Can't Wait for A Debt of Honor

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

A Debt of Honor (The Leighs, # 4)

By: MA Nichols

Expected Publication: February 27, 2024 by M.A. Nichols

pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Can a marriage based on obligation become something meaningful?

Benjamin Leigh is at a crossroads. Having reached his majority, his parents expect him to do his duty and break the entail that keeps them from selling off bits of the family’s estate. Doing so would destroy his family’s legacy, but to deny his parents would bring their wrath down upon his head.

Bigger troubles arrive when Benjamin receives a letter from a dear schoolmaster, who was more a father figure than a teacher. On his deathbed, he begs Benjamin to provide for his beloved daughter, who hasn’t money or connections to protect her once he is gone.

Yet to do so would ruin her reputation.

Unless she is his wife.

Nan Price is stuck in a difficult situation. Whilst reeling from the death of her father, she finds herself turned out of the only home she’s ever known and barely able to feed herself, leaving her little choice when an old pupil of her father’s arrives and offers a marriage of convenience.

With their present in upheaval and their future in question, they return to Benjamin’s family’s home and his parents’ disapproval at his having married a girl of such low standing—and they will do anything to be rid of Nan and free their estate from the entail.

Can Benjamin remain strong against his parents’ machinations when their financial aid is the only thing keeping the young couple from the poor house? How will he provide for his wife without their support?

And how can two strangers learn to coexist when so much stands between them?

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2023

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2023

1. Helen Scheuerer - Blood and Steel (Legends of Thezmarr, # 1)



2. Rebecca Yarros - This should probably be my number 1. I didn't rank them in order of preference. But these two books are in my top favorite of 2023.



3. Jennie Goutet - I read 9 books by Jennie Goutet this past year which is pretty phenomenal for a new-to-me author in one year. I read: A Yorkshire Carol (A Christmas Match, # 3 --review coming), An Amiable Foe, A Regrettable Proposal (Memorable Proposals, # 1 --review coming soon), A Faithful Proposal (Memorable Proposals, # 2 -- review coming soon), A Daring Proposal (Memorable Proposals, # 3 --review coming soon), A Fall from Grace (Clavering Chronicles, # 1), Philippa Holds Court (Clavering Chronicles, # 2), The Sport of Matchmaking (Clavering Chronicles, # 3 --review coming soon), & His Disinclined Bride (Seasons of Change, # 7)



4. MA Nichols - Read The Shameless Flirt (The Ashbrooks, # 2) & Flame and Ember (The Kingsleys, # 1 --review coming Thursday)

5. Katie Stone Stewart - I read Scotland's Melody and immediately hoped for a sequel.

6. Louie Giglio - We finished How Great is Our God and we are reading Indescribable now.

7. Jamie Erickson - I read Homeschool Bravely and LOVED it.

8. Libby Hubscher - Play for Me was much deeper and complex than I expected. I'll defintely check out more from her in the future.

9. Amanda Taylor - I read an Uncharted Devotion and was totally bummed to have missed her newest release Persuaded to the Sea when it was available on egalley. I'll get around to it eventually, I'm sure.



10. Nisha J Tuli - I read Trial of the Sun Queen & Rule of the Aurora King. These weren't perfect books for me, but I did read them quickly.

Which new-to-you authors did you read in 2023? Let me know!

Silver Dollar Duke - Review

Silver Dollar Duke (Hearts of Arizona, # 1)

By: Sally Britton

Publication: March 1, 2021 by Pink Citrus Books

320 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: YouTube Audiobooks

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--The last thing Dannie needs is a Victorian gentleman on her ranch, playing cowboy while she’s trying to save her family’s livelihood. Will high stakes and high emotions lead to heartbreak?

Evan Rounsevell, second son to the Marquess of Rothwell, is running as far from his family and responsibilities as he can. His fascination with cowboys takes him from English shores to the Arizona desert, but the days of showdowns are over, and Tombstone, Arizona, is a respectable town. With no funds left, and no desire to call on his affluent family for rescue, Evan seeks a position as a cowboy at a ranch on its last leg.

