Review - The Accidental Christmas

Title:  The Accidental Christmas

Author:  Lori Foster

Series:  Wild Rose Point

Genre:   Romance

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   140

Date of Publication:  November 4, 2025

My Rating: 5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

He came to Cannon Beach to escape Christmas. She came seeking safety. Neither expected to find love.

In December, retired police officer Hendrix Becker shuts down his quiet RV park on the Oregon coast to disappear from the world. Haunted by a tragic Christmas past, solitude has become his only refuge.

But this year, someone stays behind.

Josephine Collins, with her young son, has nowhere else to go when danger from her past resurfaces.

Against his instincts, Hendrix lets them stay. What begins as a tense arrangement slowly softens as Josephine’s courage and her son’s laughter begin to penetrate the ice around his heart. As trust builds, so does something deeper—something neither of them expected.

But Josephine's past isn't done with her yet. And when the threat gets too close, Hendrix must confront his own ghosts if he wants to protect the woman and child who’ve become his reason to believe again.

Emotional, suspenseful, and full of heart, The Accidental Christmas is a romance about second chances, quiet bravery, and finding hope when you least expect it.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Hendrix Becker’s move to Oregon suits his desire for solitude when he needs it. The RV park he owns is busy nearly year round, but December is his. Looking forward to a quiet holiday season, one with complete isolation, is upset when Josephine Collins and her seven-year-old son Ryder are still on the grounds. Josephine, Joey, is more than a distraction that Hendrix would like to admit.

Joey’s rental has gone on for nearly a year, and she has been making ends meet by means of tutoring. Christmas is almost here and she is really hoping to buy something nice for Christmas, all while hoping she can continue her stay at the RV park. She has a story, but that story is her own.

Hendrix doesn’t dislike people, really. A former cop, in his second year of owning the RV park should prove that. But if anyone doesn’t fall in the unlikeable category, it certainly would be Joey. She is a quiet renter, and her son is well-behaved. He is drawn to her and that actually rather irritates him.

What an enjoyable story, but one that has a serious note, especially considering Joey’s former marriage and why she has extended her stay at the RV park. This compassionate and sweet story is part of the Wild Rose Point small-town romance series. Other interconnected stories in the series include stories by Maisey Yates, Delores Fossen and several other wonderful romance authors. While each story is standalone, the small town of Wild Rose Point in Oregon is just the place I would love to visit.

Many thanks to Lori Foster for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lori Foster is a New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author with over 10 million books sold. She received the Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews and her books have been chosen as editors picks by Amazon multiple times. Foster is actively involved in charity work, and all of the author proceeds from her anthologies have gone to various organizations, such as the Animal Adoption Foundation, the Conductive Learning Center, and One Way Farm. She lives in Ohio with her high school sweetheart.

web / facebook / twitter / Instagram / pinterest / goodreads

BLOG TOUR - Otherwise Engaged

DESCRIPTION:

A twisty, tender and wise look at how secrets can transform the powerful—and sometimes problematic—bond between mothers and daughters, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery.

When Shannon gets engaged, her beloved mom, Cindy, is the first person she wants to tell—and the last. Cindy’s engaged, too, and has already hinted at a double wedding. The image of a synchronized bouquet toss with her mom fills Shannon with horror. She’ll keep her engagement a secret until Cindy’s I-dos are done.

Victoria has never been proper enough for her mother, Ava, so she stopped trying. She lives on her own terms and amuses herself by pushing Ava’s buttons. Ava loves but doesn’t understand her stuntwoman daughter. When a movie-set mishap brings Victoria home, Ava longs to finally connect.

Chance brings the four women together at a wedding venue, where a shocking secret comes tumbling out. Twenty-four years ago, desperate teenager Cindy chose wealthy Ava to adopt her baby—then changed her mind at the very last second. The loss rocked Ava’s world, leaving her unable to open her heart to the daughter she did adopt, Victoria. As Shannon and Victoria deal with the fallout from the decisions their mothers made, they wrestle with whether who they are is different than who they might have become.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble |Bookshop

Libro.fm |Books-A-Million | Target

Walmart | Indigo | Kobo

AppleBooks | Google Play

Title:   Otherwise Engaged

Author:  Susan Mallery

Publisher:   MIRA

Genre:   Women’s Fiction

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   368

Date of Publication:   November 4, 2025

My Rating:   5 Stars

MY THOUGHTS:

Susan Mallery’s Otherwise Engaged is a heartwarming and character-driven novel that explores the complexities of family, identity, and the intricate web of love. Through a series of interconnected stories, the book delves into the lives of four women—Ava and Victoria Rogers, and Cindy and Shannon Van Horn—mothers and daughters who are navigating personal upheaval. The novel beautifully captures the powerful bonds that both tear and strengthen the mothers and daughters, highlighting the messy yet beautiful nature of love.

