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Welcome to the Book Bee Blogger's Choice Blog Tour with JustRead Publicity Tours!
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Dear Readers,
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: An Arrival of Hope
Series: Home to Osceola #3
Author: Alena Mentink
Publisher: Independent
Release Date: Feb 25, 2026
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
She’s resigned herself to a quiet life. He buried his heart with his wife. Neither expects redemption to come calling.
Rosalind Durmond still harbors a heart made for storybook romance—she just knows such tales aren’t written for her. She thought she’d traded those dreams for duty when she agreed to care for her aging aunt. But when that aunt sets off for the Nebraska plains to right an old wrong, Rosalind finds herself knee-deep in family strife—and face-to-face with a widowed farmer whose quiet strength stirs hopes she thought long out of reach.
Zane Hoffman’s learned the hard way that happy endings exist only in fairy tales. Since his wife’s death, he’s sworn off risking his heart again. Yet when a red-haired woman with a knack for finding trouble crosses his path, his conscience won’t let him walk away.
As secrets from the past turn dangerous, Rosalind and Zane must fight for survival—and for the fragile love awakening between them.
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EXCERPT:What a fool Rosalind was to always be craving adventure. The Lord had blessed her abundantly right here in Lincoln. She had loving parents, Aunt Myra, and her work with the paper.
She slumped back on her chair and let her pencil fall to the desk. The blessings abounded—so why couldn’t she stifle her craving for an adventure?
She folded her hands and bent forward. A sigh rose from deep inside her, and she whispered, “Lord . . .”
Just like earlier, she faltered for what to say. How could she pray when she failed to understand her own inner workings?
She lifted her shoulders. “Lord, You are the One who has created me, the One who knows me best. Please, remove this adventurous desire from me. Take it completely away. Or—or if not, then bring an adventure. Soon.”
The words sounded far more daring when spoken aloud. Rosalind bit her lip.
But as her pastor had preached that very Sunday, Psalms taught that the Lord knew each thought and intent of the heart. He knew her deepest desires. Her wish for an adventure was no surprise to Him.
She nodded firmly and lifted her face to the cream-and-gold wallpaper on the ceiling. “Either this desire must go away or something must be done. I leave that decision in Your hands, O Lord. You pick which it is to be. Amen.”
Rosalind held her breath. The clock on the mantel ticked out each second with a care and precision that nearly matched Connor’s. The same murmur of voices continued from next door. A log popped in the fire.
She picked up her pencil again and tapped the end against her chin. Well, no adventure awaited today, but she did need to finish the ladies’ column for the paper.
And perhaps by the time she finished that task, she would be reconciled to continuing her life with a dearth of adventure and knights on white horses. She would need to accept it eventually.
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MY REVIEW:
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Filled with faith, family, personal
growth, and humor, this novel is enjoyable in every way . . .
The author has written a well-constructed novel that gives readers an excellent
view of life in the pioneer era on the eastern central prairie of Nebraska in
1881. The plot features elements of romance, mystery, and suspense.
The main character, twenty-six-year old Rosalind Durmond, lives in Lincoln,
Nebraska, with her father, step-mother, and aunt. She struggles with being a
single woman who is above average in height. Mostly importantly, she is
bothered by the fact that most of the women her age are married and starting
their families, and she feels as if she doesn't fit in anywhere.
Rosalind's emotionally-unstable Aunt Myra decides she must return to Osceola to
find the person whom she is certain killed her husband and children in a house
fire a few years earlier. Rosalind agrees to chaperone Myra on the journey.
Farmer Zane Hoffman continues to grieve the loss of his dear wife, Sarah, two
years after her sudden death in a wagon accident. He is committed to raising
their young children, Byron and Audrey, in a home filled with love and faith.
However, he is desperately struggling to keep his heart locked away so he won't
fall in love again . . .
As Rosalind begins spending time with the large extended Hoffman Family as well
as little Byron and Audrey, she starts accepting the fact that maybe someday
she will attain her goal of becoming a wife and mother. Zane's mother,
Florence, is an exceptional matriarch and is generous with her time and efforts
in teaching Rosalind how to be a homemaker. Rosalind learns how to cook, bake,
garden, etc., since she has never been taught those skills in her father's
home.
The final chapters of the book were intense and involved some suspense and
action. The group worked together to solve the house fire mystery, much to the
satisfaction of Myra.
There is so much to enjoy about this plot, but I especially appreciated this
author's ability to share God's Word and His intentions for marriage and
child-rearing with readers.
This book is completely clean in language and content. The faith thread is
deftly woven throughout the entire book.
I received a copy of this book from the author through JustRead Publicity
Tours. All of my opinions shared here are solely my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Alena Mentink is a Nebraska author who enjoys mixing history with fictional characters to create a story for God’s glory. The Midwest claims the number one spot as her favorite setting for her stories where her characters manage to find plenty of trouble to keep them occupied. When she isn’t busy writing, Alena can usually be found somewhere around her family’s farm where she lives with her parents and eight siblings. Find out more about her at her website www.alenamentink.com and sign up for her newsletter to get a free story!
An Arrival of Hope by Alena Mentink
https://alenamentink.com/an-arrival-of-hope/
AUTHOR'S SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Website: https://alenamentink.com/
Newsletter: https://alenamentink.com/free-read-2/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authoralenamentink/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoralenamentink
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21421929.Alena_Mentink
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Alena-Mentink/author/B09PX54Z16
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PURCHASE LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GMYK81GK
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Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a $30 gift card (winner's choice of Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook, or Baker Book House)!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight June 8, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on June 15, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
It truly sounds like a wonderful book.
ReplyDeleteI liked the excerpt.
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful post, June! Thanks so much for collaborating with the author and sharing about this book :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post, June! Thank you so much for choosing to spotlight An Arrival of Hope!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this amazing post.
ReplyDelete