Review: The Unexpected Caller by Shelley Shepard Gray

On July 15, 2026 By vickleaIn Book Promo, Book Review4 Comments

About the Book

ISBN-139780800747268

Publisher: Baker Publishing Group

Publication Date: 07/07/2026

Series: The Amish Widows Club

Pages:288 pages

Synopsis (from the author’s website)

She finds sisterhood in the Amish Widows Club–but will she risk loving again?

Leanna Mast never imagined she’d be a widow at forty-one, but it seems God had other plans. After mourning her husband for a year, she realizes it’s time to start living again. But her community expects her to remarry, and after living on her own, she’s not eager to start cooking and cleaning in another man’s home.

When she’s invited to join the Amish Widows Club, she discovers a place of belonging she didn’t even know she needed. In this group of women who support each other through sharing books, stories, and companionship, Leanna immediately feels welcome. She’s sure her life as a widow will bring her the fulfillment she craves . . . until handsome, kind Evan Keim comes calling. As their relationship deepens, her heart becomes involved. But how could she possibly leave the widows club for a dream that might be too good to be true?

My Thoughts

The story of sweet Leanna Mast discovering independence and finding her way in a world without her controlling husband was at times heart-wrenching as well as refreshing. After an invitation that is almost clandestine and definitely enticing, Leanna decides to attend a meeting of the Amish Widows Club. There she makes good friends and opens her heart and life to new possibilities that she had never considered before. Shortly after attending her first meeting, though, widower Evan Keim comes to call on her. Treating her with respect and deference, Evan is kind of courting her in the background, seeing needs and meeting them without fanfare or expectation of anything in return. Meanwhile, Leanna is getting more enmeshed in the AWC and enjoying the camaraderie that she has never had before. With gentle spirits and understanding hearts, the other widows accept Leanna just as she is and listen to her, something that is new to her since her husband thought control was the way to treat her instead of with kindness and love. Leanna’s dilemma is obvious, whether to encourage Evan or to continue with the women who have become her confidants and trusted friends. I loved the characters and the way the plot unrolled so methodically, capturing my heart and imagination as I wondered what I would do in the same circumstances. The characters were all believable and relatable and the plot was well-crafted, a delightful tale of finding oneself as well as a satisfying love story. I am so glad that this is the first book in a series because it was totally enjoyable so I am already looking forward to the next book.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray writes Amish and Inspirational romances for Simon & Schuster, and Kensington, Harlequin, and contemporary women’s fiction for Blackstone Publishing. With over a million books in print, and translated into more than a dozen languages, her novels have been Holt Medallion winners and Inspirational Readers Choice and Carol finalists.

Shelley has been featured in the Philadelphia Enquirer, Washington Post, Time Magazine, and USA Today. She has also been interviewed on NPR as well as numerous regional radio stations. Publishers Weekly calls her Walnut Creek series “A slow-burning, enjoyable romance… Embedded in this quaint story is a poignant message about the importance of community, compassion, and doing what’s right rather than what’s easy.”

Shelley has hosted several well-attended ‘Girlfriend Getaways’ for Amish reading fans. Her most recent Girlfriend Getaway, hosted with bestselling novelists Amy Clipston and Suzanne Woods Fisher in Sugarcreek, Ohio, was filmed by BuzzFeed and highlighted on NetFlix’s Follow This episode on the popularity of Amish fiction.

Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature and later obtained her master’s degree in educational administration. She now lives in southern Colorado near her grown children, walks her dachshunds, bakes too much, and writes full time. Website: https://shelleyshepardgray.com/

Purchase Links

God Is Always Worthy of Praise

On July 14, 2026July 15, 2026 By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

God does what pleases Him…and what pleases Him is showing grace, mercy and love to His children. That’s a good reason to praise Him. Think about how God has worked in and changed your life for as long as you have known Him. For me, He has healed, interceded, disciplined, comforted and loved in ways that are unfathomable to me. Yes, God does what pleases Him and that could be a scary thought unless you know the God of compassion and peace and love.

