Blueprint for Love by Penny Zeller Review

 

Blueprint for Love by Penny Zeller is the third book in the Small Town Shenanigans series. And it might just be my favorite. I loved being able to revisit the small town of Cloverdale Falls and meet up with old friends while getting to know Jeanette and Cameron.

Jeanette, our FMC, is an interior designer who is in town to turn the attic of the bed and breakfast into a suite. She had fallen in love with the town when she had visited in the past. She is looking forward to the challenge of this job and excited for the step up it could give her in her career. However, she was not expecting to go head-to-head with the contractor, our MMC. They get off on the wrong foot when she first arrives in town, and things just get more tense from there. Her vision of how to renovate the attic keeps clashing with his ideas. They resort to betting on whose ideas will be preferred by the owner and then the winner choosing something the loser has to do. 

There are some hilarious consequences and some heartwarming moments as the pair realizes they may just not be completely annoyed with each other. Perhaps there are some feelings developing. Which isn't the greatest idea, seeing as she will be headed back to Florida after the jobs are complete. How will this relationship be able to develop? I really wanted to know how the author was going to make this work. I mean, it is a romance after all.

I loved the way that God was working in their lives as they leaned on him with their concerns. Jeanette with her career and Cameron is struggling because of the health of his father and the way it is impacting his family.  Prayer is an important part of their lives, not just in these circumstances, but you could tell they have a strong relationship with their Lord. I loved seeing a strong church family that came to the aid of those in need, in multiple circumstances.

And yes, I was thrilled to get to see Maeve and Beulah again, along with the newest member of the CFI (Cloverdale Falls Investigations), Nyla. In the midst of the home renovations, there are also small mysteries to solve, and our main characters may end up getting roped into things they would have preferred not to be doing. 

And oh my goodness, I just loved the way animals were included in this story. Especially Francesca, Jeanette's doggie, and Henrietta the chicken. Some fun and hilarious moments ensued.

If you are a fan of rivals to more rom-coms set in small communities, you will want to check out this book. In fact, you'll want to read the entire series. And yes, you will want to read them in order to avoid relationship spoilers as the main characters from the first two books are a part of the story.

I received an e-copy of this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - May 22, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with three different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, and First Line Friday.

This week I have two books to share with you.

I'm reading The Liar's Treasure by Connie Mann. This is the second book in the Speranza Team series.

I'm also starting Skeletons We Find by Chelsea Michelle, the newest book in the Watson Twins series which releases next month. This one is the second full-length novel mystery, there are also three mini mysteries/novellas, plus one releasing this fall. 

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selections:

 The Liar's Treasure by Connie Mann:

"Cira tried to keep her balance on the rocking wooden deck of the Bartholomew, head down in seeming defeat, watching through hanks of her wet hair as the pirates pawed through the passengers' trunks, flinging belongings overboard."

Being boarded by pirates, definitely not something you would want to happen when on a voyage in the 1700s. I did notice it says "seeming defeat," so I wondered what might be going on in Cira's mind.

Skeletons We Find by Chelsea Michelle:

"A chill ran down my spine."

I wondered why. What was going on now.

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is normally hosted over at Freda's Voice. But Anne from My Head is Full of Books is taking over for a while. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections:

The Liar's Treasure by Connie Mann:

"Father, protect us both.

The front door of the cottage stood open. She surveyed the area as she slowly climbed up the sagging steps. Weapon in hand, she poked her head inside the living room, poised to run. 'Hello? Is anyone here?'

A shiver of foreboding slid over her skin and she spun around, ready to run back to the car. 

Too late. A hand clapped over her mouth and nose and another grabbed her around her waist."

Skeletons We Find by Chelsea Michelle:

"I smiled, laying a hand over Greg's. 'Sorry for the nosy questions. We love mysteries and watch them all the time at home. Hearing you speak with confusion just lights that curiosity fire, and we can't help wanting to solve something that doesn't even need to be solved.'

Greg turned his hand over and gave my hand a squeeze before we separated again.

And this was why you never trust a lawyer. The man was slick!"

Reviews:

Last week I shared one book in my Friday Fun post. Here is the review.

Silent Menace by Angela Carlisle

Two weeks ago I shared two books in my Friday Fun. I already shared the review for the one book, here is the link for the other.

On the Fence About You by Emily Conrad

Silent Menace by Angela Carlisle Review

 

Silent Menace is another awesome, un-put-downable, Christian romantic suspense book from Angela Carlisle. I've loved all the books in this series. As with the other two, there is on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense, along with awesome twists, sweet romance, and lives being lived out for the Lord. 

