Meet Me at The Grand By Lindsay Harrel + GIVE AWAY

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Meet Me at The Grand by Lindsay Harrel hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! First of all, isn't this cover adorable? Be sure to check out the book excerpt below. I did receive a copy of the book to share as part of this tour! I can't wait to dive in.

About the Book

 

Title: Meet Me at The Grand 

Series: Jonathon Island #1

Author: Lindsay Harrel 

Publisher: Sunrise Publishing 

Release Date: April 22, 2025 

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance 

She’s fighting to save her island’s legacy. He’s here to secure his family’s future. When their worlds collide, will they build something lasting—or tear each other apart? 

Dani Sullivan is determined to revive Jonathon Island’s fading charm and reunite her fractured family. Her plan? Reopen the Grand Sullivan Hotel, a once-impressive landmark that’s been in disrepair for a decade. But without the funds to restore the hotel, Dani’s forced to accept help from Liam Stone—a big-city hotel developer whose sleek, modern vision is everything she’s trying to avoid. 

Liam has never been one for small towns or rundown hotels, but this project isn’t just any job. His father’s health is declining, and if Liam can prove himself by turning the hotel around, he’ll finally earn the chance to take over the business so his dad can retire. But Jonathon Island is far from the high-end luxury projects he’s used to, and Dani’s fierce dedication to preserving its history clashes with everything Liam stands for. 

As they battle over the future of the Grand, Liam starts to see Jonathon Island as more than just another project—it feels like the home he’s never had. But with his responsibilities pulling him back to Los Angeles, can he really stay? And can Dani trust him with her dream—and her heart? 

A lot rides on the success of this project, but when emotions run high, will Dani and Liam find a way to work together—or will their differences tear them apart? 

On Jonathon Island, love and loyalty are the ultimate balancing act.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Sunrise Publishing | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Free Novella:

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Book Excerpt

Liam turned to find a brown, double-bench golf cart headed their way. “I thought motorized vehicles weren’t allowed here.” That’s what the internet had said, anyway.

“Just golf carts and snowmobiles, and only in the off season. And of course emergency vehicles. Sometimes construction vehicles, but only for a very limited time and with a permit.”

Liam breathed a sigh of relief over that one. At least the hotel renovation wouldn’t have to revert back to the Dark Ages when they’d had to use pulleys and ramps. 

“Otherwise, it’s bikes and buggies for us,” Pete continued. “Though we’ve only got a handful of horses on the island anymore, and they’re up on the Quinn property, so walking and biking are the only real options. Get used to using those things called legs.”

Liam laughed. “Thanks, Pete. I will.” He extended his hand.

Pete took his offering and shook. “Buckle up, Fancy Pants. Looks like Dani’s grabbing you today.” Then, whistling, he walked away toward another cart sitting near the building.

Danny? Maybe Seb had sent the director of tourism in his stead. The guy who, apparently, would be giving Liam a more in-depth tour of the island and hotel, and with whom Liam would be working to get the plans approved by the town council.

Turning, Liam lifted a hand in greeting as the golf cart, which was decked out with winter tires of all things, pulled to a halt beside him. A woman—not a man—climbed from behind the wheel. 

A beautiful woman, tall and willowy, despite her white coat, jeans, and brown duck boots. Her long blonde hair hung nearly to her waist, and her big green eyes—framed over high cheekbones, a pert nose, and pretty lips turned downward—studied him. “Are you Mr. Stone?”

“Liam, please. Mr. Stone is my dad.” Liam stepped forward and shook her hand, which was much warmer than his, thanks to her lightweight yellow gloves. “And you are?”

“Dani Sullivan.”

“The director of tourism?”

“Were you expecting someone else? A man, perhaps?”

“What?” Liam coughed, caught off guard. “Not at all.” Then he flashed her a smile.

“With all the great things Seb told my dad about you, I thought you must be older.”

She looked him up and down. “I could say the same about you. This is a pretty big project. I guess I expected your father to come.”

“He’s needed back at the office. But don’t worry, Ms. Sullivan. He sent the best.” Then he winked at her.

She frowned, clearly not impressed. “I hope that’s the case. There’s a lot riding on this.”

About the Author

Lindsay Harrel is a lifelong book nerd who lives in Arizona with her husband and kids. She’s held a variety of professional jobs over the years, and now juggles school volunteering with being an author and editor. When she’s not writing or keeping up with her children, Lindsay enjoys making a fool of herself at Zumba, curling up with anything by Jane Austen, and savoring sour candy one piece at a time.

