HHH July Book Day!

10 Books You Don't Want to Miss!

ALL ALONG
by Kimberly Keagan

 

A sweet, Gilded Age friends-to-more romance. FREE when you subscribe to Kimberly's email list.

It’s the summer of 1895, and Clara Hawthorne is determined to make Oliver Townsend see her as more than just his childhood friend. But when his charming older brother, Simon, unexpectedly awakens feelings she never anticipated, Clara must question everything she thought she wanted. 

Set against the backdrop of Long Island’s glittering summer cottages, this historical romance novelette is a reminder that love often has plans of its own.

A SLIGHT CHANGE OF PLANS
by Denise M. Colby 

California, 1870. Pastor William Baker built his life on steady faith and safe choices, but the arrival of Lydia Spencer upends everything. Independent and outspoken Lydia is unlike any woman he’s ever known. Lydia is a Pinkerton detective, undercover as a schoolteacher while tracking a dangerous crime boss. She’s determined to protect her friends in Washton even if it means keeping her distance from the kind, steadfast pastor who sees too much. But when Will and Lydia are thrown together in a search for truth they find themselves fighting not only for justice, but for a future neither had planned. 

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER 
by Linda Matchett 

 

Shunned for his appearance, a disfigured veteran encounters acceptance and love where he least expects it. Left with physical and emotional scars after the Great War, Hank Drake has been shunned by polite society as the Ugly Duckling. Fine by him. He’d much rather be alone. Until he meets the kind proprietress of a tea stand at New York’s World’s Fair who isn’t repulsed by his appearance. Can he hope for acceptance…or even love? A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's beloved fairytale set at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.

FREED BY THE FRONTIER
By Denise Farnsworth, Sherry Shindelar, and Susan Craft

Three remarkable women find themselves caught between two worlds on the American frontier. A captive of the Comanche must choose between escaping to white society or her growing feelings for a rising war chief in 1850s Texas. A Georgia judge's daughter flees an unwanted betrothal, only to be captured by Creek warriors but protected by a mysterious brave. And in 1754, an English lady traveling the Great Wagon Road to become a teacher discovers her carefully planned future may not survive her attraction to a protective frontiersman.

LIGHTER THAN AIR
by Linda Hoover

Elena Biship’s father has until the end of August to pay a gambling debt or lose their home. She believes God is telling her to have a family camp on their estate.

Justin Ramsay, Elena’s neighbor, wants to fulfill the secret mission given to him by his grandmother. His older brother wants him to join the military unless he can keep Elena and the neighborhood safe while he’s away.

Justin and Elena disagree over the camp, even as an attraction beyond friendship ignites. The deadline for the debt is looming. Can they find their way together, or will both lose?

LISSA AND THE SPY
by Camille Elliot 

In Regency-era London, Miss Lissa Gardinier enters her second Season seeking a marriage in order to escape her mother's constant criticism. So she represses her cheeky remarks behind a quiet, innocent facade. The enigmatic Lord Jeremy Stoude is dismayed when a chance encounter with Miss Gardinier entangles her in his world of secrets and subterfuge. He cannot afford to be distracted by Lissa’s charming smile and unflappable demeanor. As danger stalks them and true feelings come to light, can Lissa and Jeremy navigate the labyrinth of society’s expectations and their own insecurities to find love?

 

 

MRS. WITHERSPOON GOES TO WAR
(Heroines of WWII series)
2023 SELAH Award 3rd Place Winner!
By Mary Davis


 

 

A WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) embarks on an unsanctioned mission to rescue three US soldiers held captive in Cuba.

Margaret “Peggy” Witherspoon is a thirty-four-year-old widow, mother of two, flying for the WASP. When her new supervisor, Army Air Corp Major Howie Berg, gives her an order she can’t follow, sparks fly. In the course of her duties, Peggy learns of US soldiers being held captive in Cuba. She undertakes a daring rescue mission. She will need all her WASP skills to succeed and come out of this alive while trying not to ignite an international incident.

