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LiteraryScape

LiteraryScape

By: Melissa LaShure
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The LiteraryScape podcast serves both readers and writers of historical Christian romance with a sprinkling of contemporary Christian suspense books. We read, discuss, review, and rate books in this unique romance sub-genre. For authors, we bring inside tips and tricks from those who have gone before us. LiteraryScape is the one stop shop for both readers and authors to connect, learn, and grow together.

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Episodes
  • Breaking Barriers in Bloomers: Abbey Downey on Her Adventurous Hearts Series

    Breaking Barriers in Bloomers: Abbey Downey on Her Adventurous Hearts Series
    Nov 7 2025

    Welcome back to another LiteraryScape Book Club Friday! We're thrilled to bring you our latest podcast episode featuring the talented Abbey Downey, author of the captivating Adventurous Hearts series. This marks Abbey's return to our show—she holds the special distinction of being our very first podcast guest, and we couldn't be happier to have her back.

    About the Adventurous Hearts Series

    The Adventurous Hearts series consists of three standalone novels connected by an inspiring theme: women breaking barriers in the early 1900s. Set between 1905 and 1910, each book features a heroine pursuing an unconventional career path for her time.

    The Remarkable Women

    Abbey's inspiration came from real historical figures who defied expectations:

    An Uncertain Road features a female race car driver competing in the 1905 Glidden Tour, a grueling 10-day endurance race. The character is based on an actual woman who not only raced but became a passionate advocate for teaching women to drive.

    An Unexpected Catch introduces us to a female baseball umpire inspired by Amanda Clement, who remarkably began umpiring semi-professional baseball games at just 16 years old. Abbey shared that this was her favorite book to write, thanks to a special research assistant—her 13-year-old son, who is passionate about baseball history and statistics.

    Uncharted Dreams follows a woman starting an explorers club, inspired by a group of women who actually founded their own explorers club in the 1920s. Abbey admits this was the most challenging book to write, requiring multiple rewrites, but it became the most spiritually resonant of the three.

    Fascinating Research Discoveries

    Abbey uncovered some delightful historical oddities during her research. The most memorable? A room at Coney Island that allegedly had cheese growing on the walls that visitors could sample. While she only found one mention of this bizarre attraction, the detail was too intriguing not to include.

    For An Unexpected Catch, Abbey incorporated actual stories about Amanda Clement, including a throwing contest where she out-threw male players. When a reader questioned the distance, Abbey confirmed it was historically accurate—she had used the exact measurement credited to Amanda.

    The research for Uncharted Dreams revealed fascinating camping equipment from the era, including ingenious tents that attached to automobiles, creating a combined shelter that incorporated the vehicle.

    Reader Favorites

    Our book club had passionate responses to all three novels. An Unexpected Catch resonated deeply with baseball fans, while Uncharted Dreams earned top marks for its inspirational elements. One reader wanted to give it "four or five lassoes" instead of our standard three-lasso rating scale! The mystery elements kept readers guessing, with the anonymous letters subplot earning particular praise for its unexpected resolution.

    What's Next?

    Abbey is currently finishing the first book in a new three-book series set to debut in September 2026. Staying in the early 1900s, this series will focus on women in entertainment:

    Book one features an archery demonstrator

    Book two will incorporate ice skating and vaudeville

    Book three centers on early airplane exhibition shows

    Connect with Abbey

    Want to keep up with Abbey's writing and upcoming releases? Visit her website at https://abbeydowney.com/ where you can sign up for her monthly newsletter. She's also active on Facebook and Instagram as Abbey Downey.

    Newsletter subscribers can participate in Abbey's popular antique identification game, where she posts photos of mysterious vintage items and challenges readers to guess their purpose. Be quick—you need to be one of the first responders to win!

    Meet Abbey in Person

    Abbey will be attending the Just Read Rendezvous in St. Louis on November 7-8, 2025, along with over 40 other authors. Registration is still open if you'd like to meet Abbey and connect with fellow book lovers.

    We're already counting down to Abbey's next series release and looking forward to having her back on the podcast when it debuts. Until then, if you haven't discovered the Adventurous Hearts series yet, now is the perfect time to meet these remarkable women who dared to dream differently.

    Listen to the full podcast episode to hear more details about Abbey's writing process, her research adventures, and the historical women who inspired these unforgettable stories.

    www.literaryscape.com/podcast/174
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    15 mins
  • An Uncharted Dream: Adventure, Betrayal, and Hidden Love with Abbey Downey