Connect with Lindsay by visiting LindsayHarrel.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a paperback copy of Meet Me at the Grand and a $10 Sunrise Shop gift voucher!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 14, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 21, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Paperback US only. Ebook available for international. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Levi's Loyalty By Lynne Lanning + GIVE AWAY

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Levi's Loyalty by Lynne Lanning, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! Y'all... this cover! Are we all in agreement that it's pretty swoony?! Be sure to check out my review & the giveaway below. Thanks to the author for my audiobook copy for this review.

About the Book

Title: Levi's Loyalty
Series: Mountain Men - Longing Hearts in the Wilderness
Author: Lynne Lanning
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: April 22, 2025
Genre: Historical Romance (Christian)

Levi found out how much void a woman could fill in his heart… 

But the heartache and betrayal wasn’t worth it. 

He was better off alone… wasn’t he? 

Levi enjoys his secluded life on the mountain until his friend convinces him he needs a woman in his life. A wife, when you’ve barely been around people, especially women? If only he could pick one out at the store like a shovel or bag of flour. But Levi falls head over heels—ignoring all the warning signs that something is wrong—until a delay in marrying her reveals her true intentions. 

Now, he’s decided heartache and betrayal aren’t worth it. He’s better off alone. But God has a surprise waiting in the wilderness, softening the devastation he had suffered…in the form of a feisty woman who has claimed his mountain home for her own. 

 PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

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Book Review

If you're someone who enjoys historical fiction, forced proximity, and a grumpy sunshine, then this story will be right up your alley. A man who isn't even sure he wants to settle down is "jilted" by a woman who, thank goodness, he dodged a bullet by not marrying. Unfortunately, it sours him to the idea of marriage altogether. 

An injury waylays him, and when he ends up back at his cabin, lo and behold, a young woman has taken up residence in his cabin. Charlie is pretty feisty and initially gives Levi a run for his money. Levi is definitely a man's man. He's also not afraid to use his size to his advantage. There was definitely a Jack Reacher moment in this story that kind of had me cracking up. 

The story was definitely sweet. If you like a story that has a rugged mountain man & loyal and a woman who is strong & independent, but willing to soften around the edges, I think you'll be drawn into this one.

About the Author

Lynne Lanning has such an effortless way of evoking emotion from her readers. Her characters are so realistic that the reader can feel their pain during trials and their joy during triumphs. Reviews state: "...it's as if Mrs. Lanning lived through this herself." "Couldn't put it down..." "A real page turner." Lynne enjoys turning history and her love of God into enjoyable, relatable stories with practical life lessons that can benefit people today. Each story tells of true bonds of love and loyalty, mixed with tough times and decisions, with a twist of humor and sometimes devastation...the same is true in life. With a blend of her own family members and heritage along with lots of fiction, it's hard to tell where reality stops and fantasy begins.

Connect with Lynne by subscribing to her email newsletter updates or following her on Amazon.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each receive a gift basket with homemade scented soaps (like you'll find in the story), a print copy of Levi's Loyalty, a print copy of one of Lynne Lanning's 2025 Selah Awards finalist titles (winner's choice between To Trust a Heart or Mail-Order Stonemason), and bookmarks!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 12, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 19, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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The Voice We Find By Nicole Deese

The Voice We Find

by Nicole Deese

Publisher: Bethany House

Series: A Fog Harbor Romance

ISBN: 9780764241208

I'm a fan of everything Nicole Deese writes! Her stories are deep, powerful, and poignant. This series has brought out a lot of emotion for me as a reader. Who doesn't love when an author can do that? The author and publisher sent me the book for review.

Summary:

Two voices. One story. A chance to rewrite their future. 

Sophie Wilder returns home to California with nothing more than a failed Broadway career and a geriatric cat. Stuck working at the family winery with her egotistical brother and desperate for a way to revive her acting dreams, she takes a side gig as an audiobook narrator with Fog Harbor Books. But getting mixed up in the life of her reluctant sound engineer was never a part of her plans. 

August Tate is still reeling from taking on guardianship of his teen sister. Determined to find a solution to her degenerative hearing loss and to prevent his private recording studio from going under, he agrees to produce audiobooks part-time. When Sophie breathes new life into his creativity and forms an unexpected bond with his sister rooted in their common faith, he must confront the reasons he turned away from his own or risk losing the second chance he's only just started to believe in.

My Review:

I'll start off by saying that The Voice We Find is an emotional rollercoaster ride! We meet Sophie as she's heading back to her family home in defeat after a mishap on a Broadway stage. Her defeat and discouragement are palpable. When she arrives "home", which is also part of the family's winery property, we get a glimpse at how unhealthy that situation is. There's also something suspicious going on with how Sophie reacts to being there.

