Historical romance

A Sale! Love Stitched in Blue and Gray Discounted for a Limited Time!

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by Sandra Merville Hart

Exciting news!

Last month, my publisher, Wild Heart Books, released a five novel-length Kindle collection called Love Stitched in Blue and Gray. Avenue of Betrayal, Book 1 in my Spies of the Civil War Series, is part of the collection along with talented authors Tamera Alexander, Misty M. Beller, Susan Pope Sloan, and Sherry Shindelar.

The book is on sale for 99 cents! This deep discount will only last a limited time!

Here’s a bit more about each novel in the collection:

5 Full-Length Civil War Romance Novels Where Love Bridges Every Divide!

From Texas ranches to Washington’s political circles, and from Georgia cotton mills to Comanche territory, experience the transformative power of love during America’s most turbulent era in these five captivating Christian historical romances.

The Rancher Takes a Cook by Misty M. Beller

When their South Carolina home burns to the ground, Anna Stewart’s only choice is to move with her younger brother to the wilds of a Texas ranch. Their prospects are beginning to look better, until the rancher’s son, Jacob O’Brien, shows up with his alarmingly blue eyes to put a kink in Anna’s well-controlled plans.

Colors of Truth by Tamera Alexander

Irish immigrant Catriona O’Toole arrives in Franklin, Tennessee in 1866, searching for her twin brother Ryan, a conscripted Confederate soldier. With only her spitfire little sister and Ryan’s last cash gift in tow, she catches the attention of Wade Cunningham—a former Federal soldier now secretly investigating counterfeit rings for the U.S. Secret Service. When the money in Catriona’s possession proves counterfeit, Wade must choose between his duty and his growing feelings for the woman he’s supposed to prosecute.

Rescuing Rose by Susan Pope Sloan

When the Union Army marches into Roswell, Georgia, and burns down the cotton mill where Rose Carrigan worked, not only is her livelihood destroyed but she’s also taken prisoner and shipped northward with the other workers. Only the unlikely kindness of one of her guards makes the trip bearable.

Union Captain Noah Griffin hates the part of his job that requires him to destroy the lives of innocent civilians, but at least he’s able to protect these women he’s been ordered to transport to Louisville, Kentucky.

But when two fugitives arrive and complicate matters between Rose and Noah, only faith can help them find love in the midst of so much tragedy.

Avenue of Betrayal by Sandra Merville Hart

As the Civil War looms over Washington City, Annie Swanson discovers her beloved brother has joined the Confederate cause, betraying their mother’s abolitionist beliefs. When Sergeant-Major John Finn—who fell for Annie at her brother’s wedding—is tasked with spying on her banker father’s loyalty to the Union, their budding romance becomes entangled in a web of family secrets and divided loyalties that could destroy them both.

Texas Forsaken by Sherry Shindelar

Seven years ago, Maggie Logan (Eyes-Like-Sky) lost everything she knew when a raid on a wagon train tore her from her family. As the memories of her past faded to nothing more than vague shadows, Maggie adapted—marrying a Comanche warrior, having a baby, and rebuilding her life. But in one terrible battle, the U.S. Cavalry destroys that life, and she is taken captive again, this time by those who call themselves her people. Forced into a world she wants nothing to do with, Eyes-Like-Sky’s only hope of protecting her child may be an engagement to the man who killed her husband.

Five compelling stories of faith, courage, and love that prove God’s power to heal even the deepest wounds of war.

This Kindle book is on sale for just 99 cents! Pick up your copy today because the sale won’t last long.

Amazon  

Announcing the Release of Love Stitched in Blue and Gray

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by Sandra Merville Hart

Exciting news!

This month, my publisher, Wild Heart Books, surprised me with the news that my book, Avenue of Betrayal, is part of a newly-released a five novel-length Kindle collection called Love Stitched in Blue and Gray!Books by talented authors Tamera Alexander, Misty M. Beller, Susan Pope Sloan, Sherry Shindelar are also in the collection.

The eBook was released on May 27th.

Here’s a bit more about each novel in the collection:

5 Full-Length Civil War Romance Novels Where Love Bridges Every Divide!

From Texas ranches to Washington’s political circles, and from Georgia cotton mills to Comanche territory, experience the transformative power of love during America’s most turbulent era in these five captivating Christian historical romances.

