The Rules of Falling for You by Mollie Rushmeyer (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @bethanyhousefiction for the review copy of The Rules of Falling for You by Mollie Rushmeyer.

What is blooming in your area?  We have a lot of hydrangeas blooming around town and turning beautiful colors.

Zoe Dufour is a soon to be 30-year-old podcaster that is beginning to doubt she will find the true love that she reads about in her favorite Regency novels.  When a Regency themed singles retreat opens not far from her hometown of Minneapolis, she decides it would not only be a great topic for her podcast, but also a great place to look for love.  Her best friend’s brother Harrison is back in town and is her podcast producer.  Will sparks fly between the two?

My thoughts on the novel:

·       I loved all the Jane Austen references throughout. They were delightful.

·       I wish that A. Nathaniel Gladwin, a fictional regency era author in the novel, existed.  I want to read her novels!

·       The novel has dual narrators as it switched between Zoe and Harrison.

·       I loved the Minneapolis setting.  It’s nice to read books set somewhere else besides New York City!

·       This novel was a contemporary romcom set in a fictional regency themed singles retreat. So, there were great costumes and dancing.  I loved everything about it.

·       It was a very fun book, and I loved the humor throughout the novel. Zoe and Harrison had great banter.

·       I enjoyed the side romances between other characters as well.

·       Zoe and Eden’s friendship was also great.

·       Zoe must learn to bend her own dating rules to find happiness in life.

·       This was a clean read.

·       Great tropes in this novel – friends to lovers (or best friend’s brother to lover), forced proximity and slow burn.

·       The Rules of Falling for You by Mollie Rushmeyer was published on September 2, 2025.

Overall, The Rules of Falling for You by Mollie Rushmeyer was a sweet and delightful contemporary romcom set primarily at a regency themed dating retreat.  I loved the characters and the storyline.  It’s a fun book and I especially recommend it to all my fellow Jane Austen and regency lovers.

No Stone Unturned by Jenelle Hovde (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What's a book that you wish more people knew about?

Bridget Littleton is a vicar’s daughter and loves history and antiquities.  She is very excited to find a Roman mosaic in a neighborhood farm field.  Capitan Rafe Hawthorn has returned from fighting in the Napoleonic Wars, and he is the new viscount in the neighborhood.  He confronts Bridget as he believes she is excavating on his land.  Will Bridget be able to prove she is actually on the Peterson farm, and will she be able to convince Rafe that the work is worthwhile?  Will love bloom?  Who else is trying to steal the mosaics?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was a sweet Regency romance and a clean read.  It has a slow burn and enemies to lovers’ romance.

·       I loved Bridget. She is an educated woman who knows her own mind.  She has a passion for archeology and Roman artifacts.  She loves to read Gothic fiction and she is kind to others.

·       I also love Rafe.  Rafe had a broken childhood filled with abuse.  His mother was able to escape with him.  He also suffered a grave wound and loss of a friend in the war.  He has returned with his terrible memories to the estate, and he wants to repair the estate and help the tenants.

·       Bridget and Rafe had great banter and dialogue between them.

·       Roman archaeology is fascinating to me.  I loved reading about the dig, their finds, and early Christianity amongst the Romans.

·       I enjoyed the quotes at the start of each chapter.  Many are from Lord Byron, Seneca, and John Wesley amongst others.

·       The novel is told through a dual narrative between Bridget and Rafe. The story is told through the first-person point of view.

·       There were mysteries throughout the novel that kept me intrigued.

·       There is a great author’s note on the real Roman discoveries that occurred in England in the 18^th and 19^th century.

·       There are also great discussion questions at the end to challenge yourself with or use at a book club.

·       This was an excellent debut novel!  I can’t wait to see what Jenelle Hovde writes next!

Favorite Quote: “Leave no stone unturned.  How can we learn or grow if we do not understand the past?  How can we heal if we do not fully examine what happened to us?”

Overall, No Stone Unturned by Jenelle Hovde was a beautifully written Regency romance with great main characters and growth, interesting mysteries, and Roman archaeology. I greatly enjoyed this novel.

Book Source: Thank-you to @jenellehovdeauthor @tyndalehouse @austenprose for a review copy of this novel as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.

A Lesson In Proprietary by Jen Turano (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is the last comedy you’ve read or watched and enjoyed? 