Then, there's August, who owns a music production studio. He has guardianship of his adopted little sister, Gabby, who play a great role in the story. His best friend, Chip, convinces him to produce audiobooks for his publishing house. What a great way for Sophie and August to meet.

Sophie and August have time to get to know each other while Gabby is at camp, and when she comes home, she and Sophie hit it off. Gabby and August lost their parents in a tragedy and they both are handling their grief differently. Gabby is leaning into her faith and August has closed himself off. One of the facets to the accident that they disagree about is Gabby's hearing loss. Gabby wants to make the most of it, but August has other ideas. 

The time Sophie and August spend together creating an audiobook helps draw them together. It's a very sweet progression and it certainly gave me heart eyes! Again, as August keeps himself closed off from his faith, Sophie is drawn to it thanks to Gabby and Portia, the owner of a rundown theater & ASL interpreter.

It was so beautiful watching God work throughout this story. You can feel Him drawing Sophie and August to Himself. He gave them numerous opportunities to hear Truth. It was a good reminder that we don't all respond the same way to the Gospel. While August pushed back against it, he also had to work through guilt he was carrying. It was just a reminder of how patient the Lord is with each one of us.

There was also a mystery lying under the surface of the winery. Not only was Sophie's family a piece of work, there was something nefarious going on. It was easy to get that ick feeling right along with Sophie feeling it. I was glad she spent more time away than there. 

Each of the stories in this series are very different. They each stand on their own and are incredibly powerful. I will say the first one made me cry and the last one brought tears to my eyes. This one had me wanting to throw hands when it came to Sophie's father & brother. Her mother I just wanted to shake. I'm telling you, lost of emotions.

About the Author:

Nicole Deese is a Christy and Carol Award-winning and bestselling author. When she's not sorting out character arcs and story plots of her own, she can usually be found listening to an audiobook and multitasking at least four different chores at once. She's a hoarder of sparkling water, a lover of long walks and even longer talks with friends, and a seeker of fun and adventure at all times. She lives in small-town Idaho with her happily-ever-after hubby, two freakishly tall teenage sons, and one princess daughter with the heart of a warrior. For more, visit NicoleDeese.com.

Perfect By Kimberly Keagan + GIVE AWAY

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Perfect by Kimberly Keagan, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! This cover is so fun! It reminds me of back in the day of Cathy Marie Hake covers. Be sure to check out Kimberly's author post where she answers a couple of my questions!

About the Book

Title: Perfect
Series: Hearts on Display #1
Author: Kimberly Keagan
Publisher: Ventana Publishing, LLC
Release Date: May 6, 2025
Genre: Historical Romance

In the glittering era of the Gilded Age, the heirs of Philadelphia’s Denwall Department Stores navigate family expectations, relentless ambition, and unexpected love. 

William Walraven’s picture perfect life is turned upside down when his fiancée jilts him for an English aristocrat and his father refuses to name him as his successor. To prove he’s worthy of leading Denwall Department Stores, Will must open their first New York store under budget and before the Christmas shopping season. 

Overwhelmed by disappointment and a nearly impossible deadline, Will has no time for distractions—especially not the captivating bookseller he saves from being crushed by a beer wagon. 

Ivy King and her aging grandmother are barely keeping their struggling bookshop afloat. Though drawn to the charming, enigmatic man who saved her life, Ivy has no illusions about her place in the world. It certainly isn’t beside a department store heir whose dazzling emporium threatens to close her family’s business. 

Brought together in the wake of an attack on Will’s brother, Will and Ivy find themselves at a crossroads—torn between the expectations that define them and a future neither expected.  

Perfect is a clean, wholesome historical romance featuring opposites-attract tension, class differences, a touch of mystery and humor, and an inspirational journey of faith and love.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

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Guest Post

1. The research done to write in the Gilded Age
The idea to set my story during the Gilded Age came from an unexpected place. I was helping someone research their family tree when I stumbled across an 1895 newspaper article about the growing backlash against department stores. Small shop owners were worried, and rightfully so, that these big, shiny stores were going to push them out of business. That little discovery opened a door for me. 

What I love most about the Gilded Age is how much change was happening all at once. Technology was advancing, cities were booming, social expectations were shifting, especially for women. It was a world trying to figure out who it was going to be. To build an authentic world for my story, I spent weeks researching daily life in the 1890s, especially Philadelphia and New York. I read many newspaper articles, studied fashion plates, and researched travel guides published in the late 1800s.

2. How do you decide the characters' professions and how they'll factor into the story?
I love picking professions that aren’t just interesting, but that mean something for the character’s journey. Their work isn’t just a background detail, it’s often the stage where their biggest struggles and growth happen.