The Rancher Takes a Cook by Misty M. Beller

When their South Carolina home burns to the ground, Anna Stewart’s only choice is to move with her younger brother to the wilds of a Texas ranch. Their prospects are beginning to look better, until the rancher’s son, Jacob O’Brien, shows up with his alarmingly blue eyes to put a kink in Anna’s well-controlled plans.

Colors of Truth by Tamera Alexander

Irish immigrant Catriona O’Toole arrives in Franklin, Tennessee in 1866, searching for her twin brother Ryan, a conscripted Confederate soldier. With only her spitfire little sister and Ryan’s last cash gift in tow, she catches the attention of Wade Cunningham—a former Federal soldier now secretly investigating counterfeit rings for the U.S. Secret Service. When the money in Catriona’s possession proves counterfeit, Wade must choose between his duty and his growing feelings for the woman he’s supposed to prosecute.

Rescuing Rose by Susan Pope Sloan

When the Union Army marches into Roswell, Georgia, and burns down the cotton mill where Rose Carrigan worked, not only is her livelihood destroyed but she’s also taken prisoner and shipped northward with the other workers. Only the unlikely kindness of one of her guards makes the trip bearable.

Union Captain Noah Griffin hates the part of his job that requires him to destroy the lives of innocent civilians, but at least he’s able to protect these women he’s been ordered to transport to Louisville, Kentucky.

But when two fugitives arrive and complicate matters between Rose and Noah, only faith can help them find love in the midst of so much tragedy.

Avenue of Betrayal by Sandra Merville Hart

As the Civil War looms over Washington City, Annie Swanson discovers her beloved brother has joined the Confederate cause, betraying their mother’s abolitionist beliefs. When Sergeant-Major John Finn—who fell for Annie at her brother’s wedding—is tasked with spying on her banker father’s loyalty to the Union, their budding romance becomes entangled in a web of family secrets and divided loyalties that could destroy them both.

Texas Forsaken by Sherry Shindelar

Seven years ago, Maggie Logan (Eyes-Like-Sky) lost everything she knew when a raid on a wagon train tore her from her family. As the memories of her past faded to nothing more than vague shadows, Maggie adapted—marrying a Comanche warrior, having a baby, and rebuilding her life. But in one terrible battle, the U.S. Cavalry destroys that life, and she is taken captive again, this time by those who call themselves her people. Forced into a world she wants nothing to do with, Eyes-Like-Sky’s only hope of protecting her child may be an engagement to the man who killed her husband.

Five compelling stories of faith, courage, and love that prove God’s power to heal even the deepest wounds of war.

I’m thrilled that Avenue of Betrayal, Book 1 in my Spies of the Civil War Series, is part of this eBook collection with four other talented authors.

I hope you enjoy all the stories!

Amazon  

Whispers of Fortune by Mary Connealy

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Golden State Treasure, Book 1

Dr. Brody MacKenzie arrives at the Two Harts Ranch in California, determined to find his younger brothers and, if necessary, rescue them. Instead, he is relieved to find them in school and learning trades. No matter what their teacher, Ellie Hart, says, Brody is in a hurry to take them back East where he has a job waiting. His brothers are more interested in searching for their family’s hidden treasure.

Ellie immediately hires Brody as the ranch’s doctor, hoping to keep the man who has snagged her attention in California. Instead, she finds herself caught up in helping the brothers to follow a treasure map.

Unfortunately, they are not the only ones interested in the treasure.

Connealy has woven a multi-layered historical romance that kept me turning pages. Long-time readers of this author will recognize characters from another series within these pages.

My interest was snagged early, and I read the book quickly. I’ve read other books by this author, and they’ve always ended with a significant cliff-hanger. This one did the same. Readers are left with questions about upcoming events.

I liked the book, and can’t wait to read the next one.

Christianbook.com

Union General Ulysses S. Grant Attempts to Bypass Vicksburg During the Civil War

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by Sandra Merville Hart

President Lincoln saw the capture of Vicksburg, Mississippi, as a vital key to winning the Civil War. General Ulysses S. Grant agreed that it must be taken.