Daniella Bolton’s fiancé left when the drought of 1893 crippled the KB ranch, but that’s just fine by her. She doesn’t need a man to help her save her family’s land. Especially not an Englishman who looks down on her style of living, like Evan does. She loves her life on the ranch, and no outsider could ever understand what it means to be loyal to the land and her family’s way of life.

Being a cowboy is harder than Evan thought, but as he works to earn his place on the ranch, his heart opens up to the beauty of the desert… as well as that of Dannie Bolton. Watching Evan fight for the ranch she loves makes Dannie realize that not all men are afraid of hard work and troubled times, and loving Evan might be just the salve her wounded heart needs. But when Evan’s family summons him home right when Dannie needs him most, the feelings of betrayal from her former fiancé’s flight return tenfold.

Does Evan dare risk his tenuous relationship with Dannie to fulfil his family responsibilities? Or will leaving Arizona be the worst mistake of his life?

I've been blowing through Sally Britton's audiobooks on YouTube. And well, it was Silver Dollar Duke's turn. I wasn't sure about this series because westerns aren't usually my jam. My dad loves the old movies, but I guess they fell into the category of things I rebelled against. I don't think I hated them simply to rebel, but I can't be sure. Anyway, I've enjoyed Jody Hedlund's Colorado Cowboys series, so I thought I would give this a try. Honestly, I was a little disappointed.

Dannie has had to step up on her father's ranch since he had a heart attack a while back. Her mom passed away years ago, and her brothers are a big help in the physical labor department, but they don't know the ins and outs of running the ranch or the financial aspects of it. And Dannie is doubly protective after having nearly given herself away to a man who was only interested in the ranch. When Evan shows up looking for a wild west adventure, she can't be bothered to give him the time of day.

Evan has no interest in his birthright. It isn't much anyway. As a second son, the best he can expect is to live on and run an estate that essentially won't belong to him. His heart burns for adventure, and he's always longed to see the American wild west. He doesn't expect to stay long-term, and he definitely doesn't expect to fall in love with the daughter of the rancher he's employed under.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for me was that I wasn't in a position to listen to this audiobook at regular intervals. And I know that the longer it takes me to finish a book, the less my enthusiasm will be. While the writing was sound and what I would expect from Sally Britton, I just found that I couldn't connect to Dannie or Evan. The narrator was good, but maybe I'm partial to Jessica Elisa Boyd. Of course, her narration wouldn't have made as much sense given the accents of the Arizona west.

All in all, I might have to say that Silver Dollar Duke has been my least favorite Sally Britton book. I guess one book has to be the least favorite, right? Sorry Sally, it's not you. It's me. The wild west might always be a challenge for me. Although, I do intend to see if the next book, Copper for the Countess, will redeem the series for me or if I should count this series as a loss for my personal interests. Regardless, Silver Dollar Duke gets 3 Stars from me. Have you read (or listened to) Silver Dollar Duke? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 01/28/24

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Sunday we celebrated Baby Boy turning 3. It has essentially rained the entire last week. But this was a mostly normal week other than that. We did go to the library on Tuesday. The kids wanted to go to the park, but I knew they would end up with wet bottoms if they did. We did get groceries Tuesday too. Thursday afternoon we baked cupcakes. Little Girl loves to cook/bake etc. I'd promised her we would make them. And so we did. We ran out of time to make the frosting though, so we did that Friday morning. We also did normal school on Friday, and we had to go to a funeral after getting Baby Boy from school. Saturday, I was so sick of being stuck inside that I took the big kids to the store to buy new cleats for baseball/softball season. That's really it. I haven't been reading for two weeks because I've been devouring a Netflix show. I'm almost done with it so I'll get back to reading. Thankfully, I'm still ahead of schedule for the year's goals.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Rocky Mountain Promise (Sisters of the Rockies, # 2) by Misty M Beller (4 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Didn't Get to in 2023
Wednesday: Can't Wait for The Outlaw Noble Salt by Amy Harmon
Thursday: 2024 Series Enders Reading Challenge - January Wrap Up
Friday: Homeschool Friday - The Adventures of Captain Underpants

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Rocky Mountain Promise (Sisters of the Rockies, # 2) by Misty M Beller
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday?
Thursday: Review of Flame and Ember (The Kingsleys, # 1) by MA Nichols
Friday: Homeschool Friday?