Drusilla Merriweather has had a terrible time.  Her father has died, and his business partner stole his fortune.  Her fiancé dumps her, and she and her family are now cut direct by the four hundred.  Her eccentric aunt left her and her sister a castle in Chicago.  Drusilla decides to use her strengths and make it a school to teach propriety.  When she, her mother, and her sister arrive, they find a castle full of goats with an eccentric guard.  Will she be able to turn the castle around in time to keep her family afloat?  Will they find the man who stole their family fortunate?  Where is their aunt?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was a funny and fun novel that reminded me of a madcap rom com from the 1930s.

·       Drusilla is an independent young woman who is determined to make her dream of a school become reality and to save her family.  I enjoyed her as a character.

·       The criminal underworld is trying to get the prime property that is on Lake Michigan.

·       I thought Rhenick Wittenbecker was a great romantic lead.  He is the only brother in a family of girls and seems a lot more understanding of ladies than other men of the time period.  Although he comes off the wrong way to Drusilla at their first meeting and must work to understand her.  I loved his mother and family.

·       Annalise, Drusilla’s sister, is also eccentric and loves animals.  She has three attack ferrets who also wan to help rid the castle of rats and snakes.  I laughed out loud at parts of this novel.

·       I really enjoyed the haunted castle.  Who is haunting it and why?  It reminded me a Scooby Door mystery.

·       This is the first book in a new series.  I’m interested to see where it goes next.

A Lesson In Proprietary by Jen Turano is a fun, lighthearted, historical romance with Gothic elements.  I really enjoyed this novel. 

Book Source: Thank-you to @jenturanoauthor @bethanyhousefiction @austenprosefor a review copy of this novel as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.

The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What country would you set a new book?  I realized that while I love L.M. Montgomery, I don’t read many books set in Canada.  The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Sutz is set in Toronto Canada in 1837.  I read this while on a camping trip to Duluth, Minnesota.  I just returned this evening and I am a bit late with my post.

Sara O’Conner is a young widow trying to make ends meet as a laundress.  She befriends a motherless child, Evie, and through her, her father James.  After Evie falls ill with scarlatina, Sara nurses her back to health and stays on as her governess.  Sara’s new role in the home causes scandal across town.  Why is a laundress so educated?  What secret is she trying to hide?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved the romance between Sara and James.  It was slow burn, and a marriage of convenience.

·       I loved Sara and Evie’s relationship.  It was made all the more special as Sara had lost her own mother as a child. She sympathized with Evie and did not want her to have the hard life that she herself endured.

·       I loved Henry, a poor young waif, who is sharp and knows all that is going on around town.  He helps Sara, Evie, and James through many pickles.  They help him too.

·       Ivanhoe is featured prominently throughout the novel and the characters enjoy reading and discussing it.  I still need to read Ivanhoe!

·       I had never heard of the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837.  I enjoyed learning about it in the story and the author’s note at the end of the novel.

·       This is my first book by Christine Hill Suntz and it won’t be my last!  It is hard to believe this was her debut novel.  It was very beautifully written with great characters.

·       Sara has lost her faith through life’s trials, but James has kept his own faith.  Sara has a journey back to faith in this novel. 

·       This was a clean read.

·       There were great discussion questions at the end of the book.

Overall, The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz was an engaging historical romance with wonderful characters set in Toronto in 1837.  I highly recommend this fabulous debut.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @christinehillsuntz @tyndalehouse @crazy4fiction @austenprose for the review copy as a part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.

The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Which fictional character makes you feel safe and happy?

Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney would like to take their relationship to the next level, but their families would like them to forget about each other and find a more appropriate love. Unbeknownst to their families, they have both been sent to London to experience the season. After a murder occurs, they are once again on the case. Will they be able to find the killer and convince their families that they should be together?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I LOVE this series.

·       Jonathan and Juliet are great characters and I love their romance.  Jonathan is neurodivergent and Juliet understands him.

·       I loved that this was a continuation of the Mansfield Park story.  Maria reappears with a child and Mr. Rushworth is thinking about remarrying her, but Henry Crawford is still on the scene.

·       Fanny has the heartbreak of losing a child and being told she can never have a child.  She feels jealous over the fact that Maria has had a child.

·       I still love that Catherine Tilney is an authoress and that she feels comfortable traveling to London to do her own business.

·       This was a clean read and a cozy mystery.

·       The Rushworth Family Plot is the fourth book in the series.  It is best to read the entire series in order.

