These are a few of my favorite things…

I find myself racing against deadlines again—something that seems to be a frequent occurrence lately! In this entry, I’d like to share some of my favorite books that I’ve read, as well as a few from my to-be-read (TBR) pile. I spent quite a bit of time creating this grid. I had too much fun playing with it. If you click on any of the images, you’ll be directed to Amazon, where you can learn more about each book. I’ve reviewed three books that I’ve read and absolutely loved below. Currently, I am reading *Fiancé Finale*, *Serial Burn*, and *An Overdue Match*. I can’t wait to dive into the others. Which one would you choose to read?

I’ve also interviewed many of these authors on Book Talk. You can find links to their episodes here. 

Of Gold and Shadows: This was such an enjoyable read! Ami Dalton lives in 1888 Victorian England and defies all the expectations. She wants to be known as an Egyptologist — but really she wants to make her father proud. On the road to doing that she sometimes steps into the shadows to save relics that are threatened with destruction. Edmund Price has reluctantly returned to Oxford from India on a mission of his own to save a family from the destruction that new tariffs will bring. Ami and Edmund’s paths collide over a shipment of Egyptian artifacts he has brought with him to sell. Along the pages there’s romance, intrigue and good fun. I throughly enjoyed this novel and give it 4.5 *. It will delight readers who love stories that thrust them into a time period and give them a plot that is filled with twists and turns.

Whispers of Fortune: I don’t know how she keeps doing it, but Mary Connealy has created another compelling Western romance with threads of intrigue and mystery. In Whispers of Fortune, Brody travels to California in 1875 in search of his younger brothers. Those two are searching for a rumored family treasure, and he just wants to get back East to launch his career. Instead, what he finds is his family and the hope of something more. There are threads filled with adversaries and trying to keep his brothers from disappearing one too many times. At the same time, Ellie Hart, the woman who has helped keep his brothers safe, is capturing Brody’s heart. This book is one that pulled me in from the first page with its rich characters and whispers of something more. Add in a story that keeps God at the heart of it and it left me completely satisfied at the end. Mary just gets better with each book.

And here’s a bonus: Ambush by Colleen Coble. Ambush was my first book of 2025 and I loved it! There is an intensity to everything that is happening to Paradise and Blake. Both have returned to Pelican Bay because they have to, and now they wonder if they might have a second chance at love. First they have to survive everything going wrong at the sanctuary for exotic animals that Blake and his mom runs much is happening, but this redemptive story will keep you coming back for more. I highly recommend it!

My upcoming book, The Accused, will be released on April 15th. You can preorder it from your favorite bookstore now. I personally enjoy preordering books from Baker Book House. They often partner with authors for some pretty nice preorder goodies.

Speaking of Baker Book House, plan now to join me and these amazing authors at Baker for an author event on Friday, May 2, from 1-9 p.m. You can learn more here, and I’d love to have you join us for a day of bookish fun!