SWEPT INTO DESTINY
by Catherine Ulrich Brakefield

Ben (first book of Destiny series) McConnell is a proud Irish immigrant who is determined not to give up despite hunger and deprivation. He clings to his mustard seed faith believing—nothing is impossible.

Maggie Gatlan is a rebel disguised as a Southern belle. Bens and Maggie’s journeys delve deeply into the truth about faith and devotion.

“… Brakefield’s flowing descriptions pull you into Swept into Destiny and keep immersed in the world of the Antebellum south…This isn’t just a world of beaus, belles, and balls, but of moral ambiguity and searches for truth…” L.H. Reader

TEXAS FORSAKEN
by Sherry Shindelar


 

 

Maggie Logan (Eyes-Like-Sky) lost everything when a raid tore her from her family. She adapted—marrying a Comanche and rebuilding her life. But the U.S. Cavalry destroys that life. Forced into a world she wants nothing to do with, Eyes-Like-Sky’s only hope may be an engagement to the man who killed her husband.

Plagued by guilt, Captain Garret Ramsey seeks redemption by taking responsibility for the woman he widowed and her baby. Though he is determined to do whatever it takes to protect them, is he willing to risk everything for a woman whose heart is buried in a grave?

 

 

THE RELUCTANT HEALER OF HALIFAX
by Terrie Todd

RE-RELEASED WITH A NEW COVER AND BONUS MATERIAL!

Rose Onishi is on track to fulfill her lifelong goal of becoming a concert pianist. When forced to leave her beloved home to work on the Thornes’ farm, her dream fades to match the black dirt staining her callused hands. When Rusty Thorne joins the army, he never imagines becoming a Japanese prisoner of war. Though he begs God to help him not hate his brutal captors, Rusty can no longer even hear the Japanese language without revulsion. Only his rare letters from home sustain him—especially the notes from his mother’s helper, which the girl signs simply as “Rose.”

 

Alaska's Acquisition Inspires a Famous Dessert by Linda Hoover

                                            

                                                                                                                                                     Emperor Alexander II               

 

Emperor Alexander II of Russia was in a difficult financial and logistical position. The Crimean War left the country in debt, and their enemy, Great Britian had troops in Canada, just on the other side of Russian America, or what we now know as Alaska. In 1859, the logical thing to do was offer to sell Alaska to the United States. The matter was discussed, but when the Civil War started in 1861, it was put on hold. In 1867, Alexander told the Russian Minister to the United States, Eduard de Stoeckl, to open negotiations for the sale. Secretary of State William H. Seward was in favor of acquiring Alaska. The two men agreed to a price of $7.2 million, which amounted to 0.02 cents per acre, and signed the treaty ceding Russian America to the United States on March 30, 1867. The treaty was ratified on May 15, 1867. The United States officially took possession on October 16, 1867, in a Flag-Changing Ceremony. The small population of Russians living in Alaska moved back to Russia.

Alaska Timeline: Russian American 1733 -1867

Department of Alaska – 1867 – 1884

District of Alaska – 1844 – 1912

Territory of Alaska – 1912-1959

State of Alaska – 1959 - Present

    
                                 

                                                                  



Let’s travel back in time to Delmonico’s Steak House in New York City. It was known as the first fine dining restaurant in the country. Customers were actually able to order from a menu. Steaks were their specialty, but they created other unique culinary dishes as well. Chef de Cuisine Charles Ranhofer joined the Delmonico team in 1867 and was known for creating and naming dishes after famous or frequent diners. Some dishes commented on current events. The Alaskan purchase inspired a dessert made with banana ice cream, walnut spice cake with apricot jam covered with toasted meringue. He called it “Alaska Florida” because of the frozen ice cream and warm meringue. There is some debate about who officially created it, but most people agree it was to celebrate the purchase of Alaska. The most supported theory of the inventor is Ranhofer. He included it in a cookbook he published in 1893, still calling it “Alaska Florida.” In 1896, Fannie Farmer published it in her “Boston Cooking School Cook Book” with the title “Baked Alaska.” 