·       Jonathan and Juliet have both a slow burn and a friends to lovers’ romance.  They had a few romantic moments in this novel. The former Caroline Bingley is back on the scene to try to split them apart.  I admit, at this point, it is feeling contrived to keep them apart.  I think they should just be together engaged or married and solving mysteries.

·       Austen’s characters feel like Austen’s characters in this book.  Author Claudia Gray writes them perfectly.

·       I did not guess the murderer in this book, and I thought the mystery had a satisfying ending.

Overall, The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray is a terrific addition to the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mystery Series with an intriguing mystery and great characters. I cannot wait for the next book!

Book Source:  Thank-you to @claudia_gray @ireadvintage @austenprose for the review copy as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.

 

Pride and Puppies by Lizzie Shane

 

Do you like books that feature animals?  If so, what type of animals do you like to read about?

Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez has just ended her latest relationship.  She blames Jane Austen for writing heroes that do not exist in reality but raise her expectations in real life.  Charlotte decides to not date and remain single for a while.  She instead adopts a new puppy.  George Leneghan is Charlotte’s neighbor and co-worker.  He has a crush on her, but as soon as he finds out she’s single, he learns that she has sworn off dating.  They do things together as friends, but when George starts talking about moving away, will Charlotte be ready to move their relationship to be more than a friend?

My thoughts on this book:

·       This was a JASNA Northwoods Book Club selection for our June meeting.  Everyone at book club seemed to enjoy this novel.

·       This book was good escapism reading and would make good Hallmark movie.

·       There were Jane Austen quotes at the start of each chapter, although at least one is a movie quote.

·       This is the fourth book in the Pine Hollow series, but it can be read as a standalone.

·       This was a clean read.

·       This was a very slow-moving contemporary romance novel and romance.

Overall, Pride and Puppies by Lizzie Shane is a light contemporary romance and clean read.

Book Source:  Review copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

Of Silver and Secrets by Michelle Griep (Austenprose PR Tour)

 

Title:  Of Silver and Secrets

Author:  Michelle Griep

Narrated by:  Sarah Zimmerman

Publisher: Tantor Media

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 32 minutes

Source: Thank you, @michellegriep @bethanyhousefiction @austenprose for the physical book copy as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  I purchased an audiobook version on Audible.

Have you visited any archeological digs?  I’ve been to a few museums that have digs going on and I find it fascinating.  I also love museum displays that show things that were found when they dug through areas like the outhouse.  I took an Intro to Archaeology class while in college and I loved it. 

Eva Inman is in a pickle.  After her father’s death, she discovers that their family finances are in dire straits.  Her father’s last wish was that she keep their family estate.  She also has the care of young, blind sisters, Penelope.  She decides to plow up and plant in the “cursed fields”  on her estate to make more money.  Her employees find a strange silver specimen that appears to be Roman.  She goes to Cambridge to have the piece evaluated and runs into her childhood crush, Bram Webb who is now a Cambridge professor.  Bram is looking for a lost Roman Settlement with his history professor uncle, is this it?  Will Eva be able to save her estate?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved all the characters, but especially Eva and Bram.  They have both had hard times in their youth and are trying to move beyond it.  Bram is trying to make his way as a professor while also helping his uncle who is starting to suffer from dementia.  Eva suffers from guilt that she thinks she killed her parents and caused Penelope’s blindness.  Guilt and forgiveness are major themes in this novel.  Bram’s deep faith was wonderful to read about, and he shares this faith to Eva.

·       The romance was sweet, and this was a clean read.  There was second chance romance, slow burn, and forced proximity.

·       I loved that the sister’s name was Penelope Rose.  That’s my daughter’s name!  Penny was a spunky character who wanted to explore and learn all that she could about the world, despite her blindness.

·       The archaeology was very interesting, and I wanted to know more about the Romans in Great Britain.

·       I also loved the mystery that was threaded throughout the novel.

·       This is the second novel in the Time’s Lost Treasures series.  I loved the first book too, but this can be read as a standalone novel.

·       There is a great historical notes section at the end of the novel that gives background details of the historical elements of the story.  There were also great discussion questions for a book club to use.

·       I am super excited that Michelle Griep’s next book available in the fall of 2026 is a Christmas Victorian novella.  I love Christmas historical fiction and historical romance!

·       I read part of this as the physical book and finished it up on audiobook.  The audiobook was interesting to listen to as well and the narrator had a great voice to listen to.

