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Mary Connealy rejoins us on the podcast this week to talk about her latest release, Legends of Gold. We catch up with what she's been doing since she was last on the show, why she decided to write a story about a treasure map, and what she would do if she wasn't a writer. Patrons hear about how she came to be a writer in the first place.

Legends of Gold by Mary Connealy

On a risky treasure hunt in the rugged wilderness, can love trump all odds?

After years of solitude, Tilda Muirhead's life takes an unexpected twist when she accepts a teaching position at Two Harts Ranch following her cross-country pursuit of two brothers obsessed with a treasure map left by their grandfather. Tilda is now tasked with educating those mischievous MacKenzie boys, who are bent on remaining out west with the rest of their family until they find the hoped-for treasure. Then a man named Ben arrives, claiming to be her own long-lost brother. Raised as an orphan with no memory of her past, Tilda is both fascinated and wary of Ben's sudden interest in finding her.

When Ben's motives grow increasingly suspect, rancher Josh Hart suggests Tilda and the young MacKenzies set off on a quest with him that aims to protect Tilda while unearthing the map's secrets. As they explore the wilderness, Tilda becomes captivated by the history behind the map, though she doubts it leads to anything more than old artifacts. Yet danger looms ever closer, and Tilda and Josh must rely on faith and their blossoming love to navigate the treacherous path ahead.

A clean, witty, action-packed Western romance highlighting the bonds of family and the quest to belong. Fans of cowboy heroes, frontier romances, and hijinks adventure will be captivated.

Get your copy of Legends of Gold by Mary Connealy.

Get a copy of book one, Whispers of Fortune.

Preorder a copy of book three, Riches Beyond Measure.

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies with cowboys and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys always with a strong suspense thread. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader's Choice finalist. She is the bestselling author of 75 books and novellas. She has over a million and a half books in print.

Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Visit her website or find her at Petticoats & Pistols!

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Sarah Loudin Thomas returns to the podcast this week to chat about her latest release, These Blue Mountains. It's a stunning story about German POWs in the US during WWI and a young woman's search for her missing fiancé in the time between the two wars. We talk about what the times were like, what Sarah would have done if she found herself in the heroine's position, and allow her to brag about her sweet dog. Patrons will hear her opinions on the Rocky Mountains vs. the Appalachians.

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda is stunned to see Fritz's name in a photograph of an American memorial for German seamen who died near Asheville, North Carolina. Determined to reclaim his body and bring closure to his ailing mother, Hedda travels to the US. Her quest takes a shocking turn when, rather than Fritz's body, his casket contains the remains of a woman who died under mysterious circumstances.

Local deputy Garland Jones thought he'd left that dark chapter behind when he helped bury Fritz Meyer's coffin. The unexpected arrival of Hedda, a long-suffering yet captivating woman, forces him to confront how much of the truth he really knows. As they work together to uncover the identity of the woman in the casket and to unravel Fritz's fate, Hedda and Garland grow closer. But with Hedda in the US on borrowed time while Hitler rises to power in Germany, she fears she'll be forced to return home before she can put the ghosts of her past to rest.

"These Blue Mountains is a masterful tale that weaves together two continents, two wars, and two lives defined by longing and resilience."--PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY, New York Timesbestselling author

"North Carolina's mountains hide the secrets of a war long past and a young love cut short in this atmospheric tale of unexpected hope."--LISA WINGATE, New York Times bestselling author

This inspirational historical fiction is set in the mountains of North Carolina in the tumultuous years before World War II. With threads of intrigue, romance, and an international cast of characters, These Blue Mountainsis the perfect book club pick and Southern fiction read.

Get your copy of These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas.

Sarah Loudin Thomas grew up on a 100-acre farm in French Creek, WV, the seventh generation to live there. Her historical fiction is often set in West Virginia and celebrates the people, the land, and the heritage of Appalachia.

Sarah is the director of Jan Karon’s Mitford Museum in Hudson, NC. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Coastal Carolina University and is the author of the acclaimed novels The Right Kind of Fool–winner of the 2021 Selah Book of the Year–and Miracle in a Dry Season–winner of the 2015 Inspy Award. Sarah has also been a finalist for the Christy Award, ACFW Carol Award and the Christian Book of the Year Award. She and her husband live in western North Carolina.

