Book Blitz! Goalie and the Girl Next Door by Elsie Woods ~ Excerpt and #Giveaway #GoalieAndTheGirlNextDoor @XpressoTours

 

Goalie and the Girl Next Door by Elsie Woods
(Love in Maple Falls)
Publication date: September 10th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

My life was perfect except for the occasional goat emergency. Then a charming French goalie with dimples turned my life upside down. Rude.

Marcy

I came to Maple Falls to rebuild my life with nothing but four pencil skirts and a broken heart, courtesy of my hockey-playing ex. I like numbers because they don’t lie, and I like my quiet ranch life because it’s predictable.

Enter Clément Rivière—the devastatingly charming French goalie who shows up shirtless to help with barn work, whispers sweet French nothings to our goat, and looks at me like I’m the only woman in the world. But I’m not the only one falling for his act—half the town’s women are already under his spell, and I refuse to be just another conquest.

Clément

I traded Paris for small-town Washington to chase my big league dreams and restore a historic house that’s trying to kill me daily. What I didn’t expect was the town’s brilliant, beautiful accountant who treats me like I’m a tax audit waiting to happen.

Marcy Fontaine sees right through my act and makes me want things I never knew were missing. But she’s been burned by a hockey player before, and I’m running out of time to prove I’m different. There’s a ticking time bomb inside me, and my career is on the line.

If I can’t stay, we’ll both have to decide if love is worth the risk—or if some dreams are too good to be true.

***

Goalie and the Girl Next Door is a grumpy-sunshine, wounded hero, fish-out-of-water hockey romcom in the Love in Maple Falls series. Add some goat whispering, sunrise kisses, and a guaranteed happily ever after sweeter than maple cupcakes and you have this sweet romance with all the heart and no spice.

Welcome back to Maple Falls—the small town where hockey players fall in love! This is a multi-author series of seven full-length books that could be read as standalones, but we think you’ll enjoy them best in order.

Fake-Off with Fate by Whitney Dineen

Offside and Off-Limits by Kate O’Keeffe

Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp

Skating and Fake Dating by Ellie Hall

Goalie and the Girl Next Door by Elsie Woods

Soulmates and Slapshots by Melissa Baldwin

The Icing on the Cake by Grace Worthington

Goodreads | Amazon

************************

EXCERPT

I’m about to lay into my workplace nemesis who has insulted my attention to detail when a voice fills the meeting room. The voice is loud, joyful, and deeply French.

“Bonjour, bureaucratic friends!”

Phillip nearly jumps out of his loafers and my hand jerks reflexively, and the documents I’m holding scatter like leaves in a windstorm.

A tall man with sun-kissed skin, messy curls, and a hockey duffel slung over one shoulder strides in. He’s grinning like the world’s been personally generous to him this morning, and I’m too stunned to do anything but stare.

“I’m looking for Mayor Thompkins,” he says. “It’s about a building permit.”

He moves smooth, confident, annoyingly magnetic. His jeans cling in a way that is definitely not accidental, and the forest green Henley shirt he’s wearing looks like it was made for slow, appreciative glances. Not that I’m giving him one.

There’s an ease to him, that particular breed of European polish that turns heads even when it shouldn’t.

My better judgment crosses its arms, but my pulse, traitorous thing, doesn’t listen.

When I get over my momentary freeze-up, I drop to my knees, scrambling to recover the paperwork. The Frenchman crouches to help me, entirely unbothered.

“Wow,” he says, flashing a smile as he picks up a page. “Do all town meetings start with this much paper throwing? Because I’m in.”

I don’t know who this guy thinks he is, but he’s holding the town’s most sensitive finances in one very large, very tanned hand.

I snatch the paper from him and say the first thing that comes to mind.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

He winks, and I’d like to smack that smug grin right off his perfectly chiseled face. “I get that a lot.”

************************

About the author

Elsie Woods is an author of giggly romantic comedy with a big dose of furry friends. While born in Canada, she abandoned cold winters for southern France with her golden retriever and unicycling French hubby. When not writing, she can be found sipping tiny coffees by the Mediterranean, hiking with her hubby and dog, or munching on the most delicious cheese in the world.