Great first paragraph, “The end of Eva’s world started with a window she never should have left open.  A small neglect, yet twelve years later, one that had culminated in a leaky roof, a ledger that refused to balance, and a blind sister.”

Overall, Of Silver and Secrets by Michelle Griep is a riveting Victorian historical romance and mystery.

Where Secrets Lie by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Title:  Where Secrets Lie

Author:  Colleen Coble and Rick Acker

Narrated by:  Karen Peakes

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 16 minutes

Source: Thank-you NetGalley for the Audiobook Review Copy and Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @tnzfiction for the physical book copy as part of the Bibliolifestyle Book Tour.

What is your favorite book series?

Savannah Webster and her ex-husband Hez are trying to give their love a second chance.  They had previously been married, but their marriage broke when they lost their child and Hez turned to alcohol. Things look bright until Savannah finds an empty wine bottle in Hez’s garbage.  Has he turned back to alcohol?  Savannah takes on a new role as the president of her beloved Tupelo Grove University and Hez starts a new legal clinic.  Together they discover many problems with finances at the university including someone at the university using it as a front for a smuggling ring.  Will they be able to save the university?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This is the second book in the Tupelo Grove series.  I enjoyed the settings, characters, and suspense in the first book and was excited to read more in the series.  I would definitely recommend reading both books in order in this series. 

·       There is a theme of forgiveness throughout the novel paired together with the desire for revenge.

·       This novel also showed that the path of love is not always simple and takes work. 

·       This was a great family drama that was action packed and showed the importance of family.

·       It was a clean read.

·       I really enjoyed the audiobook narration.  The narrator did different voices for each character and even had a British accent for Savannah’s nephew, Simon.

·       There were faith elements throughout the novel relative to forgiveness and a character’s death.

·       Colleen Coble and Rick Acker are a great writing team.  Colleen is an experienced writer and Rick knows the legal ins and outs.

·       The novel had a fantastic ending with a mic drop moment.  I can’t wait to see what happens next and look forward to the third book in the series.

·       I also like the authors note at the end which included interesting information about artifact smuggling.

Overall, Where Secrets Lie by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker is a great Southern romantic suspense novel.  I highly recommend this enjoyable series.

The Pursuit of Elena Bradford by Ann H. Gabhart (Austenprose PR Tour)

 

Do you have a favorite vacation spot?  One place I think is wonderful is Mackinac Island in Michigan.  It’s a beautiful and unforgettable place full of history and natural beauty.  My great great grandparents met on the island working there one summer and married.

Elena Bradford’s father has recently died, and her mother discovered that he left them greatly in debt.  The only way she can think of to save the family from destitution is to find a wealthy husband for her “old maid” daughter, twenty-two-year-old Elena.  Her younger daughter, Ivy, is the beauty of the family, but is considered too young for this task.  They travel to a resort, Graham Springs, Kentucky for the summer.  While there, Elena works on her artwork and meets two men who will not meet her mother’s standards.  Kirby Frazier is a penniless artist, while Andrew Harper has come to the resort to repair his wounded heart after being left at the altar.  Will Elena find love, or will she marry an older wealthy suitor to save her family?  When a mysterious woman arrives alone at the resort, her fate will change the Elena’s path.

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I always love a good love triangle and the Elena, Kirby, and Andrew love triangle was a good story.  I liked the resolution.

·       The story had an interesting mystery about halfway through and also some action/suspense towards the end of the novel.

·       I loved the setting of the Graham Springs resort in Kentucky.  I didn’t realize this was a real place until the end of the novel.  The author’s note was so interesting.  I was especially fascinated to learn that the mysterious death was a true mystery that was never solved.

·       This was a slower read for me, but I still enjoyed the story.  It seemed to slow down in the middle for me, but once the mysterious beautiful Vanessa arrives alone at the resort, the action picked up. 

·       I loved the focus on healing throughout the novel.  Elena, her sister Ivy, and her mother are still healing from her father’s death.  Andrew is healing from his fiancée’s betrayal. Other characters have similar stories of coming to the resort to heal.

·       I loved the beauty of nature that was woven throughout the story.

·       Cats were a key feature.  Elena must leave her beloved cat at home and then a mysterious cat at the resort helps her to survive a misadventure.

·       I loved how there was dancing every night at the resort.  It sounded like such a wonderful place to visit.