Visit Sarah Loudin Thomas website.

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Roseanna M. White returns to the podcast, this time to talk about her recent release, The Collector of Banned Books. We discuss the real library in Paris that held many of the books that were banned in Germany during the time of the Nazis and the power of words and how we need to be responsible with our words. She also shares an update on her cancer journey. Patrons get to hear her call out for us to read dangerously.

The Collector of Banned Books by Roseanna M. White

In this gripping World War II historical about the power of words, two people form an unlikely friendship amid the Nazi occupation in Paris and fight to preserve the truth that enemies of freedom long to destroy.

Paris, 1940. Ever since the Nazi Party began burning books, German writers exiled for their opinions or heritage have been taking up residence in Paris. There they opened a library meant to celebrate the freedom of ideas and gathered every book on the banned list . . . and even incognito versions of the forbidden books that were smuggled back into Germany.

For the last six years, Corinne Bastien has been reading those books and making that library a second home. But when the German army takes possession of Paris, she loses access to the library and all the secrets she’d hidden there. Secrets the Allies will need if they have any hope of liberating the city she calls home.

Christian Bauer may be German, but he never wanted anything to do with the Nazi Party―he is a professor, one who’s done his best to protect his family as well as the books that were a threat to Nazi ideals. But when Goebbels sends him to Paris to handle the “relocation” of France’s libraries, he’s forced into an army uniform and given a rank he doesn’t want. In Paris, he tries to protect whoever and whatever he can from the madness of the Party and preserve the ideas that Germans will need again when that madness is over, and maybe find a lost piece of his heart.

• Stand-alone historical fiction from a bestselling, Christy Award-winning author
• A thought-provoking novel perfect for book clubs
• Includes discussion questions

Get The Collector of Banned Books by Roseanna M. White.

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

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Jennifer L. Wright, a first-time guest, joins us on the podcast this week to talk about her new book, Last Light over Galveston. We discuss what meteorology was like in 1900, how this storm took the city by complete surprise, and how Jennifer got her start in writing, plus much more. Patrons will learn what she loved about growing up in the Midwest.

Last Light over Galveston by Jennifer L. Wright

Amid the 1900 Galveston hurricane, one woman’s perseverance is tested in this captivating story from the author whose work has been called “intelligent and arresting” (Foreword Reviews) and “historical fiction as it is meant to be told” (Library Journal).

“Old Galveston shines in this beautifully written tale of a woman’s quest to both lose herself and find herself.”
Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shelterwood

Galveston, Texas. September 1900. Only months ago, Kathleen McDaniel returned from finishing school in Switzerland to her family home in New York’s Hudson Valley with a future of promise and privilege set before her. But one horrific event shattered her picturesque life. Now she has fled as far as the train line and a pocketful of money would take her, finding refuge at the St. Mary’s Orphan Asylum on Galveston Island, where she helps the nuns care for their young charges and prays her past will not find her. Despite her tenuous standing at the orphanage―and the grief and betrayal that drove her from home―Kathleen slowly begins to make friends. There is Emily, the novice nun she rooms with; Maggie, the tempestuous young girl who only bonds with Kathleen; and Matthew, a kind, handsome man recently employed by Isaac Cline at Galveston’s office of the US Weather Bureau.

Then in one fateful day, Kathleen’s fragile new life begins to crack as it becomes clear that she can’t run far enough to escape the reach of her former life. Meanwhile, as troubling news about a storm crossing the Gulf from Cuba swirls in the Weather Bureau offices, Matthew holds fast to Cline’s belief that no hurricane can touch Galveston. But as darkness falls on the island, Kathleen must gather her courage and reach for a strength beyond her own if she―and those she loves―are to survive.

• A stand-alone historical novel about the 1900 Galveston hurricane
• A gripping read inspired by true events
• Features themes of resilience, found family, and redemption
• Includes discussion questions perfect for book clubs

Get Last Light over Galveston by Jennifer L. Wright.