                                                                                                         Delmonico's 1890s
              

I, and other people I’ve talked to, have wondered why the ice cream doesn’t melt when the cake is heated. I found there is a scientific answer. When egg whites are whipped, they form air bubbles, which in turn insulate the ice cream from the heat. You can make Baked Alaska with any kind of ice cream, gelato, or sorbet, and any kind of cake. The writer of the recipe for the cake below makes it sound doable. Tap the link to see if you think so. The other picture is of the Baked Alaska served on the Alaskan cruise I took in June. It was delicious.

   

                                                                   Baked Alaska

  Linda, a retired librarian, lives in west central Ohio with her husband and grandson. An avid reader and writer since childhood, she began her publishing career writing columns and a middle-grade serial for the South Charleston Spectator. Her desire is to entertain, but more importantly, to encourage readers with God’s faithfulness.

You’re invited to visit her website. Browse the pages to learn more about her and her books. Stay in touch when you sign up for her newsletter. You’ll receive a free novella as a thank you.


https://lindahooverbooks.com

                                                                      JOEL & ELLA

1881 Boston. It’s been a year since Ella's fiancé left town on the eve of their wedding, and she still can’t bring herself to go to church or see her friends. To help her move past her hurt, her parents insist she get a job. In the process, she gets reacquainted with Joel, a neighbor who accompanies her on the trolley to and from the large department store where she finds work. They enjoy each other’s company, and Joel begins to think they might share a future.

Then, Ella’s ex-fiancé returns, asking for a second chance. He’s already broken her heart once. Can she trust him? Does she still love him? Her feelings for Joel pull her in another direction. Or maybe she should stay away from any man so she won’t get hurt again. Mama advises her to pray. Will Ella look to God for her answer or turn away from both men to avoid heartache?

Famous Horses in History…Trigger – by Donna Schlachter with Giveaway

Roy and Trigger courtesy MorganHorse.com

Trigger the horse was one half of a famous team that included Roy Rogers. So let’s spend a little time looking at the famous man whose untiring devotion to the horse, and whose acute business sense saw the benefit in marketing this animal to his audience (many of whom were children), made Trigger’s fame possible.

Roy was born in 1911 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the third of four children. Leonard Franklin Slye lived with his family on a hand-built houseboat, which they moved to dry land during the Great Flood of 1913 and continued living in it.

In 1922, when Leonard/Roy was 11 years old, he was given a horse and learned to ride. The family was musical, so Leonard/Roy learned to sing, yodel, and play several instruments. During the Depression, the family moved to California, and although Leonard/Roy worked as a fruit picker and other itinerant jobs, he longed to pursue singing. He eventually co-founded the Sons of the Pioneers, making their first records in 1934 when he was 23. The actor Gene Autry gave them their first break with singing parts in his movies. Sometimes, who you know matters.

Just a few years later, Leonard/Roy got a lengthy contract with Republic Pictures, who wanted to cash in on the popularity and recent passing of Will Rogers, so Leonard/Roy changed his name to Roy Rogers. His first movie, Under Western Stars, released in 1938, required the use of a horse. Several were brought to him, and he chose the third mount, Golden Cloud, not even looking at the rest.

Roy and Trigger (MorganHorse.com)

 

From the beginning, Roy observed that Golden Cloud was no ordinary horse. Smiley Burnett, a co-worker, said, “he is quick off the trigger”, and Roy thought that a good name.

Trigger’s ancestry has always been up for debate, but Roy did some research, and he learned that the sire was at least part Morgan, part Thoroughbred, and his dam was also part Morgan. Despite that, Trigger’s bloodlines included the work ethic of the Morgan and the intelligence and agility of the Thoroughbred.

Trigger doing tricks with Roy (MorganHorse.com)

 

Hollywood Horse Trainer Glenn Randall trained Trigger on more than 150 tricks, including his famous two-legged rear, sitting in a chair, covering himself with a blanket and taking a nap, and because of a hectic travel schedule, was even housebroken.