Don’t forget to link up for the 2024 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2024 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

No new books this week.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Homeschool Friday - The Adventures of Captain Underpants

Homeschool Friday is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that showcases books my family reads during homeschool and provides a mini-review for each.

The Adventures of Captain Underpants (Captain Underpants, # 1)

By: Dav Pilkey

Publication: September 1, 1997

125 pages

Genre: Children's Fiction, Humor, Graphic Novels, Chapter Books, Comics

Source: Borrowed from the Elibrary

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Pilkey plays with words and pictures, providing great entertainment. The story is immediately engaging—two fourth-grade boys who write comic books and love to pull pranks find themselves in big trouble. Mean Mr. Krupp, their principal, videotapes George and Harold setting up their stunts and threatens to expose them. The boys' luck changes when they send for a 3-D Hypno-Ring and hypnotize Krupp, turning him into Captain Underpants, their own superhero creation. Later, Pilkey includes several pages of flip-o-ramas that animate the action. The simple black-and-white illustrations on every page furnish comic-strip appeal. The cover features Captain Underpants, resplendent in white briefs, on top of a tall building. This book will fly off the shelves.

I'm trying my very best to get my 6-year-old son interested in reading. And if there's one thing I know about reading, it's that you just have to find the right book to get a reader interested. I got The Adventures of Captain Underpants on audio because I wanted to let him know that books that he will enjoy are out there. We listened to the entire book on one drive when we were headed to a field trip in another city. Both my daughter (8-years-old) and son were laughing. I do think the paperback version might have been even more interesting assuming it is written in a comic book style or has comic book style pages to reflect the comics written by the two main characters.

George and Harold are best friends. And they love to pull pranks. They also love to write and illustrate comics. But Harold and George are always getting in trouble at school. Specifically, their principal hates their comic books. When their principal catches them on video pulling a prank that will surely lead to their classmates taking revenge, they have to do whatever he says without getting in trouble at school or risk exposure. Only there's a twist, the boys find a ring that hypnotizes their principal turning him into Captain Underpants.

Obviously, this is not my personal brand of humor. But I'm willing to try almost anything--within reason--to get my son interested in reading. The Adventures of Captain Underpants is definitely right up his alley. I can see him coming back for more. The Adventures of Captain Underpants gets 4 Stars for keeping my kiddos entertained and laughing. Have you read (or listened) to The Adventures of Captain Underpants? What did you think? Let me know!

2024 Series Enders Reading Challenge - January Wrap Up

Time for our Monthly Wrap Up for the 2024 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Holly finished Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig. Sandy hasn't read any series enders this month.

Which series enders did you finish? Link the up below. Don't forget to include the title, your name, & your blog name (Ex: Requiem - Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know) Also, the January giveaway runs from January 25th - February 25th. On February 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries from the entire year to pull a grand prize winner.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Can't Wait for The Outlaw Noble Salt

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

The Outlaw Noble Salt

By: Amy Harmon

Expected Publication: April 9, 2024 by Lake Union Publishing

367 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--From New York Times bestselling author Amy Harmon comes a sweepingly romantic tale of risk, redemption, and what happens when America’s most famous outlaw falls in love. When infamous outlaw Butch Cassidy decides to go straight, he discovers that too many of the powerful men he crossed won’t let bygones be bygones. To have a chance at a new life, he’ll have to become someone else entirely. A brief, fateful encounter with the celebrated singer Jane Touissant on the eve of his escape offers a glimpse of what might have been, but Butch disappears, leaving her behind, until their paths unexpectedly converge again in Paris. Despite having discovered his true identity, Jane trusts the outlaw and enlists his protection on her upcoming American tour. Although Butch is reluctant to agree, fearing his sordid past may put the woman and her young son in danger, the salvation she offers is too hard to resist. As they set forth on their journey, Butch’s past and Jane’s secrets put them at risk from threats far greater than the law, and this legend of the American West will have to decide what matters most―his life, his legacy, or the woman he loves.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Top Ten Books I Didn't Get to in 2023