Don’t forget to try her free novella available on Amazon: Faking Christmas Love at the Doggy Spa!

Connect with Elsie

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | Facebook

Goalie and the Girl Next Door Blitz Giveaway

*********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Book Blitz! Never Marry the Best Man by Julia Kent ~ Excerpt and #Giveaway #NeverMarryTheBestMan @jkentauthor @XpressoTours

 

Never Marry the Best Man by Julia Kent
(Whatever It Takes, #4)
Publication date: September 9th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

There’s no way the hot relative of a minor British royal is hitting on her. She’s misreading everything, right?

Except there’s no mistaking that proposal.

When 50something Ranney Martini (yes, Nessa’s mom!) finds herself being courted by the very English best man in a minor royal’s wedding she’s managing, she can’t help but laugh. He’s 17 years her junior, smoking hot, and an award-winning architect. The flirting is all in her imagination.

Of course it is.

But when a strange twist of fate leaves them trapped in Las Vegas, and Tom has a sudden need for American citizenship – faster than fast – Ranney proves she’s the consummate professional.

Because when you’re a wedding protector, you do whatever it takes to make the perfect wedding.

Even marrying the very handsome best man.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

iBooks | Kobo

******************************

EXCERPT

Tom cleared his throat.

“I know you’re on the clock, and this is a mess, but Jack’s with Chunk and we have no idea what’s happening next. Emergency rooms take hours, so we have some time. What would you like to do? Are you hungry? Shall we get some dinner? I’ve never seen Las Vegas before. Shall we take a look around?”

“From what I’ve seen of your work, I don’t think you’re going to like the aesthetic here very much.” Ranney had only been there once before, with Carmine, for some sort of packaging expo. She’d spent most of her time by the hotel pool and therefore avoided the stereotypical Vegas experience. The desert weather had been lovely, the hotel food was exceptional, and she never set foot in a casino or even pulled a slot machine handle.

“But it’s iconic! Come on, I can’t be here on the ground and not see it, I may never be back!”

“Tom, what about the wedding party? You’re supposed to be hanging out with them!”

“I already explained that. They’re my relatives and a bunch of future in laws of Charlie’s. I can be with them anytime. I can’t be with you anytime. And certainly not in Las Vegas, Nevada.”

And that was the moment when she realized just how much she wanted to go with him. She wanted to see Las Vegas–with him. She wanted to sit next to him in the back of an Uber and listen to him talk. Lean against him, close enough to breathe the scent of his skin. Hear everything that had ever happened to him before they met, even if he told her in that annoying British accent–which was becoming less annoying and more charming by the minute.

Dear God, was this some unanticipated perimenopausal side effect? In all the articles that she’d read on the subject, had this ever been mentioned? Intense and inappropriate lust for a virtual stranger?

Speaking of inappropriate, what exactly was his age, anyway? She needed another look at his profile and she needed it now. Because if he was anywhere near her daughter’s age–if he was young enough, say, to have attended one of Nessa’s childhood birthday parties–she was going to fake stomach flu and get on the next plane home. Claire could have this entire field all to herself, whether she was capable or not.

“Are you all right?” Tom asked. “You’re looking a bit… shaken up. I thought emergencies were your specialty?”

*********************************

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. Since 2013, she has sold more than 2 million books, with 4 New York Times bestsellers and more than 21 appearances on the USA Today bestseller list. Her books have been translated into French, German, and Italian, with more titles releasing in the future.

From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men's room toilet (and he isn't a billionaire she met in a romantic comedy).

She lives in New England with her husband and three children where she is the only person in the household with the gene required to change empty toilet paper rolls.

She loves to hear from her readers by email at julia@jkentauthor.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, on Facebook at @jkentauthor, and on Instagram @jkentauthor. Visit her at http://jkentauthor.com

Connect with Julia

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Instagram | Bookbub | Amazon | Newsletter

Never Marry the Best Man Blitz Giveaway

*********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Release Day! Play Nice by Rachel Harrison ~ My Thoughts #PlayNice

Happy Release Day!

