Musings by Erin

 If you're looking for a Regency romance collection for the holidays, this is a good one! Three lovely novellas in one place, based in lyrics of the well-known Christmas hymn by the same name. Here's a little bit about this collection: In  Joy to the World , three popular romance authors come together to offer a heartwarming collection of holiday Regency romance. Based on lines from a beloved Christmas carol, these three novellas have depth, faith, and satisfying stories all packed into the perfect length for readers to curl up and take a brief break from their holiday busyness. "Heaven and Nature Sing" by Carolyn Miller Two music lovers, deeply devoted to each other, were on the brink of engagement when family circumstances drove them apart. How can they ever overcome both their obligations and their fears to find their way back into each other's arms? "Far as the Curse Is Found" by Amanda Barratt One winter night, a woman struggling to provide for her ...

 Connilyn Cossette is one of my go-to authors when it comes to Biblical fiction. While most "Bibfic" authors bring the Scriptures to life for me, Ms. Cossette picks the obscure parts of Israel's history and brings those elements to life. Her last series focused on the Cities of Refuge that were set up when Israel took the Promised Land. This book begins a new series and is set during the time that the Ark of the Covenant is placed in Kiryat-Yearim after it was returned from Philistine territory. This duology follows Philistine siblings who followed the Ark and were adopted into a Levite family. As you may know, adoption is something that is close to my heart, and so adding in this theme of adoption was just another thing to love about this novel! I also loved the musical element to this novel. As the Levites were central, the musicians played a large part in this novel and I loved that about it as well. And of course, the lessons about Yahweh. Ms. Cossette is a master at ...

 Regina Jennings is a new to me author that I discovered in the novella collection "The Kissing Tree". I thoroughly enjoyed her contribution to that collection and so when I saw that she had a new series coming out, I jumped at the opportunity to get an early copy of book 1. While the romance in this one felt cheesy at times and I had some difficulty connecting with the characters at times, there was a solid faith thread and Jennings' signature humor in her historical romance novels shined through in this novel as well. Calista's family had me in stitches pretty regularly!I really enjoyed the mystery of the story and the ending was quite satisfying! Here's a bit about the book: Calista York needs one more successful case as a Pinkerton operative to secure her job. When she’s assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of a mob boss, she’s sent to the rowdy mining town of Joplin, Missouri, despite having extended family in the area. Will their meddling expose her missi...

 When looking for a light and fun read that still has spiritual depth and mystery, I know I need to look no further than Jen Turano's books. This first novel in the Bleaker Street Inquiry Agency series was a big hit in that regard and I look forward to the other books in the series where we will get to learn more about the other ladies who reside at the Bleaker Street boardinghouse. I enjoyed the overall theme of finding where you belong as Gabriella not only comes to find God and love, but also to find family with those around her. All of the characters were stellar and I look forward to more antics from this group! Here's a bit about the book: After a childhood as a street thief, Gabriella Goodhue thought she’d put her past behind her until a fellow resident at her boardinghouse is unjustly accused of theft. In the middle of breaking into a safe that holds the proof to prove her friend’s innocence, Gabriella is interrupted by Nicholas Quinn, the man she once considered her be...