Ponder this scripture for a few minutes. Really think about what it means for God’s name to have lasted for generations. We are on the earth briefly and family members will remember us for a season until they, too, pass on. But God is eternal and His name lives forever. I am starting a study of the Names of God by Grace Fox. God is Adonai to us…He is Lord and is committed to looking after us and establishing a relationship with us. I notice words like “forever” and “every” in this verse. What stands out to you?

Hold Onto Hope

On July 13, 2026 By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

And that is true hope!

Disappointment comes in many forms, shapes and sizes. It’s the phone call that doesn’t come, the diagnosis that is an unexpected surprise, the planning on something that just doesn’t happen.

Life takes a lot of turns, and if I have learned one thing in life, it is that God always has the final word. So, my hope is in God. My strength is in God. And my hope is infinite because I know God is working for my good always.

I had a wonderful prayer answered this week. I have been wanting to see my Maryland grandchildren for a while now, but my health has kept me from traveling. Our son texted me this week that they plan to go through Richmond on their way to their vacation in the Carolinas and plan to stop and have lunch with us. I am so excited…a few hours with beloved family is a true gift from God! We may be ready to give up hope, but God surprises us with a special and unexpected blessing like this one. I believe in God’s power, and so I have infinite hope. God is good…all the time!

Sunday Worship

On July 12, 2026 By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Word of God Speak-MercyMe

5 Hebrew Prayers

On July 11, 2026 By vickleaIn ScriptureLeave a comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/72460/day/1

I hope that you will consider joining with me in this devotional by Dave Adamson, found on the YouVersion Bible App. Today’s devotional is about gratitude and is a gentle reminder to thank God first every day.

Windows of Glory

On July 10, 2026July 10, 2026 By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

This morning during my devotional, a prayer came up on my feed. I honestly cannot remember if I wrote it or if the Bible App wrote it and I saved it, but it is so appropriate for me right now that I wanted to share part of it.

Basically, it says that the weaknesses we have can be windows for God’s glory to shine through. Not a closed door to keep God and others out, but a window to let others see God’s glory through you.

The SON shines through us and reflects God’s glory to others, if we will let it.

We can agree that life is hard and sometimes we feel that we cannot take one more challenge. But God says we can be strong in the power of His might, for it is in our weakness that His power shines through, His glory.

This has been a tough week for me physically. Last week, I saw my primary care doctor after waiting over three weeks for an appointment. Having been sick and coughing since the end of May, I wanted my “quarterback” who is the overseer of all of my specialists to get on the field and help figure out what is going on with me. He listened to all that I has been happening and ordered a specific blood test. His office called me the next day with the results. I have congestive heart failure. Not an imminent death sentence, but it does mean more meds and a lot of monitoring. I saw my cardiologist on Monday and he ordered a repeat test next week as well as an ultrasound in August. My pulmonologist whom I saw on Wednesday changed some meds from inhaler to nebulizer since I can’t take deep breaths to take in the inhaler meds. And today, I see my primary care doctor again for a follow up. The medical professionals are all taking this whole thing seriously, and I am too. At first, I went from scared to devastated to accepting with a sigh and now I am back to “God is with me and I want Him to use this for His glory.” No, I am not like that all the time. Sometimes I cry in frustration because of the swelling that makes it so difficult to walk. Sometimes I get a “why me” attitude and rant. But you know what? God can take my “chip on my shoulder” attitude and use it to teach me and others. My weakness is showing how strong God is because His light shines best in my darkness.

I got a book in the mail yesterday that I didn’t remember ordering, but what a blessing it will be for me! God knew that this is the perfect time for me to start this devotional study.

In the introduction are these words: “You and I need spiritual strength to deal with the difficulties we face, but there’s a problem: Developing that strength doesn’t come easy. …our spiritual muscles grow strongest when they are stretched, put to the test, and pushed beyond what feels good.”

Well, that seems to be what is happening in my life these days. Perhaps your life, too, has been a series of battles (physical, emotional, mental or spiritual). Whatever you are facing, I pray that your life will be a window for God’s glory to shine through. Don’t be a closed door, but an open window so God’s blessings can pour into you and out to others.