Congrats Rachel

on release today of

Play Nice!

Play Nice by Rachel Harrison

Thriller, Paranormal, 336 pages

Published September 9, 2025, by Berkley

A woman must confront the demons of her past when she attempts to fix up her childhood home in this devilishly clever take on the haunted house novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Black Sheep and So Thirsty.

Clio Louise Barnes leads a picture-perfect life as a stylist and influencer, but beneath the glossy veneer she harbors a not-so glamorous she grew up in a haunted house. Well, not haunted. Possessed. After Clio’s parents' messy divorce, her mother, Alex, moved Clio and her sisters into a house occupied by a demon. Or so Alex claimed. That’s not what Clio’s sisters remember or what the courts determined when they stripped her of custody after she went off the deep end. But Alex was insistent; she even wrote a book about her experience in the house.

After Alex’s sudden death, the supposedly possessed house passes to Clio and her sisters. Where her sisters see childhood trauma, Clio sees an opportunity for house flipping content. Only, as the home makeover process begins, Clio discovers there might be some truth to her mother’s claims. As memories resurface and Clio finally reads her mother’s book, a sinister presence in the house manifests, revealing ugly truths that threaten to shake Clio’s beautiful life to its very foundation.

My thoughts about Play Nice ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First lines—"We're coming up on midnight. The room is loud, everyone champagne drunk, ignorant of volume, and wow, the air in here is intense, all hot breath and designer perfume."

I didn't know much about this book going into it. I have never read this author but the cover intrigued me and the synopsis really grabbed me as well. So I dove in! And man, what a ride this story was! Death, family dysfunction, and then of course, there is the haunted house/demon part of the story. Is it real? Or a manifestation of mental illness? 

I raced through this story while also having to put it aside at times to let the demon calm down. Or maybe it was me that needed to take a break from the intensity. Either way, this was a definitely a page-turner that made me pause and take a breathe after reading the final sentence. Play Nice was thoroughly entertaining, while also a little bit creepy. 

********************

Praise for Play Nice

"Play Nice packs a prickly punch by cleverly nesting its possession story within another kind of familial and familiar possession. While the demon at the center of it all terrorizes the women in Clio's family when they are most vulnerable, the book is scary because there's more than one kind of demon."—Paul Tremblay, New York Times bestselling author of Horror Movie and The Cabin at the End of the World

"I raced through Rachel Harrison's Play Nice, drawn in by the relatable protagonist and the irresistible blend of horror, mystery and family drama. Play Nice is a great fit for anyone who enjoyed The Good House or Grady Hendrix's How to Sell a Haunted House, taking the reader on a spooky journey through the haunted spaces from the past that plague us all."—Tananarive Due, Bram Stoker Award winner, The Reformatory

"Play Nice is as fun as a journey into darkness and family trauma can get. Rachel Harrison crafts a uniquely spirited haunting that’s both ruthlessly frightening and overflowing with heart."—Chuck Tingle, USA Today bestselling author of Lucky Day and Bury Your Gays

“Readers will be riveted…As is typical of a Harrison book, Play Nice takes a horror trope—this time, the haunted house—and turned it on its head with a fun, feminist twist. Horror readers who are not familiar with Harrison need to get on board, and this book could be her breakout hit.”—Booklist (starred review)

********************

About the author

Rachel Harrison is the author of The Return, nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. Her short fiction has appeared in Guernica and Electric Lit. She lives in New York with her husband and their cat/overlord. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Rachel

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | TikTok

*********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Release Day! The Road to Yesterday by Maryellen Donovan ~ My Thoughts #TheRoadToYesterday @shewritespress

Happy Release Day!

Congrats Maryellen

on release today of

The Road to Yesterday!

The Road to Yesterday: A Memoir by Maryellen Donovan

Memoir, 248 pages

Published September 9, 2025, by She Writes Press

For readers who found comfort in Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking, a 9/11 widow’s memoir of rediscovering joy and finding love again after the violent loss of her husband.

One sunny Tuesday morning, Maryellen Donovan’s beloved husband, Steve Cherry, lost his life in the 9/11 attacks—rocking her to her core, and changing her family forever.