Jennifer L. Wright has been writing since middle school, eventually earning a master’s degree in journalism from Indiana University. However, it took only a few short months of covering the local news to realize that writing fiction is much better for the soul–and definitely way more fun. A born and bred Hoosier, she was swept off her feet by an Air Force pilot and has spent the past decade traveling the world and, every few years, attempting to make old curtains fit in the windows of a new home.

She currently resides in New Mexico with her husband, two children, one grumpy dachshund, and an overly demanding guinea pig.

She is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers Association), and can be found on Facebook,

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Jenelle Hovde is a newcomer to the show but not to writing, though she takes her first foray into Regency romance with her latest release, No Stone Unturned. In this week's episode, she shares how she combined her love of antiquity and Jane Austen into a fabulous Regency novel, how she's loving life in Florida, and what got her started writing in the first place. Patrons, you get a special bonus because she shares which are her favorite film versions of both Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre.

No Stone Unturned by Jenelle Hovde

She wants to uncover the past. He wishes to build a future. In this Regency romance set in rolling hills of West Sussex, two opposing wills discover their fate may lie in the common ground.

Miss Bridget Littleton’s passion for history and antiquities defies most social conventions, even in her small village nestled in the beautiful English countryside. When a local farmer discovers an elaborate mosaic buried in his field, Bridget dreams of making a name and future for herself by excavating the Roman ruins. Unfortunately, her quest puts her at odds with the ambitious new lord who recently inherited the title and Hawthorn Abbey from his estranged uncle.

Recovering from wounds of both body and spirit, Captain Rafe Hawthorn is intent on restoring his long-neglected ancestral home. His plans to rebuild the abbey’s once thriving orchards require a road that will pass straight through Bridget’s potential trove of artifacts. He will not―cannot―fail again, even if he is moved by Bridget and her passion.

Yet this impasse might not be their greatest obstacle. A natural disaster and a series of suspicious accidents threaten both their plans, along with the livelihood of the nearby villagers dependent on their success. With their dreams in the balance, Bridget and Rafe must work together to fend off an unexpected enemy that may prove more dangerous than either could have imagined.

Get your copy of No Stone Unturned by Jenelle Hovde.

More about Jenelle Hovde:

’m so glad to share a little of my writing journey with you. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a story swirling in the back of my mind. To this day, I have novels written when I was seven years old. The subjects changed (it was puppies back then), but the love of writing never disappeared.

I stuffed away all desire for creative pursuits, obtaining a doctorate in audiology. Though I enjoyed the world of science and medicine, my husband encouraged me to write fiction seriously.

I did just that. I wrote and wrote. My life transformed as a result, and for the better.

My favorite fiction includes faith-filled stories with plenty of adventure. In fact, one of my favorite genres to read is historical romance, especially Regency! As a teenager, I adored the classics such as Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and anything with Georgette Heyer where the stakes are high, and the romance, sweet but fulfilling.

When I’m not scribbling on scraps of paper, you can usually find me within used bookstores perusing antique romance novels, historical journals, theology, and anything regarding ancient history.

Visit Jenelle's website.

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Dawn Wagner, a voracious reader, joins us on the podcast this week to chat about books! She shares how she manages to read so much while homeschooling three boys, how we can turn our kids and grandkids into readers, and some of her favorite places to get books. Patrons will find out her recommendation for her favorite historical novel of 2026 so far.

Find Dawn Wagner on Instagram.

Follow Dawn on Goodreads.

Follow Liz on Goodreads.

Get The London Masterpiece by Katherine Reay.

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All the way from France, Elizabeth Musser joins us this week to chat about her latest release, a wonderful WWII novel called From the Valley We Rise. She's especially thrilled about this one, but you're going to have to tune in to find out why this book is so special to her and why the release was thrilling for her. As always, there's something special in store for patrons.

From the Valley We Rise by Elizabeth Musser

Loyalty during Peril
In the heart of war-torn France, Isabelle Seauve's resolve is tested after her father sacrifices his life to protect her involvement in the French Resistance. Heartbroken, Isabelle becomes more dedicated to hiding Jewish children in and near the village of Sisteron despite the growing danger when she discovers a traitor within the Resistance ranks.

Truth amid Deception
As the shadow of betrayal looms, Isabelle's world collides with that of US Army Chaplain Peter Christensen, who carries emotional scars from his first position in Kentucky and his service in North Africa. Together, they face the brutal reality of war as the second D-Day--the Allied invasion of Provence--unfolds.