At just twenty-four, Victoria Rogers finds her life abruptly derailed by a serious injury sustained during a stunt performance. Her protective father, Milton, insists she return home to recover, and her mother, Ava, sees the chance to reconnect with the daughter she’s long struggled to reach. As Victoria heals physically, old family tensions resurface, revealing just how deeply a parent’s love—and fear—can shape a child’s choices.

Meanwhile, Shannon Van Horn is adrift. Self-deprecatingly calling herself “Shannon Disaster Van Horn,” she’s flunked out of college and is aimlessly working for her mother. When her boyfriend of eleven months, Aaron, proposes, Shannon panics—not because she doesn’t love him, but because her mother Cindy is planning her own wedding. The thought of a double wedding fills Shannon with dread, and her reluctance becomes a lens through which Mallery explores independence, family expectations, and the courage it takes to chart one’s own path.

Through alternating perspectives, Mallery captures the complexity of mothers and daughters—how love can both protect and suffocate, and how forgiveness often requires vulnerability on both sides. With warmth and humor, Otherwise Engaged reminds readers that even when life feels aimless or broken, connection and understanding can bring healing.

A touching and relatable story, this novel will resonate with anyone who’s ever struggled to balance family obligations with self-discovery. Susan Mallery once again delivers an emotional, engaging tale about love in all its imperfect forms.

Many thanks to  and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please enjoy the following excerpt:

How does the horse look?

Victoria Rogers pressed her good arm to her very bruised, almost broken ribs. “Dad, don’t,” she said, trying to stay as still as possible. “You can’t be funny. It already hurts to breathe. It wasn’t a horse.”

Her father frowned. “I was told you were thrown off a horse.” “I was thrown out of a truck.”

“Then how’d you get the black eyes?”

“The ground was a little bit pissy when I hit it and punched me back.”

There wasn’t a part of her that didn’t hurt. The good news was that now that the medical staff had determined she didn’t have a head injury, they were going to give her drugs to help with the pain. She’d already said she didn’t want any of that weak-ass pill stuff. She wanted a nurse to give her a shot of something that would work instantly and let her rest. Because in addition to the bruised ribs, requisite scrapes and contusions, she had a broken left leg and a sprained wrist. Her previously dislocated shoulder also throbbed, but that was kind of the least of it.

As she lay in her hospital bed, feeling like death on a tortilla, she had the thought that maybe stunt work wasn’t for her. Injuries came with the job, but this was the third time in five years she’d landed in the hospital. The first time she’d messed up, so that was on her, but the other two had just been plain bad luck. The incident with the truck had come about because one of the tires had blown, causing the however many ton vehicle to jump the curb—an action that had sent her flying up and over the side. Gravity, being the bitch it was, had flung her onto the sidewalk. Hence the injuries.

Her father studied her, his brows drawn together in concern. “None of this makes me happy,” he told her.

The incongruous statement nearly made her laugh. She remembered—just in time—that her ribs wouldn’t appreciate the subsequent movement and they would punish her big-time.

“Today isn’t my favorite day either,” she admitted, trying not to groan. “I didn’t wake up with the thought that I should try to get thrown out of the back of a pickup.” Although technically getting thrown out of the truck had been the stunt. Just not when it had happened and without warning or a plan.

“I’m worried,” her father told her.

“I’ll be fine.”

“This time.” She winced, and not from pain. “Now you sound like Mom.”

Her father, a handsome man only a few months from his sixtieth birthday, brightened. “Thank you, Victoria. That’s such a nice thing to say.”

Given her weakened condition, she let that comment slide. Honestly she didn’t have the strength to deal with it right now, even though she knew her father understood exactly what she’d been saying. He was only pretending to not get it.

“If you’re going to act like that, you should go,” she said, then amended what could be construed as a catty comment into something more kind. Mostly because she only had the emotional energy not to get along with one of her parents, and her mother had already claimed that prize. “Besides, they’ll be bringing my drugs any second. I plan to surrender to sleep, so I’m not going to be very conversational.”

As if to prove her point, one of the nurses walked in with a syringe. “Ready to feel better?” he asked cheerfully.

“Yes, and let me say, you’re my favorite person ever.”

He winked. “I get that all the time.”

He slowly injected whatever the medication was into her IV. Victoria drew in a shallow breath as she waited to feel that first blurring of the edges of the pain. Modern medicine was a miracle she intended to embrace.

The nurse left. Milton took her good hand in his.

“I’ll let you rest,” he told her. “But I’ll be back later tonight.” He squeezed her fingers. “Tomorrow, when you’re released, I’m taking you home.”

Ugh. Victoria knew that her father wasn’t talking about the pretty condo he’d bought her when she’d turned twenty-one. Instead he meant the house where she’d grown up. The one where her mother still resided.