Maryellen’s life and love with Steve was all she could have hoped for; in the wake of his death, she was inconsolable. But ultimately, she had no choice but to be strong for her two young sons—and even when deep in the grip of hopeless despair, she found solace in her deep faith and belief that, with the support of friends and family, she would eventually find love and happiness once again. Her route to her happy ending proved long and winding and full of obstacles—cancer, family conflict, even more loss—but she always found a way forward, no matter the setbacks she encountered. 

An inspirational story that will provide hope to anyone who’s experienced unfathomable loss and loneliness, The Road to Yesterday is a testament to the idea that there is always a path to love and joy—if only you’re determined enough to keep yourself open to it.

My thoughts about The Road to Yesterday ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First lines—"Everything seemed crystalline, sharp, more beautiful than usual. Even the air felt new, with that crisp fall texture that made me imagine leaves crunching under our feet as we moved into fall. The day—and the world—felt fresh."

To be honest, I was hooked after reading the prologue of this book. Reliving that horrible day of 9/11 again, from a family member's point of view, was heartbreaking but it's something that they have to live with day after day. This memoir shows us, the readers, that even though getting through it was very tough and surreal, it was possible to live a life on the other side of all the heartbreak and trauma. 

We get to witness all of Maryellen's ups and downs as she and her family try to navigate their 'new normal'. Times were very tough but love, family, and friends were always at the core of their lives. The Road to Yesterday is a great reminder of the 9/11 event and gives insight as to how people moved on, while never forgetting what they went through. 

I received an ARC of The Road to Yesterday and this is my honest opinion.

********************

About the author

Born and raised in Connecticut, I am now proud to call Hailey, Idaho home, nestled amidst the pristine landscapes that inspire and uplift my soul daily. Being a nurturing mother of two incredible young men, Brett and Colton, has magnified my capacity to love and cherish every precious moment we share. My loving husband, Michael, has been my cornerstone for the past 15 years, always supporting and understanding me as grief and healing is a nonlinear process. 

I find immense joy in connecting with others, weaving threads of companionship that strengthen the fabric of our community both here and afar. Embracing the profound beauty of the outdoors, I revel in the whispering winds and scenic mountains that speak to the core of my being. My unwavering passion for exploring the world, whether through travel or introspection, continuously fuels my spirit, enabling me to infuse every encounter and moment with a deep sense of wonder, gratitude, and boundless optimism. ~ Author's website

Connect with Maryellen

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

*********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

New Release! Hush by Joanne DeMaio ~ My Thoughts #Hush @JoanneDeMaio

Congrats Joanne

on the recent release of

Hush!

Hush by Joanne DeMaio

Series: The Seaside Saga #25

Women's Saga, 282 pages

Published August 4, by Joanne DeMaio

From New York Times bestselling author Joanne DeMaio comes Hush, Book 25 of The Seaside Saga.

The whisper of dune grasses. The faint cry of gulls. The hiss of waves. In the New England beach town of Stony Point, there's an undeniable hush. Maybe it's because the summer people have left and many of the coastal cottages are shuttered for the season. Or maybe it's just because one tenacious lobsterman's stay is coming to a close. Regardless, there's a stillness in the salt air. But don't be fooled—all is not at ease.

And The Seaside Saga continues.

The Seaside Saga on Goodreads

The Seaside Saga on Amazon

***************************

My thoughts about Hush ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First lines—"The dark night presses close. Outside the weathered cottage, a hitching autumn wind has kicked up."

Hush took me on another great visit to Stony Point as it gave my one more chance to catch up with the gang. They all truly have become to feel like friends.  

Each one of these installments is filled with so much love and so many emotions. I adore the level of support and respect that all of the neighbors have for one another. As Shane lives his last few days in the community, he discovers how deep these friendships have become. Can he really leave all that? 

As other members of Stony Point live their lives, making decisions and moving on, there is the beauty and calmness of the location and the healing beach that is always a character in the background. These books are a great form of escape for me as I immerse myself in the scenery and kindness of the community. 