Although Roy carefully guarded the secret that there was more than one Trigger, the horses were not identical. Trigger had one white stocking, while Trigger Jr. and Little Trigger had four. Their sizes were slightly different, and had Roy stood them side by side, even the little children would have realized their beloved Trigger had look-alikes. Interestingly, because Trigger was never bred, neither of his stand-ins were direct descendants. When asked why he didn’t allow Trigger to breed, Roy said he didn’t want to risk losing the docile spirit of the horse, as that made him trainable and also able to stand quietly while inexperienced riders sat on him.

Here are some interesting facts about Trigger and Roy:

-- Trigger, as Golden Cloud, had first been used in a movie featuring Olivia de Havilland as Maid Marion in The Adventures of Robin Hood

-- Trigger and Roy appeared in 88 movies from 1938 through the mid-1950s

-- Trigger had his own fan club, with members worldwide.

-- Trigger and Roy have their prints in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre 

Handprints and hoof prints at Grauman's Chinese Theater (MorganHorse.com)

-- Little Trigger was the horse that folks called “the smartest horse in the movies”, but Trigger got the fame

-- The Denver Broncos NFL team received permission to use the mold that created the form for Trigger after he died, and Bucky the Bronco was used to create the blue stallion with the blazing orange eyes that is synonymous with the Bronco team. The mold was destroyed after that.

-- In 1999, actor Val Kilmer led a horse named Triggerson on stage at the 71st Academy Awards as a tribute to Roy Rogers and his cowboy peers. Triggerson was reportedly grandsired by Trigger Jr.

Trigger died of natural causes one day shy of his 30th birthday at Roy’s ranch in Apple Valley, California. Unwilling to let his long-time friend and companion go, Roy arranged for a professional taxidermist to preserve the hide on a foam likeness of Trigger. The likeness was put on display in the original Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum in Apple Valley in 1967, then moved to the new museum location in Victorville, California, in 1976, and then resided in Branson, Missouri, since 2003.

Classic two-legged stance (Courtesy of wikipedia)

 

When the museum closed in 2010, its contents were sold at public auction. Trigger’s likeness was initially purchased by a television station, which planned to include it in a western museum, but those plans never materialized. But that hasn’t stopped Trigger. Instead, he’s spent the years since greeting visitors at the station’s corporate headquarters, along with Buttermilk, Dale Evans’ horse, and Bullet, Roy’s companion dog. The trio are occasionally lent to venues like John Wayne: An American Experience, and The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, where they continue to delight audiences of all ages. 

 

As Roy would say, "Happy trails to you!"



Leave a comment about any fond memories you have of Trigger and Roy Rogers, and I will randomly draw from all comments for a free ebook of Hollenberg Hearts to be sent to one lucky recipient.

 

About Hollenberg Hearts: A mail order bride. A crippled stationmaster. No way out for either of them—except with each other. Can they surrender their hearts and find true love?

About Donna:

A hybrid author, Donna writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers' groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. She is taking all the information she’s learned along the way about the writing and publishing process, and is coaching committed writers eager to tell their story. Learn more at https://www.donnaschlachter.com/the-purpose-full-writer-coaching-programs Check out her coaching group on FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/604220861766651

Website: www.DonnaSchlachter.com

Newsletter: https://www.thepurposefullwriter.com/newslettersignup Stay connected so you learn about new releases, preorders, and presales, as well as check out featured authors, book reviews, and a little corner of peace. Plus: Receive 2 free ebooks simply for signing up for our free newsletter!