As I like to do, I will warn you, if you are like me and don't like relationship spoilers, make sure to read the first two books before starting this book. And also, there will be some mentions in my review that could be spoilerish for the first two books, so you may want to wait to read my review until after you read those books.

You've been warned.

I loved revisiting the small town of Kincaid and getting reacquainted with old friends. Both of the main characters in this book were introduced previously. I admit I didn't realize that I'd met the MMC before, seeing as it has been a while since I read book one, Secondary Target. Let's just say, I was glad to meet up with Peter again and get to know him better. Plus we had met the FMC, Hailey, previously and she is related to some of the other characters. 

Poor Hailey has been dealing with a lot since her husband died, leaving her a single mother trying to make a living as a CPA in a town that she feels doesn't trust her or want her around anymore because of her husband's illegal dealings. She meets Peter, who is working as a security guard in the building where she works, after her car is vandalized and she goes to him for help. What neither of them realize is the connection that each of them have to people the other knows. Which I thought was sort of cool, and couldn't wait for the realization to hit.

Hailey ends up in charge of an important company's finances after the previous CPA passes away. She doesn't realize this prestigious account is going to cause her so much trouble. The danger gets more and more intense as the story progresses, making it clear to both Hailey and Peter that her life is in danger. And Hailey doesn't just have herself to worry about as she also fears that her daughter Jenna will end up in the line of fire. 

Will they be able to figure out exactly who has her in the crosshairs before it is too late? Will they realize why someone (or is it multiple "someones") is after her?

As the reader we have a bit of knowledge right from the prologue, though it isn't quite clear who exactly is attacking her because there are other suspects and I definitely had some suspicions about a certain co-worker. I will admit, when the truth came out, it wasn't quite what I was expecting. 

I absolutely loved getting caught up with Corina and Bryce, and Allye and Eric. Getting to see how there lives are going. I loved that they were a part of the story as opposed to just having a small mention. 

And I loved seeing the characters leaning on the Lord and being in prayer and seeking His will. Loved seeing them work through what they are dealing with with His help.

So, yes, I absolutely LOVED this story and highly recommend it. While the story itself is standalone as is each of the other books, and there are no cliffhangers or anything, knowing what happened in each of the previous books really does help you understand what is happening in this book and makes things more meaningful. 

I received an ARC of this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

On the Fence About You by Emily Conrad Review

 

On the Fence About You by Emily Conrad is a great start to her Chimney Creek Romance series. We are introduced to Hale and Morgan when Hale's dog invades Morgan's yard by jumping the fence and getting tangled up on her grill. Hale had just moved in to town and we discover that he is looking for a place to find peace. Yet from the get-go he gets antagonism. Not only is Morgan judgmental of his ability to care for his dog Dax, Hale realizes that she doesn't recognize him, even though he realizes that she is his childhood best friend. 

I love that the book is centered around these two old friends who are now sort of enemies. I also love that they are both vets. Hale is a veteran and Morgan is a veterinarian. The main thing they have in common is that they both care about the future of the animal shelter. A future that is up in the air due to a lack of finances. Even though this is something that unites them, it also brings about more tension because Morgan doesn't like having her plans changed. Let me tell you, I could relate to Morgan in that. I loved seeing their relationship evolve as they worked together for a common goal. But they do have a lot they need to work through. 

I love how the town rallies in the face of disaster. I'm a huge fan of small towns and how close-knit they can be. Though we do also see the downfalls of small towns when we see how easy it is for one person to turn so many against another person. 

Faith is an important part of these characters' lives and we see them learn to rely on God and realize that their own understanding isn't something they should be leaning on. Psalm 23 plays an integral role as well. 

I also have to say that I absolutely loved the animal characters in this book. There are some hijinks and some serious scenes and I loved seeing Hale work with a dog that appeared to have been abused.  

I admit that there were a couple of things that I was hoping to see happen that didn't, but that didn't change how I feel about the book. And I have to say, that epilogue was perfection. 

I can't wait for more of this series. And now I have a bunch of the author's previous books to go read, especially because I learned that their was a cameo by a character from an earlier book. So, I have to go see if I can figure out who it was and learn that person's story. 

I highly recommend this book. 

I received an e-copy of this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - May 15, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with three different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, and First Line Friday.

This week I have one book to share with you.

I'm reading Silent Menace by Angela Carlisle. This is the third book in The Secrets of Kincaid series.

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here is my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selection:

 Silent Menace by Angela Carlisle:

"It's so hot in here."

Why is it so hot. Where is this person? I wasn't sure who exactly it was because this was from the prologue.