I highly recommend Hush and this entire series. If you haven't read them yet, you need to get started with book one and catch up. Book #26, The Diner will be released in March of  2026!

*********************

If you're new to The Seaside Saga, the reading order is below. Written like an ongoing TV show, it's a revolutionary series following the same tangled group of beach friends from book-to-book.

***************************

About the author

Joanne DeMaio is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. She enjoys writing about friendship, family, love and choices, while setting her stories in New England towns or by the sea.

Joanne’s books include the New York Times Bestseller Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans, the first in her ongoing and groundbreaking Seaside Saga. These eleven (and counting) novels journey with a group of beach friends, much the way a TV series does, continuing with the same cast of characters and their storylines from book-to-book.

Joanne’s winter novels have also received much acclaim. These heartwarming standalones are set in the same snowy New England town. Snowflakes and Coffee Cakes became a USA Today Bestseller, and has been featured in national magazines and Six Flags theme parks.

In addition, Joanne’s debut novel, Whole Latte Life, won first place in a competition at BookExpo America and was named a Kirkus Reviews Critics’ Pick. Her other novels have appeared in Redbook, First for Women magazine, Southern Living, USA Today and more. ~ Author's website

Connect with Joanne

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

*********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? September 8, 2025 #IMWAYR

     

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's an opportunity to visit other blogs and to comment on their reads. And ... you can add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are! 

**************************************

After reading a lot in August for a challenge, this month's reading is dragging drag for me. Granted there is a lot going on our lives right now—medical appointments (with more to come), family time, and of course football season starting up again! Go Huskers! Go Chiefs! Go SDSU! 

Hubs and I are celebrating our 52nd anniversary today! What a roller coaster ride our lives have been. We've got 4 kids, 3 significant others, and 9 grandkiddos to show for our longevity. I had no idea that this would be my family when I said 'I do' all those years ago! 💖💖

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a good week. 

Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

Play Nice

by Rachel Harrison

eARC for review

Pub date ~ September 9

North of Tomboy

by Julie A. Swanson

print ARC for review

Pub date ~ September 2

The Storyteller

by Jodi Picoult

audio-book from Audible

Published February 2013

What I recently finished

Dottie's Memories

(Finding Emma #2.5)

by Steena Holmes

e-book from my TBR collection

Published August 2013

Emma's Secret

(Finding Emma #2)

by Steena Holmes

e-book from my TBR collection

Published January 2013

What I am going to read next

A Carol for Mrs. Dickens

by Rebecca Connolly

e-book for review

Pub date ~ September23

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

*************************

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!  

Book Blitz! Skating and Fake Dating by Ellie Hall ~ Excerpt and #Giveaway! #SkatingAndFakeDating @XpressoTours

 

Skating and Fake Dating by Ellie Hall
(Love in Maple Falls, #4))
Publication date: September 3rd 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

I’m pretending to be his stable girlfriend while he plays my successful boyfriend. But now faking feels a lot like falling.

Bailey

I’m a walking contradiction—professional on the job, a hot mess at home, and working my “I’ve got this” smile until my cheeks ache while hiding my hobbies: making maple butter and finding a husband. With my perfect sister’s recent engagement, I’m desperate to avoid Mom’s pitying looks and matchmaking attempts.

Carson

I used to be hockey’s laid-back southern charmer until a crushing rejection from my high school sweetheart transformed me into a workaholic. When I’m unexpectedly traded to a new team, rumors circulate about whether the gentleman wingman lost his edge. I’ll do whatever it takes to prove them wrong.

Bailey

When our worlds collide after a dessert disaster, we come up with a mutually beneficial solution to our respective woes: a fake relationship. The rules are simple: I get a “successful” boyfriend for family events. He gets a “stable” girlfriend for team image. No feelings, no complications, and a definite expiration date.

Carson

But between posing as a couple at the fall festival, midnight maple butter-making sessions, trying to keep our stories straight, and undeniable chemistry, what started as a convenient lie is beginning to feel inconveniently real. As the clock runs down on our arrangement, we’ll have to decide: walk away when the final buzzer sounds, or take a shot at the love neither of us saw coming.