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Donna-Schlachter/author/B01180A2EE

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/donna-schlachter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14116621.Donna_Schlachter



Resources:

Rearing image of trigger: (picture credit): https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p267401coll32/id/15871/)

https://saddleupcolorado.net/blog/-roy-rogers-horse-trigger-breed-facts-where-he-is-no/?srsltid=AfmBOorpRamQCZ0b9o7ULLbs7GjmUBPAbA46x6t732KOmF74aA9J4MS9

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigger_(horse)

https://www.morganhorse.com/upload/photos/page_1144_4-tmh_oct2020_historical_morgans_in_western_films_iv_roy_rogers_trigger.pdf

Shopping Comes Home: The History of Store Catalogs

by Kimberly Keagan

I'm old enough to remember the excitement of receiving the Sears & Roebuck, JCPenney, and Montgomery Ward catalogs in the mail, especially at Christmas. I'd sit for hours looking at the toys and, when I became a teenager, the clothes. It was the golden age of mail-order. Sears sent out its last catalog in 1993—nearly a century after it published its first, closing a chapter that had shaped how generations of Americans shopped.

Photo courtesy of thecatalogblog.com

 

That chapter began in the late 19th century, when shopping as people had known it for hundreds of years shifted dramatically. Thanks to the rise of the store catalog, the pleasures of browsing and buying arrived directly at the household door. These printed volumes transformed commerce—bringing fashion, household goods, and modern conveniences to an eager public.

Early catalogs were modest publications with simple price lists intended for merchants or rural customers. But by the Gilded Age, they had evolved into beautifully illustrated publications filled with detailed descriptions, persuasive language, and carefully curated selections. Engravings and fashion plates allowed readers to see what they were buying or what they dreamed of buying. Catalogs became entertainment as much as utility. Families pored over them together, circling favorites and discussing possibilities, often long before placing an order. For those living far from major cities, catalogs were nothing short of revolutionary. Rural households could now access the same goods as urban shoppers—ready-made clothing, furniture, tools, musical instruments, and even entire house building kits. Choice expanded dramatically, and with it, a sense of participation in modern life. 

                                     

Photo courtesy of thecatalogblog.com

 
Urban customers, too, embraced catalogs. They allowed for unhurried decision-making and offered a preview of styles before venturing into stores. The catalog bridged distance, time, and social barriers.

Clothing catalogs played a particularly important role. They standardized styles, spread trends rapidly, and introduced customers to silhouettes and accessories once limited to elite circles. Detailed measurements and descriptions helped buyers select garments suited to their needs, while illustrations encouraged confidence—and imagination. Catalog fashion helped shape a shared visual culture, making style more accessible and more democratic.    

                                       

Photo courtesy of Pinterest.

The language of catalogs was carefully chosen. Items were described not merely by function, but by promise—comfort, elegance, durability, respectability. Owning these goods suggested participation in a modern, orderly, and aspirational world. Each page invited readers to imagine improved homes, better appearances, and smoother daily routines.

Store catalogs laid the groundwork for modern retail, influencing how people shopped, planned purchases, and even dreamed about the future. They also left behind a remarkable visual record of everyday life—one that continues to fascinate historians and collectors alike.

In their crisp pages and confident prose, Gilded Age catalogs captured a moment when commerce met possibility. They brought the wider world into the parlor, proving that shopping could be as much about imagination as acquisition—and that sometimes, the most exciting journey began with turning a page. I still think about those hours spent circling toys and clothes on the pages of Sears and JCPenney, and I suspect that's exactly the feeling those first catalog makers were counting on.

 

Kimberly Keagan is a former investor relations consultant and corporate financial writer (not very romantic) who now crafts historical romances filled with strong heroines, swoon-worthy heroes, faith, and a touch of humor. Her debut novel, Perfect, released in May 2025. The fifth book in her Hearts on Display series releases September 9th. When not reading or writing, Kimberly enjoys baking, gardening, watching sports, and researching her family tree. Grab a free copy of her novelette, All Along, by subscribing to her mailing list here.

A Whale of a Tale by Cindy Regnier

I will begin this story by saying the truth of it is highly debated and mostly considered to be a myth by folks knowledgeable on the subject. That said, it’s interesting and a similar Biblical account makes us want to believe it. Let’s dig into the story of James Bartley who, in his day, was nicknamed the modern-day Jonah.

