leaving him to feel alone. When Luke and Charlotte meet, they are both hiding their identities, and they agree at exchange letters to learn more about their future spouse.

I loved watching Luke and Charlotte’s relationship develop. They were so cute together. While this arranged marriage was pushed for in the first place, it ended up being just what they both needed.

This story had what I believe to be what I think of the most with a wallflower. They may be quiet in social situations, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have important things to say. They just feel more comfortable in smaller groups and with people they know.

My favorite scenes were the painted fan scene and the talking with the horse scenes. I loved this sweet story, and I also loved the dedication.

Blog Tour and Review: Bargaining for the Barrister

by Anneka R. Walker

Publisher : Covenant Communications (March 7, 2022)
Language : English
Paperback : 240 pages
ISBN-10 : 1524421499
ISBN-13 : 978-1524421496

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Louisa Cox is tired of fortune hunters pursuing her dowry. So when Lady Kellen offers to help her find an eligible suitor, Louisa eagerly accepts and makes a list of what she wants in a husband. The man selected is barrister Paul Sheldon. He may be a complete stranger, but he has one thing in his favor: he is unaware of her fortune. What Louisa did not anticipate was his curious behavior―or being so attracted to him.

When Paul catches wind of the matchmaking organization his mother and her friends are establishing, he pities the fellow who will be caught in their scheme―until he realizes he is to be their first victim. Horrified, Paul determines to thwart his mother’s plans by whatever means necessary. After meeting his intended, however, his increasing desire to be near her threatens to disrupt his convictions. Louisa is everything he could want in a wife, and when an unexpected adventure sets in motion the very plan he had determined to halt, he almost wishes his mother’s plot could succeed. But Paul harbors a secret and a past that make it impossible for him to give Louisa the life she deserves.


Paul Sheldon has gone through a lot of things growing up, and he feels like he has to prove himself and earn his own way in life before even considering marriage.

“A man of intelligence could easily retain his fortune—unless, of course, he also possessed a charitable heart.”

Louisa Cox has always been pursued for her dowry by fortune hunters. She believes that a match made by the Matchmaking Mamas would be best for her.

“This petite woman hid her spirit behind her sweet smiles and soft voice, but he knew better. Louisa Cox was a force strong enough to knock the sense from a man and make him question all his life choices.”

Anneka Walker gives us complex characters with a lot of heart. Both the main characters are going through difficult struggles, but they face them in very different ways.

I loved that there were so many funny scenes in this book, but they were never over the top.

I loved all the Rebels, and I hope that every one of them gets to have their own story. I didn’t want to leave these characters, and I’m glad we will get to see them again.

“A place of retreat was often not the ordinary or the convenient; it was whatever place brought peace and escape.”

This book really was an emotional rollercoaster that I didn’t want to put down. I highly recommend reading it!

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Top 21 Books of 2021

This year has been filled with so many amazing books! Every single book on this list earns a 5 star rating and comes highly recommended. Some of them are now even some of my favorite reads of all time. Thank you so much to all these authors, and all the other authors out there, for everything that goes into their books; the worlds they create for us to escape into, the characters we come to care for, the research needed for all the rich history. There is so much that I am deeply appreciative of. Thanks for an incredible year of books!

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Blog Tour and Review: Meet Me Under the Kissing Bough

by Josi S. Kilpack, Anneka R. Walker, Sarah L. McConkie

Publisher : Covenant Communications, Inc. (September 20, 2021)
Language : English
ISBN-10 : 1524419737
ISBN-13 : 978-1524419738

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We wish you a merry Christmas and a happily ever after! This special holiday historical romance anthology featuring three heartwarming novellas proves that no matter the obstacles,’tis the season for love.

Meet Me under the Kissing Bough by Josi S. Kilpack

Deborah Winfrey hasn’t had the heart to host a holiday party since her husband’s death. But this Christmas, it’s time to move forward. The festivities bring renewed life to her home, and the attentions of two very different men promise a chance at new love.

Healing Hearts for the Holidays by Anneka R. Walker

Julia Hunt is strictly forbidden from associating with the family in the nearby manor̬ including the handsome younger son, Esmond, who quickly steals her heart. With Christmas around the corner, an old bundle of hidden love letters may be the key to her own happily ever after.