Review: Overdrive by Taylor S. Newport

On July 9, 2026 By vickleaIn Book Promo, Book Review2 Comments

About the Book

ISBN-139798295815508

Publisher: Taylor S Newport

Publication Date: 07/02/2026

Pages: 386

Synopsis (from the author’s website)

Tyler Reid needs a break, but trouble finds him first. A call from London pulls him into a missing-person case linked to a powerful surveillance project that’s suddenly worth killing for. The deeper he digs, the more bodies he finds—and the more obvious it becomes that someone wants the entire system for themselves.

Alexandra “Alex” Romanova is looking for an escape from Veritek and the weight waiting for her back home. A trip with Tyler should’ve been the break they both needed. But when the case escalates and puts her company in the crosshairs, she goes with him—trying to keep him grounded even as the danger forces him to speed up.

The investigation spirals into a breakneck pursuit, ambushes snapping at their heels as their unknown enemy stays one move ahead. Someone is erasing anyone tied to the project, leaving bodies instead of answers. With the elusive threat closing fast, Tyler and Alex are fighting to get ahead long enough to expose who’s hunting them.

My Thoughts

The latest novel in the Dauntless Defenders series is intense suspense at its best, with multiple layers, dynamic characters and one of the most engaging and entertaining reads that I have ever experienced. In order to fully understand the relationships between the characters as well as how individual each mission they embark on is, I strongly recommend that book lovers read the series in order. That being said, this book was one of the best of the series, with Tyler and Alexandra pitted against evil incarnate while they try desperately to safeguard a twelve-year-old innocent girl named Mackenzie. The danger is escalated because the team has to follow clues to find out why Mackenzie is being targeted and the best way to keep her safe from an unknown assailant. The plot is fast-paced at a breakneck speed from the beginning to the end. The twists come along fast and furiously, becoming a fun guessing game about motives and who can be trusted in this high stakes cat and mouse game. The stakes seem to be world domination and wealth, but that isn’t all. There is so much going on that my head was spinning and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. With characters that came alive, changes in Tyler that I had never expected and the constant faith shown by Alex, this novel has everything I love about Christian fiction: a believable story, relatable characters and a satisfying conclusion after a lot of hair-raising escapes from what appears to be certain death.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I also purchased my own copy of the book as I am collecting the series. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Rated PG for Intense Suspense and Child in Danger

About the Author

Taylor S Newport is an up and coming Christian author. Four years of research has brought her to release her first high-octane novel to the world in 2024. That year, she placed as a Finalist in the ACFW Genesis Contest. Currently, she resides in the beautiful state of Texas with her family probably writing her next novel. Visit her on Instagram, Facebook, and her website at https://www.taylorsnewport.com/

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Author’s Shop

The Dauntless Defenders Series

Renewing Our Strength

On July 8, 2026July 7, 2026 By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

maggietiggles.wordpress.com/2026/07/07/renewing-our-strength/

Please go to the original post, like and comment and follow

Review: Conspiracy by Colleen Coble

On July 7, 2026 By vickleaIn Book Promo, Book Review1 Comment

About the Book

ISBN-139780840714671

Publisher:Nelson, Thomas, Inc.

Publication Date: 07/07/2026

Series: A Sanctuary Novel

Pages: 336 pages

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble)

Just as wildlife veterinarian Paradise Alden begins to envision a future with Blake Lawson, the ghosts of her past return with a vengeance. The murder of her parents has shadowed her for fifteen years, but a new threat brings the cold case into the terrifying present. A trained leoparda chilling embodiment of Paradise’s deepest fearsis now stalking her.

Haunted by resurfacing memories, Paradise, Blake, and her newfound brother, Drew, follow a trail of clues that leads them into a web of dark family secrets. The deeper they dig, the more shocking the connections become, linking their families to a dangerous conspiracy that someone is still willing to kill to protect.

With every step closer to the truth, the killer becomes more desperate. Paradise, Blake, and Drew must race to expose a murderer who has remained hidden for fifteen years, but this time, they are the ones being stalked. If they can’t unmask the killer, the past will destroy both the fragile future Paradise and Blake are trying to build and the family she has finally found with her brother.

A conspiracy of lemurs is a family. But a conspiracy of people can be deadly.

