I enjoy well-made leather products. A good quality leather will last a long time. Good leather will age with even more beauty over time. 

Recently, I have been sporting a Lanita Small Crossbody from Saddleback Leather. This particular design will fit well with a pair of jeans, work attire, or a night out.

Saddleback Leather was founded by Dave Munson. He wanted a good-looking and well-made leather bag that would last. His philosophy of creating heirloom-quality pieces that will outlive you! Depending on what you are buying, the majority of their bags have a 100-year warranty. The Love 41 products are covered by a 41-year warranty.

Lanita Small Crossbody is a full-grain leather bag. The leather is stiffer. Beautiful brass hardware and a Spanish zipper. There are two inside pockets with zippers. An adjustable strap that can be removed. The strap will adjust from 36.25” to a max of 63.25”. You can choose from three colors: black, chestnut, and dark coffee. I have the chestnut color.

I personally love the beautiful design on the purse. The colors are bright and make a statement. It has a Native American design. The design and feel of it remind me of an authentic Indian blanket my in-laws have. I love the brass studs that complement the design. It’s beautifully crafted.

You can fit a small wallet, phone, keys, and other essentials that we ladies like to carry around. This is the smaller bag. If you prefer more space, you have plenty to choose from. It is available in a medium, tote bag, clutch, and backpack. You can also add a matching wallet to complement it.

Saddleback Leather has a large selection to choose from: briefcases, travel bags, backpacks, purses, footwear, wallets, belts, notebooks, and even a cute leather teddy bear. Basically,  there is something for every budget. If you need a gift for someone special or just something for yourself, you can easily find something at Saddleback Leather. Gift cards are also available. Check out the selections yourself. 

Saddleback Leather also supports ministry. Their Love 41 gives to Africa New Life Ministries. Your purchase helps support orphans and street kids in Rwanda, and other ministries in Africa and Mexico.

Saddleback Leather is impressive. If you're interested to learn more about their backstory, you can read about it here.

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#hanukkahgift #ChristmasGift #SaddlebackLeather #LeatherBag 

Disclosure:  I received this complimentary product through FrontGate Blogger

Dr. Bhullar went against the mainstream veterinarian establishments. He created a low-cost clinic in Vancouver. Dr. Bhullar is an Indo-Canadian veterinarian who experienced racism.   

The low-cost clinic upset many other veterinarians in the area, who charged significantly higher prices and felt the impact on their practices due to Dr. Bhullar’s clinic. The effect of his clinic caused a lot of trouble with other veterinarians in the area. The British Columbia Veterinary Medical Association targeted him and other Indo-Canadian vets. There was a lot of racism, and this dragged on for years of long trials.

It's unthinkable that all the lies and false evidence that were planted against him and the vets in his practice. He did nothing wrong and just wanted to help animals get the care they needed. Even though he did nothing wrong, they revoked his license to practice. Dr. Bhullar refused to stand down despite the 2 million-dollar cost of attorneys and other financial and mental hardship it brought on him and his family.

The book was slow-paced, but it was intriguing and inspiring. The discrimination is sickening. I volunteer in shelters and foster animals, and I see the ugly impact that the cost of medical care has on animals. The shelters pay a high price for those sick animals that could have been a simple fix if they would have taken the animals to the vet. Yet, I understand that the cost is high and people struggle to care for their animals. I have several special needs animals in my care. Stories like this always make me wonder what I would do in this situation. It takes courage, faith, and passion to take on an establishment. 

Details about the book: A true David and Goliath story—of courage, conviction, and the fight for justice:

 https://drbhullarvet.com/ 

You can purchase the book: https://amzn.to/49fd0vR

Disclosure:  I received this complimentary product through FrontGate Blogger

#theunderedog #pets #animallover #justiceforall 

 

About the Book

Book: A Hidden Hope

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Genre: Amish Fiction

Release Date: October 7, 2025

Supervising two newly minted medical residents might be the toughest challenge Ruth “Dok” Stoltzfus has ever faced. Wren Baker, sharp and ambitious, graduated at the top of medical school with a hidden agenda in tow. Charlie King, at the bottom of the class, is determined to succeed–though Dok isn’t convinced he’s got what it takes. Then there’s traveling nurse Evie Miller, whose quiet love for Charlie doesn’t go unnoticed, especially by Wren.

Boarding at Windmill Farm, the trio struggles to balance modern medicine with plain living. Between medical emergencies, cultural misunderstandings, and brewing romantic tensions, Dok finds herself juggling far more than she bargained for. Soon the stage is set in the small Amish community of Stoney Ridge for plenty of professional and personal complications.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 My Review:

I was happy to return to Stoney Ridge and get caught up with Dok, Annie, and other characters. A few new characters as well.

Doc’s medical practice has kept her busier than ever. The doctor receives two residents and one traveling nurse. It came as a last-minute surprise because she forgot about the program.  Doc, being so busy, didn’t get around to reading the paperwork.  She had to scramble to find them a place to stay and other fine details of the program at the last minute.

Doc isn't sure how to fit the three into her practice. She is always on the go, and the worry of her Amish clients accepting outsiders.

Wren is smart and out of place in a rural practice. She has another agenda while in Stoney Ridge. Charlie, eager but lacking confidence. He is a hard worker and will gladly lend his carpentry skills. Evie, the traveling nurse, seems like a perfect fit with her family history in the Mennonite culture. She genuinely cares and relates to her patients. She is also head over heels with Charlie. She is only scheduled to be with Doc for a short time.

Annie is still working towards completing her EMT training, but hits a big obstacle that could derail all her hard work.