***

Skating and Fake Dating is a heartwarming hockey romcom featuring Bailey and ‘Bama who are perfect for each other in all the most imperfect ways, plus, small-town charm, family shenanigans, and a guaranteed happily ever after sweeter than homemade maple butter blondies.

Welcome back to Maple Falls—the small town where hockey players fall in love! This is a multi-author series of seven full-length books that could be read as standalones, but we think you’ll enjoy them best in order.

Fake-Off with Fate by Whitney Dineen

Offside and Off Limits by Kate O’Keeffe

Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp

Skating and Fake Dating by Ellie Hall

Goalie and the Girl Next Door by Elsie Woods

Soulmates and Slapshots by Melissa Baldwin

The Icing on the Cake by Grace Worthington

Goodreads | Amazon

**********************

EXCERPT

“In one simple move—” Waving his hand across the links of the cuffs, my pulse skips and then plummets.

Nothing happens.

A consummate professional, he declares, “That was to show that no ordinary person has the ability to free these people from their bonds. No, it takes a special flick of the—” He motions again, and I expect the handcuffs to drop from our wrists, but they remain fixed, locked.

His smile wavers. My expression morphs into a scowl. Bailey grins as if this is all part of the act and she’s expecting the handcuffs to vanish like the coin from the box.

I know better … or at least, my stomach thinks it does.

The magician tries one more time, but we remain locked together.

“Ah, yes. I must’ve, um, we’ll just take a moment in my stall to—” Turning his back on the crowd, he ushers us inside and then closes the black curtain at our backs.

“Get these off, now,” I say, forgoing my manners and the word sir.

Bailey adds, “Please.”

Sweat dots his forehead. “I don’t know what went wrong. Yes, of course. Let me just find the key. It’s here—” He rifles through a little drawer in a wooden chest.

I glance at Bailey and her shoulders droop slightly. She mouths, I’m sorry.

No, it’s this clown show of a magician who should be sorry.

“Ah ha!” He says, pinching a small key between his fingers.

“Hurry up. We have a wedding to go to.” I belatedly realize I included myself when in reality I’m dropping Bailey off and then going, well, I’m not sure where. She must, though, having arranged my moving plans.

The magician slides the key into the lock, but again, nothing happens. Wrenching it from his fingers, I say, “Let me try.”

*********************

About the author

Ellie Hall is a USA Today bestselling author. If only that meant she could wear a tiara and get away with it. ;) She loves puppies, books, and the ocean. Writing sweet romance with lots of firsts and fizzy feels gives her joy. Oh, and chocolate chip cookies are her fave. Ellie believes in dreaming big, working hard, and lazy Sunday afternoons spent with her family and dog in gratitude for God’s grace.

Connect with Ellie

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | Facebook | Newsletter

Skating and Fake Dating Blitz Giveaway

*************************

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways! 

Release Day! Where Light Lingers by Ashley Farley ~ My Thoughts #WhereLightLingers @AshleyWFarley

Happy Release Day!

Congrats Ashley

on release today of

Where Light Lingers!

Where Light Lingers by Ashley Farley

(Soul Seekers Series #2)

Southern Fiction, 231 pages

Published September 2, 2025, by AHF Publishing

Sometimes the quietest miracles grow in the darkest seasons.

After six years of caring for her ailing parents, literature professor Selwyn Aldridge is alone in the weathered Victorian house where she grew up. Grief hangs heavy in every room, and her mother’s once-glorious garden is buried beneath weeds. When a bottle of morphine disappears during a moment of despair, Selwyn begins to question her grip on reality—until a radiant stranger named Blossom appears, arriving with uncanny timing and an instinct for exactly what Selwyn needs.

With Blossom’s quiet guidance, Selwyn begins to restore her mother’s garden—and, slowly, her own sense of purpose. But when an old flame resurfaces, a pregnant student turns up in need, and strange disturbances echo from the garage apartment, it becomes clear Selwyn’s story is far from over.