    An Uncharted Dream: Adventure, Betrayal, and Hidden Love with Abbey Downey
    Oct 31 2025
    Welcome back to LiteraryScape! This week, we're wrapping up our discussion of the Adventurous Hearts series with An Uncharted Dream by Abbey Downey, and let me tell you—this one is a real page-turner!The StoryAn Uncharted Dream follows Lenora, who dreams of following in her father's footsteps as an explorer but has been held back by debilitating fear since his tragic death. When a mysterious explorer named Mr. Fleming promises to take her on an expedition to the very place where her father died, she sees her chance for answers and adventure.Enter Marcus Turner, Lenora's longtime best friend who secretly loves her. Having spent years hiding his family's financial struggles, Marcus knows a con man when he sees one—and Mr. Fleming raises all his red flags. Determined to protect Lenora, Marcus joins the expedition, setting the stage for adventure, betrayal, and ultimately, a journey of faith and love.Our Discussion HighlightsJessica loved this book so much it became her favorite in the series! She was hooked from the very beginning, constantly wondering: Is Mr. Fleming a con man? Will Lenora actually go to Peru? The mystery kept her turning pages late into the night.We discussed several compelling elements:The Suspicion Around Mr. Fleming: From the very first scene at the library, Marcus's suspicions are aroused, and we agreed—something was definitely off! The way Fleming couldn't answer basic questions about the expedition was a major red flag that Lenora unfortunately missed.The Anonymous Letters: The mysterious letters encouraging Lenora to take the trip added an intriguing layer to the story. Discovering who was really behind them was one of those great "aha!" moments.Family Contrasts: We loved the stark difference between Lenora's warm, inviting family and Marcus's cold, distant one. Marcus doesn't even enjoy going home, and his family situation, while frustrating, added real depth to his character.The Big Betrayal: When the group gets stranded in a foreign country where they can't speak the language, the tension really ramps up. It's one of those moments where you're yelling at the characters, "Don't give him the money!"Communication Issues: This is definitely one of those stories where if the main characters had just talked to each other, a lot of problems could have been avoided! But watching them finally realize their feelings for each other after years of friendship was worth the wait.Adventure and RomanceThe book beautifully weaves together themes of exploration, archeology, and surveying. The ending, where Marcus pursues his passion for surveying while Lenora does excavation work, was particularly satisfying. We both admitted to being fascinated by archeology—there's something magical about uncovering history!We also discussed some of the more challenging aspects of historical travel: the boat journey (would we be able to handle the seasickness and fear of water?), the preparation trips and camping, and the sheer adventure of it all.Our RatingsUsing our coffee-themed rating system:Drama Level: LatteSuspense Level: Espresso (gentle but definitely there)Mystery Level: MochaInspirational Level: Mocha (this one had more faith elements than the previous books)Romance Level: Espresso (sweet and clean)The Final Verdict: Lasso RatingsJessica gives this book her highest rating: 4 Lassos! She couldn't put it down and would even go as high as 3.5 to 4 if we allowed half ratings. As for me, I gave it a solid 2 Lassos—still excellent, but my personal reading preference leans toward books with a bit more suspense and romance.Overall, Abbey Downey has created an excellent series that's perfect for readers who love cozy mysteries with sweet romance and historical adventure. The pacing is wonderful, and the stories are engaging without being too intense.What's Next?Be sure to tune in next week when we'll have a special interview with author Abbey Downey herself! We'll get all the behind-the-scenes information about this incredible Adventurous Hearts series.Want to learn more about Abbey and her books? Visit her website at www.abbeydowney.com.Thanks for joining us on LiteraryScape, where we explore the landscape of great literature, one book at a time!Have you read An Uncharted Dream? What did you think of Mr. Fleming? Let us know in the comments!www.literaryscape.com/podcast/173
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    17 mins
  • An Unexpected Catch: A Story of Reputation, Romance, and Baseball

    An Unexpected Catch: A Story of Reputation, Romance, and Baseball
    Oct 24 2025

    Episode 172: An Unexpected Catch by Abbey Downey

    Adventurous Hearts Series, Book 2

    This week on LiteraryScape, we're discussing An Unexpected Catch by Abbey Downey—a historical romance that takes us into the world of Chicago's semiprofessional baseball league, where reputation is everything and one wrong move can cost you your dreams.

    About the Book

    B Corinne has forged a groundbreaking career as an umpire in Chicago's semiprofessional baseball league and is working toward her dream of leading the women's athletic department at Western College. With her reputation on the line, a romance with Emmett Worland—a talented pitcher known for his womanizing ways—is the last thing she needs.

    But when her women's baseball team desperately needs help, Emmett is the only one who can save them. As they spend more time together, an undeniable attraction develops. The catch? Emmett is hiding a painful secret that could end his baseball career, and his bad reputation is one he never actually earned.

    Can they afford to let their hearts lead the way, or will the shadows of the past and uncertainties of the future destroy their chance at happily ever after?

    In This Episode We Discuss:

    Emmett's undeserved reputation and how sensationalist newspapers destroyed his good name

    The demanding grandmother who chose social standing over understanding

    Emmett's secret struggle and the heartbreaking reality of how society treated people in his situation

    B's strength as a pioneering woman umpire navigating impossible social expectations

    Historical baseball details (did you know umpires used to stand behind the pitcher?)

    The constant scrutiny both characters face and what it means to live under watchful eyes

    That memorable proposal scene!

    How "everything tells a story"—and why that matters today

    Our Ratings:

    Drama Level: Mocha ☕☕

    Suspense Level: Minimal

    Mystery Level: Espresso ☕

    Inspirational Level: Espresso to Mocha ☕-☕☕

    Romance Level: Espresso to Mocha ☕-☕☕

    Overall: 2.5 to 3 lattes (Our favorite in the series!)

    Links & Resources:

    Listen to this episode: www.literaryscape.com/podcast/172

    Abbey Downey's website: https://abbeydowney.com/

    Next Week: We'll be discussing An Uncharted Dream, the third and final book in the Adventurous Hearts series!

    Subscribe to LiteraryScape wherever you listen to podcasts, and join us each week as we explore the pages of great books together!
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    16 mins
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