Bravery through Trial
Fifteen-year-old René Amblard narrowly escapes a devastating German attack that claims the lives of his mother and their fellow Maquis fighters. With a Jewish orphan girl at his side, René seeks out his cousin, Isabelle, for refuge while he contemplates revenge.

When the bombs of Operation Dragoon begin to fall, this unlikely group of heroes must find freedom in their souls before they can rebuild what has been destroyed.

"Elizabeth's signature artistry as a storyteller dazzles."--SUSAN MEISSNER, bestselling author, onBy Way of the Moonlight

For readers of Kristin Hannah and Sarah Sundin, an evocative, emotionally gripping World War II historical novel set in Southern France and woven through with moving themes of courage and redemption.

Get a copy of From the Valley We Rise by Elizabeth Musser.

ELIZABETH MUSSER writes ‘entertainment with a soul’ from her writing chalet—tool shed—outside Lyon, France. Elizabeth’s award winning, best-selling novel, The Swan House, was named one of Amazon’s Top Christian Books of the Year and one of Georgia’s Top Ten Novels of the Past 100 Years. All of Elizabeth’s novels have been translated into multiple languages and have been international bestsellers. Elizabeth’s most recent novel, By Way of the Moonlight, was a Publisher’s Weekly Top Ten Pick in Religion and Spirituality for Fall Releases in 2022 and a Christy Award Finalist in General Fiction for 2023. Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, work with the non-profit One Collective. The Mussers have two sons, two daughters-in-law and five grandchildren. Find more about Elizabeth and her novels at www.elizabethmusser.com and on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and her blog.

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Amy Lynn Green returns to the show this week to chat about her new release, The Codebreaker's Daughter. She tells us about how codebreaking began in the US during WWI, why she chose to include a character with mental illness, and what kind of radio drama she would write if given the chance. Patrons will hear if writing is getting easier or harder the more books she writes.

The Codebreaker's Daughter by Amy Lynn Green

"Readers will thrill in peering behind the curtain of US-based intelligence during the world wars."--ERIKA ROBUCK, bestselling author

In the heart of the US capital, Dinah Kendall's role for the Office of Strategic Services isn't the thrilling espionage career she dreamed of. Instead, she spends her days crafting rumors aimed at undermining Axis morale. As Dinah navigates her duties, she uncovers a startling revelation: Her mother, Lillian, was once a codebreaker, cracking military ciphers during the Great War alongside some of the nation's most brilliant minds. The deeper Dinah dives into her mother's past, the more secrets come to light--including the heavy cost of high-stakes codebreaking.

Lillian, though resolute in her decision to avoid war work, reluctantly enters the fray when old friends in Washington, DC, seek her expertise. Both mother and daughter find themselves working behind the scenes--and working together--to support the Allied cause. But just when Dinah begins to excel in her new position, everything she's worked so hard to obtain comes crashing down around her. Caught in a web of intrigue and unsure who to trust, she must piece together the truth in time to confront the shadowy threat that could compromise the impending D-Day invasion.

A compelling World War I and World War II home front novel inspired by true stories of codebreakers and OSS agents. Courage, danger, and a mother-daughter bond interweave in this compelling historical tale that will appeal to readers of Sarah Sundin and Madeline Martin.

Get your copy of The Codebreaker's Daughter by Amy Lynn Green.

Amy Lynn Green is a lifelong lover of books, history, and library cards. She worked in publishing for six years before writing her first historical fiction novel, based on the WWII home front of Minnesota, the state where she lives, works, and survives long winters. She has taught classes on marketing at writer’s conferences and regularly encourages established and aspiring authors in their publication journeys. In her novels (and her daily life), she loves exploring the intersection of faith and fiction and searches for answers to present-day questions by looking to the past.

If she had lived in the 1940s, you would have found her writing long letters to friends and family, daydreaming about creating an original radio drama, and drinking copious amounts of non-rationed tea. (Actually, these things are fairly accurate for her modern life as well.)

Be sure to interact with her on Facebook and Instagram, and sign up for her newsletter to stay up-to-date on her latest releases.

Visit Amy Lynn Green's website.