Overall, the Pursuit of Elena Bradford by Ann H. Gabhart is a delightful historical romance and a perfect read to bring along on any vacation.

Book Source: Thank-you to @annhgabhart @revellfiction @austenprosefor the review copy of this novel as part of the Austenprose PR Tour

Every Hour Until Then by Gabrielle Meyer (Austenprose PR Tour)

 

What book did you read over the weekend?  I read Every Hour Until Then by Gabrielle Meyer while camping this weekend and I couldn’t put this book down!

Kathryn lives in two worlds.  In 1888, she is a Victorian lady from a rich and socially prominent  family while in 1938 she is a museum curator putting together an exhibit for the British Museum on Jack the Ripper.  She lives a day in one world, goes to sleep, and then wakes up in the other.  She has until the age of 25 to pick the timeline that she would like to live in forever.  As she goes through the material for the museum exhibit in 1938, she realizes that her beloved sister in 1888 is Jack the Ripper’s last victim.  How can she save her sister in 1888, but not impact history?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This is the fifth book in the timeless series.  I seem to love each book even more than the last book.  This book can be read as a standalone, but it’s fun to see returning characters from other books and know their back stories.

·       I really liked how Kathryn was able to use both timelines to put together the clues to solve the mystery of her sister’s exile from her family, and to solve the ultimate mystery of who was Jack the Ripper.  It definitely kept me riveted!!  I have always been fascinated by Jack the Ripper and I though author Gabrielle Meyer really put the facts together in an engaging way while also putting together an interesting theory of who the Ripper was and why he committed his crimes.

·       The love between Kathryn and Austen in 1888 was palpable and alive.  I greatly enjoyed their romance.  It was very poignant in the future timeline when she saw old Austen from afar and he would not come to her.

·       This is a clean read.  There is some kissing.  Jack the Ripper and his crimes are discussed, but they happen off screen and the story doesn’t go into detail on the gruesomeness of the crimes.

·       There were lots of goodies at the end of this novel including an author’s note, historical note, a chapter from the next novel, and discussion questions.  I can’t wait for November and the next novel in this series – Through Each Tomorrow.  One setting is Fredericksburg, Virginia.  I have visited that beautiful city a few times in my life.

Overall, Every Hour Until Then is a captivating time travel historical romance with plenty of mystery and suspense and great characters.  I highly recommend it and this entire series!

Book Source: Thank-you to @gabrielle_meyer @bethanyhousefiction @austenprose for the review copy of this novel as part of the Austenprose PR Tour

The Austen Sisters by Dee Blankenship

 

What classic characters from literature would you like to see in a modern adventure?

The five Austen sisters; Elinor, Elizabeth, Emma, Anne, and Catherine were orphans at a young age.  Elinor, as the only legal adult, put her own dreams aside to help raise her sisters.  Now years later, she is hoping that she will have another chance at her own dreams.  She gathers together with her sisters at their cousin Fanny’s wedding at Mansfield Park resort.  Will the sisters each find their own happiness?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved how each Austen heroine was true to the original character but modernized to fit in today’s society.  For example, Emma has started a data app and is a social media influencer.  This is very true to her original character.

·       I also enjoyed that many other Austen favorite characters popped up into the story.

·       I liked the characters, storyline, and sweet romance. I would love to see future books set in the world maybe each featuring one of the sisters.

·       This is a perfect book to read to celebrate Jane Austen’s 250^th birthday.

·       This was a great debut book for author Dee Blankenship.  I have enjoyed @dees.reads on Instagram for the past few years and enjoy participating in her Classic Buddy reads.

·       I would label this book as a rom com, slow burn romance, and mostly clean read (a character is caught in the act with a lady in the library).

·       Each sister has a romance that was a mini version of her classic story and it worked.  For example, Anne refused her engagement to Wentworth years ago due to pressure from others before he went into the military.  Now he’s back at this wedding and a captain.  Can old wounds be healed?

·       This could be a standalone novel that is a cute rom com on its own, but it would be the most fun for someone who has read all six Austen novels.

·       I love the beautiful cover of this novel and I also received a cute bookmark as well!

Overall, The Austen Sisters by Dee Blankenship is a cute romantic comedy and a love letter to Jane Austen and her six classic novels.  I highly recommend it to all lovers of Jane Austen!

Book Source:  Review copy from author Dee Blankenship. Thank-you!