A Christmas Correspondence by Sarah L. McConkie

In this novella inspired by the timeless taleA Christmas Carol, John Charleston finds himself on an unexpected journey in the company of the insufferable Lady Carolyn Morleigh. But the magic of the season has a way of softening even the hardest of hearts.


Meet Me under the Kissing Bough brings together three sweet Historical Romance novellas that take place at Christmastime. Grab your coziest blanket and a cup of hot cocoa and prepare to get comfortable. 🙂

Meet Me under the Kissing Bough by Josi S. Kilpack

This story is about a widow who has found love again but struggles with the fear of putting her own happiness first. I really enjoyed that the main characters were older in this story and had life experiences. Usually in this time period the heroines are half the age.

I also always love a good Regency house party, and to add the Christmas theme made it even better. There were some interesting traditions mentioned for the first five days of Christmas.

I really felt for Phillip. While Deborah was finding out what she really wanted, she put him through a lot.

Healing Hearts for the Holidays by Anneka R. Walker

This story can be read on its own, but it has some characters from Walker’s story “Lord Blakely’s Gift” in the book A Hopeful Christmas. I love continuation stories. This story includes multiple generations of love, and has lost love, and forbidden love.

Esmond has always loved taking care of the land. With no inheritance coming, he is expected to practice law or enter the military; both things he does not have a passion for.

Julia always wants to play the peacemaker, and she puts herself at risk because of it. I wish there were more scenes with Julia and Esmond in them. I really liked them together.

Mr Hunt bothered me because he agreed to his daughter Ivy getting married, and then cut her off from the rest of her family.

A Christmas Correspondence by Sarah L. McConkie

I really did not have a lot of sympathy for Lady Caroline. Yes, her father treated her poorly as a child after her mother died, but she grew up to be not a very good person, and that is her own fault. Caroline is constantly trashing other people, and then she is shocked when they speak negatively about her.

Even the few times Lady Caroline has offered to help people, she has just thrown her money around, or she has never even followed through with what she promised.

John is such a kind hearted person, and is way too good for her.

John’s sisters were interesting characters, and I would love to see more from them.

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Blog Tour and Review: Refining the Debutante

by Anneka R. Walker

Publisher : Covenant Communications, Inc. (March 2, 2021)
Language : English
Paperback : 264 pages
ISBN-10 : 1524416940
ISBN-13 : 978-1524416942

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Miss Miranda Bartley is in love with the Honorable Ethan Roderick, their engagement all but official. But as she basks in the success of her London Season, her joy is cut short when Ethan ends their courtship, claiming she is too insensitive. In the wake of her heartbreak, Miranda is dealt yet another blow, one that changes everything. In a harsh twist of fate, she quickly falls from Society darling to servant in her uncle’s home.

Believing he will never see Miranda again, Ethan is shocked when he encounters her by accident. Even more surprising is her dramatic change; she is no longer the self-centered young woman he left behind. Her eyes are now open to the plight of poverty surrounding her, and Miranda has become every bit the lady Ethan once imagined her to be. As he helps the woman he once loved, their tattered relationship returns to familiarity. But Ethan is determined to protect his heart and begins a courtship with his neighbor, who is predictable and safe everything Miranda is not. Forced to perform a delicate dance, Miranda and Ethan must choose follow the rules of Society or the longing of their hearts.


Refining the Debutante instantly pulled me right in, and I didn’t want to put the book down. If I didn’t have responsibilities, I would have wanted to read this in one sitting.

Miranda is young, naïve, and shallow, and Ethan makes sure she will never forget it. While overall Ethan is an outstanding guy with a good heart, he is of course not perfect. I didn’t like that Ethan thought of himself as so much better than his charity cases. He also cared about other people’s opinions too much yet judged others.

I found this more to be Miranda’s story. She learned and grew so much throughout her experiences. So much was put on her as having all the problems when everyone struggles with something.

I loved Miranda and Ethan from the very beginning. I had already felt so invested in their relationship from the very first chapters and felt somewhat protective of it.

This was a beautiful story about relationships, growth, and of course love.

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Top 20 Books of 2020

Losing yourself in a good book was even more important this year than in previous years. I am so thankful for these amazing writers that share their work with us. Here are the Top 20 Books in 2020.

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