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten Books I Didn't Get to in 2023

1. A Drop of Venom by Sajni Patel
2. The Getaway List by Emma Lord
3. Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, # 30) by Janet Evanovich
4. How to Plot Payback by Melissa Ferguson
5. Finding Us by Tracie Peterson
6. Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry
7. Watership Down: The Graphic Novel by James Sturm
8. The Irish Goodbye by Amy Ewing
9. Fairest of Heart (Texas Ever After, #1) by Karen Witemeyer
10. A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon

Which books are you hoping to get to that you didn't get around to reading in 2023? Let me know!

Rocky Mountain Promise - Review

Rocky Mountain Promise (Sisters of the Rockies, # 2)

By: Misty M Beller

Publication: November 23, 2023

320 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Lorelei Collins possesses a soft heart for any animal in need, so when she finds a buffalo calf bawling beside its mother's lifeless body, she can't help but bring it home to raise on the ranch she and her sisters are building in the Rocky Mountain wilderness. Little does she realize that its white coloring is rare and considered sacred by Native Americans, which makes it highly valuable to them and the European trappers alike.

A flood of men visit their ranch to regard the marvel, some trying to woo Lorelei into marriage so she'll bring the buffalo calf along as dowry, and others trying to steal the calf outright. When the men's advances become more sinister, she approaches Tanner Mason, the quiet and mysterious owner of the new trading post, with an idea: She and the calf will move to his post, along with her family's trusted Blackfoot friend. This will solve both their problems, bringing customers to his trade room and protecting her family from the trouble brought on by so many strangers. Yet as the danger travels with her, Lorelei and Tanner are faced with a threat greater than anything they're prepared for--one that will test the limits of both their abilities and the love growing between them.

Lorelai was frustrating to me while reading Rocky Mountain Rendezvous because she was trying to nurse a coyote pup and keep it with her while traveling. Many of the characters in the book told her how ridiculous she was being. Wild animals are wild animals. They're not meant to be tamed. But now that I've read Rocky Moutain Promise, I understand Lorelai a little better. She wasn't trying to adopt the coyote pup, but she was trying to care for him while he lost his mother. She knew he would die without her help. She had compassion for him. And that's basically the same thing that happens in Rocky Mountain Promise. Lorelai finds a white buffalo calf near his dead mother, and she knows that if she doesn't take care of him, then he will die.

Little did she know but white buffalo are revered by the Indians (Native Americans). They believe (in the story at least) that white buffalo bring prosperity. Regardless of the natives, white buffalo are rare and Curly--as Lorelai has named him--brings much curiosity, as well as danger.

Tanner is partnering with two other men to open a trading post. One of his partners is currently sick and the other is traveling to bring more goods to their location. So Tanner is manning the post by himself. He seeks out his neighbors to introduce himself and finds three women and a native. The Collins sisters and White Horse make for a unique neighbor. Tanner is drawn to Lorelai as well as the buffalo calf. He offers to trade for him which White Horse says is a no-go. Trading the buffalo calf would bring bad luck.

Juniper and Riley return from their travels along the Rocky Mountain range, and Lorelai realizes the danger that Curly is drawing to their ranch isn't good for her sisters. She agrees to take him to Tanner's post with White Horse and stay until Curly's injuries heal. Of course, while she's spending time at the post, she and Tanner grow closer.

However, the reason the Collins sisters went west to begin with was to find White Horse's mother, Steps Right. They didn't find her in book 1, and they are still searching for her in book 2. White Horse wants to find her more than anyone. There are hints of where she might have been staying.

I like the hints of a potential romance between White Horse and Rosemary. I'm hoping their story will come next in the series since Faith is the youngest and no mention has been made of any potential suitors. You know how often one story sets up the beginning of the next story.