My Thoughts

This book is the perfect conclusion to this awesome series set in a wildlife park. Paradise Alden is looking towards a happy future with Blake Lawson, but first she is committed to finding out who killed her parents. Assisted by her newly discovered brother Drew, a police detective, Paradise and Blake get closer to the truth and also to danger by the one who wants the truth to remain hidden. The writing is sharp, the action is addictive and the rich, descriptive details of the setting drew me immediately into the story. I was completely immersed in the drama of the story and thoroughly entertained by trying to piece the clues together before the killer was revealed. I was hooked by the twists and found many of them surprising. The author did a great job of balancing the action with the suspense and mystery, using a lot of escalating tension as wild animals were unleashed against Paradise and her quest for the truth. The story is compelling, the characters are dynamic and believable and the killer is diabolically clever and masked well until the big reveal. This book is a deftly crafted novel with a propulsive pace that was hard to put down and a definite must-read for fans of romantic suspense with jaw-dropping twists.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author

Publishers Weekly and USAToday best-selling author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has over six million books in print. When she’s not writing, Colleen is playing Pokemon Go! with the family or traveling to the locales where she sets her novels. She’s a perpetual learner and a natural health nut. Colleen was the CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers for nineteen years and still serves on the Executive Board. She lives with her husband Dave in Arizona so she can spoil her small grandsons. She’s praying her granddaughter chooses Arizona for college to keep her close too.

Visit her website at www.colleencoble.com.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/colleencoblebooks
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@cobleacker
Instagram: www.instagram.com/colleencoble

Purchase Links

The Sanctuary Novels

Review: D Is for Daisy by Shelley Shepard Gray

On July 6, 2026 By vickleaIn Book Promo, Book ReviewLeave a comment

About the Book

ISBN-139781496758835

Publisher:Kensington

Publication Date:06/30/2026

Series: Amish ABCs

Pages: 288 pages

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble)

Early retirement never sounded so good to Mervin and Ruthie Miller. After a lifetime in Millersburg, where Mervin worked at a furniture and shed factory and Ruthie helped out at a fabric store, they have exciting plans: They’re going to become “Amish Gentlemen Farmers.” That means buying a 30-acre, ramshackle farm, and all that comes with it—no matter what their grown children, friends, and aching muscles think . . .

Aaron Miller is worried about his parents, but there’s little he can do now that he lives in Kentucky and has a baby on the way. Then his childhood best friend, Kyle Burkholder, makes a heaven-sent offer: he’ll move in with Aaron’s parents to teach them about raising cows and chickens, and even give weekly reports to Aaron.

The arrangement is going well—until Kyle stumbles upon Daisy Lapp who’s just been in a bicycle accident. When he visits her in the hospital, he knows there’s something special between them. So does Daisy. But her something special is the fact that Kyle lives on the farm she’d always dreamed of buying one day. She knows it’s wrong, but she’s jealous. She wants nothing to do with Kyle and politely tells him so.

Still, like the Millers, Kyle’s not one to give up easily. Not on himself, not on the farm, and certainly not on Daisy. With dedication and a leap of faith, the lives they envisioned just might come true . . .

My Thoughts

This story tugged on my heartstrings and stirred my imagination as I was mesmerized by the story of perceptive Kyle and low-esteem Daisy. Kyle leaves home and moves in with Ruthie and Mervin Miller, wannabe farmers who have no idea what they are doing so Kyle is a godsend. Kyle is a willing worker and is also a good friend to neighbor Daisy. Daisy has a broken leg after a bicycle accident and Kyle attentively brings her flowers and checks on her. The progression of their relationship seems natural and even when there are bumps on the road, like another young Amish woman to whom Kyle is attracted, their friendship continues. I enjoyed the well-written plot with the addition of the drama and the discovery by Daisy that she is talented and worthy of loving. The characters were realistic, the plot moved along at a good pace and kept me engaged in the story. My favorite character was Velvet the cow…yes, the cow! Velvet didn’t say anything with words but her actions said a lot and she contributed to the choices that the characters made along the way. Velvet was kind of like Lucy in the Peanuts cartoons, offering advice that the people already knew but they had to talk to her to know that they knew it. Velvet was a humorous and welcome addition to the story, and I hope she will be in future alphabet books in this series.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.