“I don’t need to move back,” she protested, feeling the first telltale easing of the pain. “I have a few bumps and bruises.”

“Along with a broken leg. And what about your ribs? You can barely move without wincing.” “I have zero pain tolerance. I’m a total wimp.”

He frowned. “You’re tough and stoic. If you’re showing signs of pain, it’s bad. You’ll stay with your mother and me until you’re well enough to be on your own.” He pointed at her. “I mean it, Victoria. You don’t get a vote.”

Her father was rarely stern with her, so his sharp tone warned her he wasn’t kidding. And she knew from twenty-four years of experience that arguing with the man would get her nowhere. Milton didn’t take a stand very often, but when he did, he was the immovable object.

“I wish you loved me less,” she murmured, feeling a little floaty and stumbling over her words. “Okay, I feel drugs. Let me enjoy the experience of breathing without, you know, wanting to die.” Oh, baby girl. You’ve always been difficult.”

“I know. It’s one of my best qualities.” Her eyes drifted closed. “Love you, Dad.”

“Love you more.” He kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Come alone.”

His soft chuckle was the last thing she heard.

Excerpted from Otherwise Engaged by Susan Mallery, Copyright © 2025 by Susan Mallery Inc. Published by MIRA Books.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

SUSAN MALLERY is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that shape women's lives―family, friendship, romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations," and readers seem to agree―40 million copies of her books have sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live. She’s passionate about animal welfare, which shows in the many quirky animal characters she has created. Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband and adorable poodle. Visit her at SusanMallery.com.

Social Links:

Website: https://susanmallery.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanMallery 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/susanmallery 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/susanmallery 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/susanmallery/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/susanmallery 

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/susan-mallery 

Mailing List: https://susanmallery.com/join-mailing-list.php 

BLOG TOUR - Secrets at the Irish Adoption House

DESCRIPTION:

Ireland, 1920. Tears fill my eyes as I hear the whispers of the other girls in the dark of the night. But I won’t let them see me cry. I won’t let my secrets out. The family I’m hiding from could find me, and take my baby away…

To the other girls at St Patrick’s Mother and Baby Home, Cecelia is just another fallen woman. But they don’t know her father is a penniless lord with an English title… And Cecelia is determined that they never will. She came here alone, in secret: if her family knew she was pregnant the life of her baby could be on the line.

Despite herself, the kind act of stolen bread being pressed into her hands when she’s in most need sees her confiding in the other women. Then the worst happens:  Cecelia’s family find her and take her precious newborn. Was she betrayed by another girl in the home?

She’s determined to find her child… but with all her family’s connections, she can’t do it by herself. She hears whispers of a network of women working to unite mothers and babies. But with the baby’s father dangerously caught up in the unrest brewing across Ireland, will Cecelia or her darling daughter ever see him again?

This tear-jerking and unforgettable historical novel, full of family secrets, betrayal and friendship in the darkest times, is perfect for fans of Jean Grainger, Lisa Wingate and Sandy Taylor.

BUY LINK

• https://geni.us/B0FJX8SS5Jsocial

Title:  Secrets at the Irish Adoption House

Author:  Michelle Vernal

Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Historical Fiction 

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   305 

Date of Publication:  November 3, 2025

My Rating:  5 Stars

MY THOUGHTS: 

In Secrets at the Irish Adoption House, Michelle Vernal delivers a deeply moving and unforgettable story set against the haunting backdrop of an Irish home for unwed mothers.

Cecelia, long judged and overlooked because of her noticeable limp, has endured more than her share of pain and betrayal. When she crosses paths with Finian, she never imagined that she would end up in a home run by nuns. Yet, now pregnant, she hoped that it would be a good place to stay and give birth, even hoping for a connection with her baby. 

The nuns who once ran the home harbored shocking secrets—acts of cruelty hidden behind walls meant to shelter. As long-buried truths come to light, each character must face the past to find healing, forgiveness, and hope for the future.

This is an incredible, heart-wrenching story that had me with a lump in my throat page after page. Michelle Vernal captures both the pain of injustice and the power of redemption, leading to a truly wonderful and satisfying conclusion.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle Vernal is a New Zealand author who writes stories that will take you onto the page with her characters and make you feel part of their lives. She writes with humour and warmth, and her readers describe her books as unputdownable, feel good and funny. Her writing has been likened to Maeve Binchy but with a modern-day vernacular. In 2015 she was shortlisted for the Love Stories Award. In 2020 she won the Reader's Favorite Gold Medal Award for Chick lit, and in 2021 was shortlisted for the Page Turner Book Awards.