Notable quote:

-"God hasn't rejected you. You are good enough exactly the way He made you. Better than good enough--you're perfect. Exactly the way He wants you."

The Spiritual relationships seemed a little bit like an afterthought in this book, but I don't mind it being a fictional story. In real life, I would hope the characters would have a more present and forefront relationship with Christ but I'll accept this as it is in this book. I will say that I disagree with the quote above. None of us are perfect as we are. None of us are "good enough." I get the point Lorelai was trying to make, but it's the very fact that we aren't and can't be enough or perfect that is the reason why we need Jesus Christ and His blood to cover us. Because HE was perfect, and HE was enough. Not us. We cannot do enough or be good enough on our own. Just a minor note I wanted to make.

Rocky Moutain Promise was better than I was expecting it to be. I was dreading Lorelai's story a little because I wasn't sure I could relate to her, but I shouldn't have worried. I do wish that Misty M Beller's characters had a little more passion at times, but I enjoy a clean romance where I don't have to wonder if the characters will drift into territory they should not. Rocky Mountain Promise gets 4 Stars. Have you read Rocky Mountain Promise? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 1/21/24

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Last Sunday night we drove to Husband's sister's house in Georgia to spend the night. Monday morning we got up and went to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. We went as a family, but I counted it as a school field trip. The kids went from being excessively excited to utterly bored. I suppose that's the way of kids. Monday night to Tuesday morning we had a freeze like a large portion of America. It was under freezing most of the week. This isn't unusual for many, but we might have a handful or two days of below freezing temps in one year where we live so it's always a big fuss when it happens. No snow for us though. Public school was out on Tuesday, but we continued right along with our homeschool. Thursday, I took the kids to my parents and then ran to the dentist. By the time we got home Little Girl was running a fever so we did end up taking the day off from school, but we were back to normal on Friday. I haven't done much reading at all this week as I've gotten sucked into a Netflix show. I also finished my first crochet project--a nice navy blue scarf. I plan to donate most of my projects to the nursing homes in our area. Today is Baby Boy's 3rd birthday. I can't believe how fast the time is going. We are moving from toddler to little kid very quickly.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Lily of Ludgate Hill (Belles of London, # 3) by Mimi Matthews (4 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for If the Boot Fits (Texas Ever After, # 2) by Karen Witemeyer
Thursday: Review of Blood and Steel (The Legends of Thezmarr, # 1) by Helen Scheuerer

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Rocky Mountain Promise (Sisters of the Rockies, # 2) by Misty M Beller
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday?
Thursday: 2024 Series Enders Reading Challenge - January Wrap Up
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Review of The Adventures of Captain Underpants (Captain Underpants, # 1) by Dav Pilkey

Don’t forget to link up for the 2024 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2024 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

No new books this week.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Blood and Steel - Review

Blood and Steel (The Legends of Thezmarr, # 1)

By: Helen Scheuerer

Publication: December 12, 2023 by Dreamscape Media

Duration: 14 Hours, 53 Minutes

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--With her death foretold, Althea Zoltaire only has three years to become what she’s always dreamed of being: a warrior legend.

Women are forbidden to wield blades, so she has trained in secret her entire life. Now racing against the clock, she fights to secure her place in the elite guild charged with the protection of the five kingdoms.

The sparring and hazing of the new trainees border on deadly, but even more dangerous is her growing attraction to Wilder Hawthorne, her unwilling warrior chaperone.

All around them, schemes are afoot and darkness looms.

Will Althea pass the perilous initiation test and take her place as a champion of Thezmarr – or will the invading evil snatch away her dream before it starts?

If you like fierce sword-wielding heroines and brooding, tortured heroes, you will devour this sexy, addictive fantasy adventure.

Perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom, From Blood and Ash and The Witcher, BLOOD & STEEL is an epic romantic fantasy with enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn spice, found family, and a sprawling world of magic and monsters. Blood & Steel is the gripping first book in the heart-pounding, epic romantic fantasy series, The Legends of Thezmarr.