Set against the lush, literary backdrop of Oxford, Mississippi, Where the Light Lingers is a soulful novel about second chances, chosen family, and the quiet miracles that take root when we begin again.

For readers who loved The Secret to Southern Charm by Kristy Woodson Harvey or The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton—this soulful Southern novel will speak to your heart.

My thoughts about Where Light Lingers ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First lines—"I've never felt so alone in a room full of people."

Blossom to the rescue again! I don't think I will ever get tired of Blossom stories. 

Selwyn Aldridge has been a caregiver for more years than she should have been. With her mother now gone, she is lost, in a lot of ways. What is her purpose? What is she going to do with her life? And then Blossom shows up. What a beautiful soul she is. Blossom gently pushes Selwyn to discover her purpose again and to find happiness. I love the magicalness of her guidance. We all need a little bit of Blossom in our lives. 

I absolutely love this series and adore the character of Blossom. Where Light Lingers is a beautiful, emotional, magical story of finding oneself and finding your place in the world. I highly recommend this story. I know you'll love it as much as I do.

I received a copy of Where Light Lingers from the author and this is my honest opinion.

********************

About the author

Ashley Farley writes books about women for women. Her characters are mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives facing real-life issues. Her bestselling Sweeney Sisters series has touched the lives of many.

Ashley is a wife and mother of two young adult children. While she's lived in Richmond, Virginia for the past 21 years, a piece of her heart remains in the salty marshes of the South Carolina Lowcountry, where she still calls home. Through the eyes of her characters, she captures the moss-draped trees, delectable cuisine, and kindhearted folk with lazy drawls that make the area so unique. For more information, visit www.ashleyfarley.com ~ Goodreads

Connect with Ashley

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

*********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Release Day Spotlight! North of Tomboy by Julie A. Swanson #NorthOfTomboy @GoSparkPress

Happy Release Day!

Congrats Julie

on release today of

North of Tomboy!

North of Tomboy by Julie A. Swanson

Middle Grade, Queer, Fiction, 376 pages

Published September 2, 2025, by SparkPress

For fans of Kacen Callender, Lin Thompson, and Kyle Lukoff, comes a middle grade novel set in 1973 about a child who feels more boy than girl and is frustrated that people act blind to that when—aside for her stupid hair and clothes—it should be obvious!

Shy fourth grader Jess Jezowski turns the tables on her mom when she’s given yet another girly baby doll for Christmas. This time, instead of ignoring or destroying it, she transforms it into the boy she’s always wanted to be—a brave, funny little guy named Mickey. Making him talk, Jess finally lets the boy in her express himself.

But when Mickey evolves to become something more like an alter ego whose voice drowns out her own and the secret of him escapes the safety of her family, Jess realizes Mickey’s too limited and doesn’t allow the boy part of her a big enough presence in the world. She must find a way to blend him into her—so she can be that side of herself anywhere, around anyone.

Jess tries to wean herself from the crutch of Mickey’s loud, comical persona, and to get her family to forget about him, but she struggles to do both. What will it take for her to stop hiding behind Mickey and get people to see her for who she truly is? Based on the author’s experience growing up on Michigan’s rural Leelanau Peninsula in the ’70s, North of Tomboy includes artwork throughout.

Praise for North of Tomboy

". . . a powerful, tender portrait of early gender exploration and self-acceptance, interwoven with charming illustrations."—Readers' Favorite, 5-star review

"North of Tomboy is an engaging novel that reveals the inner world of a creative child who explores and learns to express her nonconforming gender identity."—Foreword Reviews

"An adolescent's struggle with identity makes for a smart, fascinating read."—Kirkus Reviews

********************

About the author

Julie Swanson grew up on Michigan's "Little Finger", the Leelanau Peninsula, where many of her stories are set, but has lived in Wisconsin, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, California, and Virginia. 

For the past twenty-five years she's lived in Charlottesville, VA. Julie writes middle grade and young adult novels and enjoys sports, the outdoors, "making things" (almost any type of art or craft, woodworking), reading, writing, eating, planting trees, and spending time with family. She suddenly has 6 grandchildren! Good thing she loves kids. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Julie

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

*********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!