The Union Navy bombarded the city for sixty-seven days from May to July of 1862. Confederate soldiers fired cannons on the fleet while citizens hunkered in hastily dug cave shelters. One battered Confederate ship called the Arkansas possessed enough power to convince the Union fleet to head south on July 27th.

The defeat only whetted Grant’s desire to take Vicksburg by force. He’s in command of the Army of the Tennessee at the end of January, 1863, when he arrives at Young’s Point just north of Vicksburg. He studies the abandoned remnants of canal that had been started by General Thomas Williams’s troops to in the summer of 1862. The canal had been intended to go through De Soto Point and divert the flow of the Mississippi River to the south of Vicksburg because the city on the bluffs above the Mississippi River had proven to be difficult to capture.

Grant sees that the idea still has merit. He orders General Sherman to complete the canal. Using picks, shovels, and wheelbarrows, troops were to dig Grant’s Canal to a depth of 6 – 6 ½ feet, 60 feet wide, and 1 ½ miles long.

It wasn’t an easy task. Work began on January 24th. Vicksburg residents watched Union troops and black men dig from across the river. Most saw the attempts to alter the mighty river’s flow as foolhardy.

Indeed, the task was ridden with challenges from the start. Men got sick from cold, rainy weather. The Mississippi River’s seasonal floods caused some deaths when it reached the camps. They were using steam pumps to remove the water by February 19th. The troops took heart when the river crested and then receded.

Heavy rains at the end of February halted the work. When steam pumps stopped working, floating steam dredges were brought in. Confederate artillery at Vicksburg drove the dredges away.

The river floods again, and a massive crevasse pours water into the camp, forcing the soldiers to seek the safety of higher ground.

Confederate soldiers, who have watched everything happening at Young’s Point from across the river, move big cannons south to guard the canal’s exit.

Grant gives up on the idea and ordered work to stop on March 27th.

But he has not given up on capturing Vicksburg as the whole state of Mississippi realizes within two months.  

Grant’s Canal takes place in my novel, River of Peril, Book 5 in my Spies of the Civil War Series. This book tells the story of Felicity and Luke, who were courting before the war began. She volunteers as a nurse to distract herself from her worry about her soldier—then her worst nightmare happens. Luke has been wounded in battle. Worse, he doesn’t remember her…or why he was fighting for the Confederacy when his loyalty is with the North. It begins in December of 1862. Grant’s Canal worries the Vicksburg citizens in history and in the story.

Sources

Bearss, Edwin C. with Hills, J. Parker. Receding Tide: Vicksburg and Gettysburg, the Campaigns that Changed the Civil War, National Geographic, 2010.

“Grant’s Canal,” National Park Service, 2025/02/09 https://www.nps.gov/vick/learn/historyculture/grants-canal.htm.

A Season at the Grand by Sherri Wilson Johnson

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Book 2 in Romance at the Gilded Ages Resorts

1905, Grand Hotel at Point Clear, Alabama

Photographer Amelia Harris is at the seaside resort on an assignment from her employer. The Photographic Times expected over 2,000 photos of the resort and its elite guests. It would occupy her entire summer.

Titus Overton, the general manager of the Grand Hotel and a bachelor handsome enough to make Amelia’s heartbeat quicken, longs to leave this job behind. His dream job of documenting migratory birds awaited in his future. In his immediate future, he have to avoid matchmaking mamas who pushed their daughters on him. Amelia was different. She catches his attention from the first day.

Her independent spirit, his past grief, and a common enemy bent on revenge threaten to keep them apart. There were lots of twists and turns that kept me turning pages.

I enjoyed this story. I look forward to reading more books in the collection!

Amazon

Roasting and Brewing Fresh Coffee in a Tides of Healing Scene

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by Sandra Merville Hart

The final book in the Spies of the Civil War Series, Tides of Healing, shows that everyone had difficulty adjusting to Union occupation in Vicksburg after surrender.

In an early scene, Southern belle Savannah Adair wants to make coffee for the wounded men convalescing in her parlor. The feisty young woman, who has never even boiled an egg, makes a watered-down flavorless beverage unrecognizable as coffee. That prompts one of the wounded soldiers to demonstrate how to roast and brew the coffee.