I can't remember all of the details. Since I have the audio version, hunting down the deets would be nearly impossible. Here's what I remember: a while back, a prophecy stated that doom would come at the hand of a woman holding a blade. And well, that happened already. And the evil that threatens this fantasy world has been creeping closer by the day ever since. And since then, women have been forbidden to wield a blade. Women who used to be warriors are relegated to librarians and teachers. But Althea has only ever wanted to be a warrior of Thezmarr. Her death year was prophesied, and now she's racing against her death to achieve legendary status.

Because Thea wants to become a legend, she has been practicing in secret. But she's not allowed to spar against a real opponent or actually train, so she's terribly behind all the other recruits. Thea stumbles upon a meeting between the three top warriors in the realm. Wilder spies her, but he doesn't draw attention to her...then. He does later catch her wilding a blade that he knows isn't hers. And he hauls her in to answer for her crime. Thea pleads to be allowed to train and is ultimately sent to appeal to the king. Wilder is forced to escort her there and back.

Once there, Thea has to convince the king to allow her to become a recruit. I can't discuss the details, but Thea is allowed to join the recruits. And well, not many are in favor of a woman joining the ranks of the men. She finds a few friends who help her, along with some old friends. Honestly, the friendships between Thea and the other recruits are probably the most well-developed pieces of this story.

Wilder and Thea's story was slightly more shallow than I wanted. They have a physical attraction, but there's not a ton of talking that is needed to develop those deeper connections. But I still wouldn't fully describe their relationship as surface-level because they do have several shared experiences that build a bond. I just know that for truly deep romantic characters that will always be the greatest of the great (think Freye and Rhys level) they need more than physical attraction and a few shared experiences. I would like to see this progress more throughout the series. As always, wondering how the romance will go drives me to read more and more.

And then there's Thea's sister. She is studying the potions aspect of the realm--a place where women have been relegated but not one where she is weak or a victim of her gender or circumstances. I can't remember her name, but she's hiding secrets from Thea while being a great sister.

The audio version was even more entertaining due to the dual narrators, Mollie Stark & Sebastian Grove. Sebastian's voice sounded familiar, but I've not listened to any other books he's narrated. I'd recommend both narrators. And I think I appreciated this book even more because I listened to it instead of reading it. I love multitasking by listening to a good audiobook while doing chores or, lately, crocheting.

Blood and Steel was better than I was expecting it to be. I think the audio version added to my appreciation for the story because I kept listening during times when I would have been stalled due to life circumstances. I've recently learned to crochet, and audiobooks are a great option to help me pass the time while crocheting. The audio narrators did a great job. And I can't wait to continue the series. However, I expect to have to continue in print because I don't know if I can wait for the release of the 2nd book on audio when I know it's already available in print. Blood and Steel gets 4 Stars. Have you read (or listened to) Blood and Steel by Helen Scheuerer? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for If the Boot Fits

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

If the Boot Fits (Texas Ever After, # 2)

By: Karen Witemeyer

Expected Publication: March 12, 2024 by Bethany House Publishers

368 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Determined to prove that cattle king Eli Dearing has no justification for evicting his stepmother and half brothers, Asher Ellis uses the cover of a fancy ball to break into the Three Cedars ranch house to search for proof of wrongdoing. On the verge of discovery, he flees, but a boy's cry compels him to make a daring rescue.

Spunky and independent, Samantha Dearing balks when she learns the ball her father is hosting in her honor is nothing more than a matrimonial ambush. Taking a break from her unwanted suitors, Samantha spots a thief fleeing her home. When the stranger ends up saving her brother's life, she hides the only clue to his identity left behind--his boot--and resolves to find him herself.

But when Samantha encounters the older brother of a student she tutors, all thoughts of the bootless mystery man vanish. And although Asher tries to keep his distance from Samantha for reasons of his own, a series of suspicious accidents befall her, and his protective instincts flare, no matter the cost to their future.

This Western reimagining of the classic Cinderella fairy tale is an enchanting story of courage, family, and the power of true love.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!