 

Author social media: 

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleVernal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellevernalnovelist/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellevernalnovelist

Website: https://www.michellevernalbooks.com/

Newsletter sign up: https://www.bookouture.com/michelle-vernal

 

Review - A Daughter’s Choice

Title:  A Daughter’s Choice 

Author:  Kelly Irvin

Series:  The Heart of the Amish

Publisher:  Barbour

Genre:   Inspirational Romance 

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   256

Date of Publication:   November 1, 2025

My Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Henrietta Is Set Against Love

Full of faith, hope, and romance, this series takes you into the Heart of Amish Country.

Henrietta Miller loves animals—especially her goats. She wants to marry and have children someday, but right now her goal is to have her own business selling snacks made from goat's milk and goat's soaps. Against her the wishes of her father--who's also the bishop—she applies for a job as a veterinary assistant to earn money. Then newcomer Nicholas Byler snatches the job out from under her—or so it seems to Hen. Now Nicholas is treating Hen's beloved animals as if he knows more than her. Hen turns her frustrations toward expanding her business to include wool-producing goats, even while her aunt hatches matchmaking plans—with Nicholas Byler, no less.

The Heart of the Amish Series Includes:
The Flower Quilter by Mindy Steele
Ruth’s Ginger Snap Surprise by Anne Blackburne
The Quilt Room Secret by Lisa Jones Baker
Courting an Amish Bishop by Mindy Steele
Mary’s Calico Hope by Anne Blackburne
Serenity’s Secret by Lisa Jones Baker
A Stolen Kiss by Mindy Steele
Lizzie’s Little Mouse by Anne Blackburne
Hunting for a Husband by Mindy Steele

MY THOUGHTS:

“Hen truly was the pied piper of animals.”

“Faith. Family. Community. Then self.”

Reading A Daughter’s Choice deeply moved me. I was instantly captivated by Hen’s world—her boundless love for animals, especially her goats. However, working with animals wasn’t supported by Hen’s father, despite her dream of becoming a vet assistant. As the Bishop in their Amish community, he was raising his seven children alone after his wife’s passing. Hen didn’t have to worry about disappointing her father regarding her desire for the vet position, as a newcomer named Nicholas was hired for the very job she wanted. Her disappointment was evident, creating tension between them, especially when it came to caring for animals.

Hen was a remarkable protagonist. Her quiet strength, sense of responsibility, and struggle to balance her heart’s desires with her father’s and faith’s expectations will no doubt resonate with readers. While this is primarily Hen’s story, Nicholas has his own story to tell. This part of the story explored the crisis of faith. Watching both Hen and Nicholas navigate their struggles felt incredibly real to me.

Kelly Irvin’s writing is warm and honest, allowing me to feel Hen’s emotions—her doubt, longing, courage, and sadness. The Amish setting provided a serene backdrop that made me reflect on how faith and community influence our choices. I appreciated that the book didn’t rush the relationship between Hen and Nicholas. However, I would have preferred the story to use the Pennsylvania Deutsch translation for the word “Mom,” which is “Mamm.” 

Stories have always held a profound significance for me, and A Daughter’s Choice certainly resonated deeply with me. By the end of the book, I was reminded of the importance of trusting in God’s plan, even when it diverges from our own desires. This book prompted me to reflect on the delicate balance between listening to our hearts and honoring our faith and family.

Many thanks to Barbour and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Best-selling author Kelly Irvin splits her writing time between Amish romances and romantic suspense. Her latest release is Trust Me (2/8/22), a romantic suspense novel set in San Antonio's historic art district. It explores broken trust and whether trust can ever be restored. Publishers Weekly called it a "whirlwind romantic thriller" and "an emotional rollercoaster."

Her latest Amish romance is Love's Dwelling, the first book in the Amish Blessings series, which released in July 2021. The series takes place in Yoder and Haven, Kansas, and looks at adoption among the Amish. The series follows her Amish romance series, Amish of Sky Country includes Mountains of Grace, followed by The Long Bridge Home, and Peace in the Valley. The series explores Amish communities in northwest Montana and how they are impacted by wildfires.

Other romantic suspense novels include Her Every Move, which Publishers Weekly called gripping suspense and said, "loving descriptions of San Antonio’s attractions enhance the well-paced plot."

The publication called Closer Than She Knows a "brisk, smoothly written, thriller."

Kelly's Every Amish Season series includes Upon A Spring Breeze, Beneath the Summer Sun, Through the Autumn Air, and With Winter's First Frost from Zondervan/HarperCollins Christian Publishing. This follows the Amish of Bee County series, The Saddle Maker's Son, released in June 2016. It is an ECPA bestseller. It follows The Bishop's Son, and the critically acclaimed bestseller, The Beekeeper's Son, which earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly. The reviewer called it "a beautifully woven masterpiece." The Beekeeper's Son was a finalist in the romance category of the 2016 ACFW Carol Awards Contest.

web | Twitter (x)