It’s a lighthearted scene in the midst of one challenge after another.

But how many modern coffee drinkers would do any better when faced with handfuls of raw coffee beans?

The authors of an 1877 cookbook urged readers to buy raw coffee grains or small amounts of freshly roasted beans. They preferred Mocha and Java or a mix of the two flavors.

Place washed raw coffee beans in a skillet. Begin by roasting them in a moderate oven (probably about 350 degrees) and then increase temperature so they roast quickly, stirring often. The beans are ready when tender, brittle, and a rich dark brown color. Test for doneness by pressing one bean with your thumb—it will crumble if done.

Coffee beans can also be roasted on a stove burner but make sure to stir constantly.

Add a lump of butter to the hot, roasted beans or let them cool and stir in a beaten egg white. This clarifies the coffee beans.

Simmer a few minutes and then strain the beans.

Grind roasted coffee beans. Many people owned coffee grinders similar to the one in the photo. Turning the crank grinds the roasted beans. The grounds are collected in the drawer beneath the grinder. Some grinders attached to the wall.

Allow one heaping tablespoon of ground coffee per person and add “one for the pot.” Mix the grounds with an egg (part or all of the egg) with enough cold water to moisten it thoroughly.

Boil a pint of water per person less one pint. For example, if ten people are drinking coffee, use nine pints. (If you find this confusing, read the original recipe!)

Place the prepared coffee grounds into “a well-scalded coffee-boiler.” Then add half the boiling water to the coffee pot.

Stop up the spout with a rolled-up cloth to lock in the flavor. Boil for five minutes “rather fast,” stirring as the mixture boils up. Then simmer for ten to fifteen minutes.

Add the remaining boiled water to the coffee when time to serve.

Store the unused roasted coffee beans in a tightly-closed tin.

Read Tides of Healing to discover how they fare with coffee making and so many other challenges following the city’s surrender.

Amazon

Sources

Compiled from Original Recipes. Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping, Applewood Books, 2011.

His Grace’s Governess by Jackie Killelea

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Saving the Spinsters, Book 1

Eleanor Clairbridge has no choice but to take a job as governess to support her widowed mother and herself. She puts any hope of a husband and family and travels to accept a position at the Duke of Albemarle’s estate.

Edmund Colhampton, the Duke of Albemarle, has shielded his heart from loving anyone new since the death of his family. His sweet niece Rosie is all that’s left of his family. He certainly doesn’t expect to fall in love with Rosie’s governess.

The characters in this story tugged at my heart. The growing love between the hero and the heroine has many obstacles. I especially loved the little girl, who had lost her parents while still an infant. Eleanor’s mother’s strength of character was inspiring.

I enjoyed this story by this author and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I received a copy of the book from the author or publisher and was not required to leave a positive review. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Announcing the Release of Tides of Healing!

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by Sandra Merville Hart

It’s Release Day for Tides of Healing!

Savannah’s and Travis’s story is the sixth and final book in the Spies of the Civil War Series. While writing it, I felt as if I’d written the entire series to tell this story—and reading each book in order will give readers the greatest impact.

Readers often wonder what inspired a book or series. The inspiration for Books 4-6, set in Vicksburg, has been a long time in the making. Huge, important battles in Gettysburg and Vicksburg ended in a Northern victory on the same day. I had studied the Battle of Gettysburg before writing A Rebel in My House.

A few years later, the Battle of Vicksburg captured my imagination.

The Confederate army lost both its army and the city at the Civil War Battle of Vicksburg. They surrendered on July 4, 1863. I learned that Vicksburg citizens didn’t celebrate Independence Day for about one hundred years.

What made that experience so terrible that the city couldn’t celebrate the independence of the United States for a century?

I had to discover what those citizens endured. It took three books to write their story. From 1861-1863, through mainly fictional—and a few historical—characters, Books 4 – 6 transport readers to a small Southern city on a bluff beside the Mississippi River, one that the Union was as determined to conquer as the Confederacy was to protect.  

I visited Vicksburg twice to discover its Civil War history. The battlefield there is beautifully maintained and well worth a visit!