For example, my heroine Ivy is a bookseller running her family’s little shop in New York. That idea came from another article I found during research about newsdealers in Brooklyn who were trying to figure out how to survive against the rise of department stores. I loved the thought of someone like Ivy having to fight for her place in a world that's changing faster than she can keep up.

On the flip side, Will, the hero of the story is one of the heirs to Denwall, the very department store that threatens shops like Ivy’s. It sets up natural tension between them but also opens the door for a lot of growth, compromise, and ultimately, understanding.

In general, when I’m deciding on professions, I ask: How can this job challenge them? How can it reveal what they value—and what they’re afraid of losing? Whether it’s a bookseller or a department store executive, each role helps drive the heart of the story.

About the Author

Kimberly Keagan discovered her love for romance novels at thirteen, often choosing a book over chores. She believes there's nothing like being transported to another time and place to find a happily ever after.

Kimberly is blessed to have her own handsome hero husband and two wonderful children. After earning a degree in accounting, she enjoyed a career in investor relations, writing financial reports and press releases—terrific jobs, though not very romantic. Now, she's pursuing her dream of writing historical romance. Her short stories have been published in Spark Flash Fiction and Short Fiction Break. Kimberly's debut novel will release in 2025. When not reading or writing, Kimberly enjoys baking, gardening, watching sports, and researching her family tree.

Connect with Kimberly by visiting kimberlykeagan.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will receive a “Perfect” Tea Time Bundle which includes a lovely tea set, a signed copy of Perfect, and other cozy reader treats—like a candle, stickers, coaster, and bookmark!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 6, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 13, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

The One Who Changed Everything By Tara Grace Erickson

The One Who Changed Everything

by Tara Grace Erickson

Publisher: Silver Fountain Press

Series: Second Chance Fire Station

ISBN: 978-1949896732

Do you love book mail? I was so shocked to get physical book mail a couple of weeks ago! Tara Grace sent me her newest release, The One Who Changed Everything. I had already read it with an ebook, so this was a fun surprise to open!

Summary:

I never expected to see him again.

When I met Evan, he was everything I never thought I could have—steady, kind, the kind of man who made me believe in something more. But one reckless night changed everything. By the time I found out I was pregnant, he was gone, and I had every reason to believe he’d never come back.

For fourteen years, I built a life for my daughter, protecting her, providing for her, never letting myself wonder what if. Evan was a stranger from my past, a man whose wealthy family could take everything from me if they ever found out. But then he showed up in my small town—stronger, haunted, and completely unaware of the little girl who carried his eyes. And the moment he looks at her, I know the truth will come out.

I wanted to keep my distance. I told myself he only cared because of Sophia, that he’d never really wanted me. But every look, every touch, every moment together makes it harder to deny the truth.

Because Evan Mercer wasn’t just the man I lost. He was The One Who Changed Everything.

The One Who Changed Everything is the final standalone book in the inspirational Second Chance Fire Station series. Dive into this heartwarming second chance romance today!

My Review:

Sam works at a library in Minden (one of my favorite fictional small towns), and an accidental fire sends the fire department to make sure everyone is safe. What she's not expecting is to see her past show up to the rescue in the form of Evan, a one week (and night) stand from her younger years! Neither of them has any idea what transpired after "that night," which leads to the rest of the story! 

While I'm not usually a fan of hidden pregnancy, the author made it completely work for this story! By the end, your heart goes out to all three of them! This is another one of those stories where you'll want to reach into the pages and wallop the jerk of a father! I'm just sayin'...

I really liked Sam's daughter because even though she's a young teenager, she's observant and a smart kiddo. As Sam tries to keep her distance from Evan, he's drawn to her just as much as he was years ago.

This is another story where I have strong feelings about Evan's father. Meddling parents, and not in the good way, make me want to pull my hair out! That's kudos to the author for getting me so worked up! On the flip side, I always want to cheer when the MMC stands up to the parent who has had such a negative impact on their child's life.

One of the many things I enjoyed about this story is that Evan, once he knew he was Sophia's dad, he really stepped up to the plate. I thought it was a good representation of how hard it must've been for all of them to integrate into a new family... that wasn't a family. After being a single mom, it's hard to let someone else help parent your child, even if it is the biological dad!

I'm sad this is the end of the series, but I hope we'll have the opportunity to go back to Minden!

About the Author:

Tara Grace Ericson lives in Missouri with her husband and three sons. She studied engineering and worked as an engineer for many years before embracing her creative side to become a full-time author and mom. 

She loves cooking, crocheting, and reading books by the dozen. She also loves a good “happily ever after” with an engaging love story. 

That's why Tara focuses on writing clean contemporary romance, with an emphasis on Christian faith and living. She wants to encourage her readers with stories of men and women who live out their faith in tough situations.