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is normally hosted over at Freda's Voice. But Anne from My Head is Full of Books is taking over for a while. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here is my Friday 56 selection:

Silent Menace by Angela Carlisle:

"'You need to back off, Oscar.' Hailey placed a protective hand on the grocery cart and raised her voice to be heard over his tirade. She tried to look around him to see if anyone was near enough to intervene, but he stood so close he blocked her view as well as any escape.

He leaned in and pointed a thick finger at her. 'You should have left town when your no-good husband died.' He threw in a couple more vulgar words for good measure."

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday fun post. I am still reading the one book, but I did finish the other. Here is the review.

Rebuilder by Megan Schaulis

Rebuilder by Megan Schaulis Review

 

Rebuilder is another awesome book in the Susa Chronicles series by Megan Schaulis. I was so excited when I learned this book was going to be released, because I thought the Susa Chronicles had ended and I had wanted to continue in this world so bad. This sequel focuses on Hatch, the heartbroken (plus body and spirit broken) friend of Novalise from the original duology. If you haven't read Protector and Proclaimer you'll want to make sure to do that, but know that there will be some spoilers to those books in my review.

You've been warned.

Hatch was in love with Novalise, the woman who was also an Alphanite spy in the palace in Susa. However, he never had a chance to tell her, and she fell in love with King Zadien and became queen. In this sequel, Hatch is barely holding himself together. He is honored with the position of governor of the island of Evania which he gladly accepts so he can distance himself from Novalise and Zadien. 

However, when he arrives, he discovers that the island is in danger of sinking and there is an enemy that is threatening them. 

Myah is the former governor's daughter and is not at all pleased that a mainlander, one who comes from the king of Susa, has come to take on the role of governor. 

There is a lot that needs to be figured out to save this island paradise, and Hatch and Myah need to learn to work together, but more importantly they need to learn to trust in God, or Alpha as He is called in this series. 

I loved this island setting and being able to get a small update of the lives of Novalise and Zadien. However, this book focuses on Hatch and Myah and the people on the island. I loved seeing even more of the future-y tech that is present in this future, dystopian version of our world. 

Faith is such an important part of this series. From the original duology where the characters had to hide their true allegiance while still relying on God, to this book where they are free to live out their lives as Alphanites. Here we see characters needing God's help to work through their pain and learn to trust him with their whole heart, abiding in him, relying on Him, even beyond their own understanding. I loved seeing their faith grow as they humbled themselves. Learning to go forward in faith a step at a time. Especially because what I was reading went along so well with the two Bible studies I am reading. Sure seemed like God's timing for me to be reading this book.

I highly recommend this book. Just make sure to read Protector and Proclaimer first.

I received an e-copy of this book as a member of the review team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - May 8, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with three different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, and First Line Friday.

This week I have two books to share with you.

I'm reading Rebuilder by Megan Schaulis. This book is a sequel to the Susa Chronicles.

I'm also starting an ARC of the newest book by Emily Conrad, On the Fence About You. This book releases next week.

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selections:

 Rebuilder by Megan Schaulis:

"I am a tree."

Well, that was, um, confusing.

Here are the first several lines:

"I am a tree.

I am a tree with deep roots.

I am a tree with deep, sturdy roots. I can bend and not break.

Mental picture in focus, I allow the music and chatter of the party to melt into the mountainside."

So, there is a reason he is forming this mental picture. Having read the first two books, I had a feeling I knew why he needed this strength.

On the Fence About You by Emily Conrad:

"The barking reached a fever pitch that echoed through the lush peace of early summer in Chimney Creek, Wisconsin."

I was concerned why there was so much barking. Was there a dog, or dogs, being neglected. I needed to find out what was going on.

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is normally hosted over at Freda's Voice. But Anne from My Head is Full of Books is taking over for a while. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections:

Rebuilder by Megan Schaulis:

"My room is gone.

I gulp in breath after breath and ignore pricks of pain on my hands, arms, back, face . . .  Gone. 

Where the governor's bedchamber should be, the sliver of moon illuminates a massive sand-filled trench with chunks of broken furniture peeking through the rubble. My few possessions are somewhere in that pile - a couple sets of clothes, my new Solblok. My crutches."

On the Fence About You by Emily Conrad:

"Dax's nails clicked on the concrete and his tags rattled, but she couldn't hear his owner. Maybe Edie and Eileen had a point about Hale's ability to move quietly. 

She plunged her hands into the box and unburied a stack of matching plates. She fished around, feeling for smaller objects that may have been stacked in the surrounding space. 

Hale's voice came quiet and low. 'I can't believe she's gone.'"

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday fun post. I am still reading the one book, but I did finish the other. Here is the review.

The Escape Game by Gina Holder