Here’s the back cover blurb:

A Southern belle fights to reclaim her home, but will her spying destroy the Union officer she never meant to love? 

Savannah Adair has endured the unimaginable, hiding in a cave while her beloved Vicksburg was under siege. With the city now occupied by Union soldiers, Savannah cannot stand by and do nothing. So when one of the gaunt, half-starved Confederate prisoners asks her to spy for the South, she can’t refuse the chance to take back her home. 

First Lieutenant Travis Lawson takes pride in the Union army’s hard-fought victory, but he quickly realizes that the challenges of rebuilding and reconciliation are just beginning . . . and not everyone is appreciative of changes he’s making. Namely, the fiery and alluring Savannah Adair. Despite their differing loyalties and the societal divide between them, Travis cannot deny the growing feelings he has for her. When he is tasked with finding Southern spies in Vicksburg and he captures a female spy, Travis is forced to consider that the woman he’s beginning to love may be the enemy. 

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Exploring the St. Lawrence River’s Rock Island Lighthouse

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I’m thrilled that fellow author and friend, Susan G. Mathis, is with us today. Susan is sharing historical background for her latest release, Emma’s Engagement. Welcome back to Historical Nibbles, Susan!

by Susan G Mathis

Nestled in the picturesque Thousand Islands, Rock Island Lighthouse stands as a historic lighthouse. Located near Fisher’s Landing, New York, the lighthouse has guided vessels through the St. Lawrence River since its construction in 1847. Though modern technology has replaced its traditional purpose, the lighthouse remains a symbol of resilience and dedication.

One of the most memorable stewards of this historic beacon is Michael Diepolder, who served as a lightkeeper during its operational years, the hero of my story and husband of Emma. Diepolder’s commitment to the lighthouse exemplifies the unwavering dedication required of keepers, often living in isolation and braving harsh winters, stormy waters, and the solitude of island life along with his wife. His vigilance ensured that mariners could safely navigate the treacherous currents and rocky shoals surrounding the islands.

Today, Rock Island Lighthouse is a popular tourist destination managed by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. Visitors can climb its spiral staircase for breathtaking views, explore the renovated keeper’s quarters, and learn about the lives of those, like Diepolder, who maintained the light. The museum showcases artifacts and stories that bring history to life, allowing guests to appreciate the challenges and triumphs of lighthouse keepers.

For those who cherish history, faith, and the beauty of nature, Rock Island Lighthouse is more than a landmark—it’s a window into the past. The legacy of keepers like Michael Diepolder serves as an inspiring reminder of dedication, perseverance, and the human spirit’s ability to overcome adversity.

Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply seeking a scenic adventure, the story of Emma’s Engagement and a visit to Rock Island Lighthouse offers an unforgettable glimpse into the maritime heritage of the Thousand Islands.

About Emma’s Engagement (100 WORDS)

Emma Row marries the Rock Island Lightkeeper, but navigating the treacherous waters of isolation and the bitter rejection of her new stepdaughter, Ada, isn’t easy. Michael Diepolder, the widowed lightkeeper, realizes that the path to happiness is far more turbulent than he ever anticipated. As a storm brews on the horizon, Emma and Michael must confront the tempestuous waves of doubt, jealousy, and isolation that threaten to extinguish the light of their love. Can they weather the storm and find the strength to keep their family together, or will the darkness consume them all?

Amazon

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than thirty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has fourteen in her fiction line including Emma’s Engagement. Find out more at www.SusanGMathis.com.

Worth Fighting For by Pegg Thomas

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Part of: Christian Historical Romance Novellas

With her husky brothers scaring off any man coming near, Meg McCracken despairs of finding a husband. But now she has a new fear. Trouble is brewing in the Colonies. Her father and brothers plan to fight on the side of the Patriots but plenty of folks in Philadelphia are loyal to the Great Britain—Loyalists. 

Alexander Ogilvie isn’t looking to remain a blacksmith like his pa and brothers. His plans to forge a trail Westward are misunderstood as cowardice by his family…and by Meg.

The characters in this story tugged at my heart. Their love story kept me turning pages to glimpse those turbulent days leading up to the American Revolution. I felt the fear and tension as if I were there.

I’ve read several books by this author and will look for more. Recommend!

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