I'm excited to participate in the blog tour for Springtime in Surrey, the first anthology published by Wild Blue Wonder Press, an independent Christian publisher specializing in stories that shine the light of biblical truth amidst the darkness of humanity. Featuring eight stories by eight different authors, this anthology is a sweet, heartwarming collection of novellas, set against the beautiful backdrop of springtime in Surrey, England.
About the Book:
This collection of novellas, set in County Surrey, England, features both historical and contemporary stories by new and old authors!
Springtime in Surrey contains the follow eight novellas:
Jesus, I Am Resting by Faith Blum
An orphaned young woman must fight to survive after WWI breaks out, praying her beau doesn’t die on a foreign battlefield like her father did years ago.
The Cottage on the Hill by Andrea Renee Cox
A former ballerina seeks hope amongst her lost dreams, as a sheep farmer tries to bring her joy.
If I Knew You Were Coming by Bailey Gaines
An exhausted mother balances her duties to both her biological and evacuee children with preparation for an unexpected visit from her soldier husband.
Her Heart’s Home by Grace A. Johnson
A destitute woman is pursued by an unexpected suitor and finds blessings from God in the way she least expected.
The Tussie-Mussie by Katja H. Labonté
A disgraced debutante flees to the country, only to meet a reclusive writer who may change her life forever.
The Odd Duck Society by Rachel Leitch
An insecure university student returns to a tea shop after a mysterious letter summons her there.
Fear Not Tomorrows by Erika Mathews
A hard-working sister-of-seven struggles with contentment as her marriage is postponed by her fiancé’s absence.
Courage to Stay by Kellyn Roth
A young bride chases her husband into the forest to rescue him from himself, which goes about as well as one would expect.
Review
Title: Springtime in Surrey
Author: Wild Blue Wonder Press (publisher)
Genre: Christian Women's Fiction
Rating: 4/5 stars
I wasn’t fond of the protagonist in “Jesus, I Am Resting” by Faith Blum; she came across as quite fickle. It has a great message, though!
I was a bit confused by “The Cottage on the Hill” by Andrea Renee Cox, as I could never quite figure out what time period we were in. But the romance is so sweet, with a couple of interesting plot twists!
“If I Knew You Were Coming” by Bailey Gaines felt so British; you can tell the author’s spent some time in England. I loved the characters in this one!
“Her Heart’s Home” by Grace A. Johnson was so sweet, featuring an older-couple romance that definitely swept me off my feet. The plot twist at the end is perfect .
The mystery part of “The Tussie-Mussie” by Katja Labonté was hard for me to follow, but the character development was fantastic, especially in such a short story! Sherlock Holmes fans will love this one.
“The Odd Duck Society" by Rachel Leitch is the most unique of the collection, and it ended up being my favorite! I love the cast of quirky characters, and though I still have some questions about backstories, it was such an adorable story that I’d love to read again.
“Fear Not Tomorrows” by Erika Mathews comes with a much-needed message of trusting in God. It was hard to feel connected to the characters, but I loved the biblical truths this story teaches.
And finally, “Courage to Stay” by Kellyn Roth is an arranged-marriage romance focusing on the need for extending grace to oneself. (Note: This one features a fade-to-black scene, but it’s definitely appropriate for ages 14+.)
Overall, this is a fantastic debut for Wild Blue Wonder Press’ official launch! All eight authors have done a fantastic job.
Further Info
You can grab your copy of Springtime in Surrey from Amazon here!
You also have the opportunity to enter an amazing giveaway hosted by the authors! There will be TWO winners (one U. S. and one international), and you can enter by simply commenting on the blog posts throughout this tour, subscribing to the authors' newsletters, and following their blogs.
US Prizes
A print copy of Springtime in Surrey, two bookmarks and a quote sticker, a spring-themed mug, a bookish ornament, a spring-themed candle, an inspirational journal, and tea.
International Prizes
An ebook copy of Springtime in Surrey, two bookmarks and a quote sticker, a gift card, an ebook of choice by Erika Mathews, an ebook from the winner’s Amazon wishlist, an exclusive epilogue of The Tussie-Mussie, and a phone wallpaper.
Rules
Entrants must be 18+ or have parental permission to enter. Two winners—one US and one international—will be randomly selected at the end of the giveaway and contacted by email. The winners must be comfortable sharing their shipping addresses. Any and all information provided through the giveaway will be used only for the purposes stated.
ENTER BELOW:
Keep up with all the tour happenings through the schedule below!
Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, July 24th
Kickoff Post at Lilacs & Reveries
Interview with Katja H. Labonté at Sheep Among Wolves
Interview with Faith Blum at Library Lady’s Kid Lit
Launch Announcement at Writing to Inspire
Interview with Rachel Leitch at Words & Wildflowers
Three-Novella Review at Miraculous Homeschool
Tuesday, July 25th (LAUNCH DAY)
Collection Spotlight at Of Blades and Thorns
Collection Spotlight & Single-Novella Review at Review from the Stacks
Collection Review at Emily Yager
Collection Review at The Book Dragon’s Alcove
Collection Review at Story of a Christian Girl
Wednesday, July 26th
Two-Novella Review at H.S. Kylian
Collection Review at Abbigail B.
“Tips from Editing 7 Novellas in a Month,” a Guest Post by Kellyn at Joyfully Natasha
Collection Review at Imperial Scribis
Thursday, July 27th
“Why We Wrote Stories Set in Surrey,” a Guest Post from Kellyn at A Handful of Quietness
Collection Review at Library Lady’s Kid Lit
Collection Spotlight at Kelsey’s Notebook
Single-Novella Review at Vanessa Hall
Interview with Andrea Renee Cox at Story of a Christian Girl
Friday, July 28th
Two-Novella Review at Read Review Rejoice
Collection Spotlight at Writing to Inspire
Collection Review at Graceful Reflections
“Why I Love Writing Women’s Fiction,” a Guest Post from Kellyn at Abbigail B.
Saturday, July 29th
Collection Review at Saraina Whitney
Collection Review & Collection Spotlight at Little Blossoms for Jesus
“Children’s Books I Drew Inspiration From,” a Guest Post from Kellyn at Library Lady’s Kid Lit
Wrapup Post at Lilacs & Reveries