In 1891, a sensational story appeared in the St. Louis Globe Democrat newspaper that caught everyone’s attention. According to the report, a young sailor named James Bartley got swallowed by a sperm whale, and when the whale was killed and his belly cut open, out popped Bartley. He was, blind horribly burned by the whale’s gastric juices, but alive. Several newspapers picked up the story and it became quite popular. The public “swallowed it” so-to-speak.

The event was reported to have taken place in February of 

1892 about two hundred miles east of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. According to the article, a British ship named Star of the East spotted a huge sperm whale about three miles away. The ship lowered two small boats and they began chasing the whale as was the practice in those days of whaling. James BartIey was in the first longboat to reach the side of the whale. The harpooner leaned over and drove his weapon deep into the whale’s vitals. The stricken beast began to thrash about in the foamy waters in agony. Bartley and the other oarsmen rowed frantically to get out of reach of the struggling animal, but its lashing upended the boat, throwing the men into the water. The second longboat arrived and picked up the survivors. But two men were found missing, and one of them was James Bartley.

The ship waited to see if the whale would survive. Just before sunset, the carcass of the whale rose to the surface only a few hundred yards from the ship. The crew fastened a line to the whale and winched it to the ship’s side. The men immediately began cutting open the whale and peeled the blubber off its back. Late that night, when the crewmen tried to remove the stomach, they noticed movement inside the large sack. Believing some large sea animal was trapped inside, they sliced open the stomach and instead discovered that it was the missing sailor Bartley.

The ship’s doctor had Bartley drenched with sea water, which restored his consciousness but not his reason. He floundered about and babbled incoherently. He was confined to a cabin for several weeks and bound with ropes so he could not injure himself. Gradually Bartley regained his senses. Eventually he was able to relate what had happened to him.

 Bartley said that as he fell into the water, he saw a tremendous mouth open over him and he screamed as he was engulfed by it. He then felt sharp stabbing pains as he was swept across the teeth and then slid feet first down a slimy tube that carried him to the whale's stomach. He could breathe, but the hot, fetid odor soon rendered him unconscious and the last thing he remembered was kicking as hard as he could at the soft, yielding stomach.

As a result of his fifteen hours inside the whale's stomach, Bartley lost all the hair on his body and was blind for the rest of his life. His skin was bleached to an unnatural whiteness that gave the appearance of being bloodless, although he was physically healthy.

James Bartley never made another trip to the sea and settled down to shore life as a cobbler in his native city of Gloucester, England. He died eighteen years after his remarkable survival and terrifying adventure.

On his tombstone in the churchyard at Gloucester is a brief account of his experience at sea and a footnote, which says: James Bartley -1870-1909 - A Modern Jonah.

Could a man really survive for fifteen hours inside a whale’s stomach? Scientists say no. While there have been a handful of instances where sailors and divers had fallen into the mouth of a whale (to be spit out), nobody has passed through the esophagus and into the stomach. Some say it is physically impossible because a whale’s throat is very narrow, about the size of a human fist, and can only stretch to about 15 inches in diameter to accommodate a bigger meal. Others say it is possible, especially if this was a sperm whale, whose throats are much wider than a blue whale.

The naysayers point out that even if a person did manage to survive the swallowing and slipped into the stomach, he would find himself in a hostile environment. Sperm whales have four stomach chambers, like a cow, full of digestive enzymes. Besides, there is no air inside the stomach, which would make survival an impossibility. But the Biblical Jonah…?

So there you have it. What do you think? True or ‘sailor’s yarn’? Personally, I believe the Biblical story of Jonah without question, but James Bartley? Hmmmm……

Scribbling in notebooks has been a habit of Cindy Regnier since she was old enough to hold a pencil. Born and raised in Kansas, she writes stories of historical Kansas, especially the Flint Hills area where she spent much of her childhood.

Her experiences with the Flint Hills setting, her natural love for history, farming and animals, along with her interest in genealogical research give her the background and passion to write heart-fluttering historical romance.