Other characters are woven into the story, both familiar and new ones.

I hope we can continue to see many more stories in Stoney Ridge. There is a whole town to explore, and I can’t help not feel invested in the stories and all the characters.

I highly recommend this lovely, heartfelt, inspirational romance.

 Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through Celebrate Lit Bloggers in exchange for my honest thoughts.

 

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a Christy finalist, a Carol and Selah winner, a two-time ECPA Book of the Year finalist, and Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestselling author of more than forty books. Her genres include contemporary and historical romances and Amish fiction. Suzanne and her husband live in a small town in northern California. Most friends act a little nervous around her because they usually wind up in one of her novels. She has four grown children and enough grandchildren to keep her young.

 

More from Suzanne

The Kitchen Garden by Suzanne Woods Fisher

“Gardening is a way of showing that you believe in tomorrow.” Amish proverb

Whenever I visit my Amish friends, I always make a point of wandering out to their vegetable gardens to see what’s growing. Their gardens, usually not far from the kitchen, are bigger than most people’s backyards. Gardens, for the Amish, are a family affair. Husbands help their wives ready the soil and add the homebrewed fertilizer (ahem, manure), children help their moms plant, weed, and harvest.

Like so many parts of the Plain life, their value of the home garden—for the sake of nutrition, for sustenance, for well-being—is a wonderful example to those of us who weren’t farm-raised. They’ve been living a sustainable life filled with fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables for over four hundred years. The rest of us are just catching on.

One Amish mom told me a story about her daughter, the youngest of seven. “This girl was a born worrier. Whenever she started on her worry loop, I would send her out to weed in the garden. When she came back in, her worries were gone. There’s just something about weeding that helps a soul settle down.”

I could expand that thought a little further. There’s just something about gardening that helps a soul settle down.

So, it’s late on Saturday and I just wrapped up a very long week. I spoke at three book events and finished the first draft (the drafty-draft) of a novel. I can’t stop thinking about the novel. Is it a mess? As tired as I am, tonight I don’t think I’ve got one more word in me—not to speak, not to write. I’m spent! Done. My husband is out for the evening, so I had a few hours alone at home to relax.

What did I do?

I planted in my garden: lettuce and radishes and carrots. As I dug in the spongy soil, I could feel my soul settle. Worry and exhaustion slipped away as I scattered seeds into furrows. Little by little, that wonderful God-given sense of re-creation returned. Tomorrow, I would write again. Time spent in my little garden does that for me. It renews me and gives me a hope for the future.

Or, at the very least, a good salad.

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

On a sunny July morning, we were served this breakfast dish at an Amish friend’s home and my husband couldn’t stop talking about it. You might be shocked at the amount of eggs, but don’t skimp! It’s worth every bite.

12 slices bread cut in 1” cubes

8 oz. cream cheese cut in ¾” cubes

1 ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

12 eggs

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 cups milk

Place half the bread cubes in a 9×13 baking dish. Top with cream cheese blueberries and the remaining bread. Beat eggs, syrup and milk and pour evenly over bread.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until well done.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 7

The Avid Reader, October 7

Maureen’s Musings, October 8

Life on Chickadee Lane, October 8

Simple Harvest Reads, October 9 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 10

Devoted To Hope, October 10

lakesidelivingsite, October 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 12

Jeanette’s Thoughts, October 13

Mary Hake, October 13

She Lives To Read, October 14

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 15

Empowermoms, October 15

Texas Book-aholic, October 16

Blossom and Blessings, October 16

Vicky Sluiter, October 17

Little Homeschool on the Prairie , October 17

For Him and My Family, October 18

Holly’s Book Corner, October 18

Cover Lover Book Review, October 19

Blogging With Carol, October 20

Southern Gal Loves to Read, October 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/3d270/a-hidden-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: The Engineered Engagement

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

A hidden genius, an ambitious shipbuilder, and a daring deception—can she prove her worth without losing her heart?

Eli Kennebrae plans to revolutionize cargo transportation on the Great Lakes. But his grandfather’s meddling obligates him to an arranged engagement. Though Josie Zahn is kindhearted and strikes his interest, Eli needs an engineer for his ship, not a fiancée.

Josie has admired Eli for years, but to him, she’s just “one of the Zahn girls.” Worse, society expects her to marry, not pursue her passion for mathematics and engineering. If she could only get Eli’s attention, she could help him achieve his goals.

Then “Professor Josephson,” a brilliant mathematical mind, provides the analyses to make Eli’s ship design a reality. As Eli finds unexpected kinship in the professor’s work, he remains unaware of the truth—Josie is the genius behind the numbers. When deception and ambition collide, will Eli see Josie for who she truly is before it’s too late?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

This is the third book in the “Brides of the West” series from Erica Vetsch. All the books in this series stand alone. You will miss getting reacquainted with characters from the other books if you haven’t read the other two.

 

The books center around the Kennebrae brothers. Which is unique as most novels are centered around sisters or a group of ladies. Each brother is unique and a man of character. A bit stubborn at times.

 

Josephine (Josie) Zahn is a genius in math and engineering. Her tutor taught her skills that women of her era wouldn’t do. He found that she was gifted. She desires to seek higher education in both fields. Her father refuses, as women don’t do that, but are expected to get married, raise a family, and keep the house in order.

 

Eli Kennebra is arranged to get married to Josie. He is a shipbuilder. Both families are wealthy, and their marriage is for business and status. Josie has had affections for Eli since she was a young girl. Eli doesn’t know that. Eli is more interested in building ships and not the entanglement of a woman.

 

I loved Josie & Eli. This has been my favorite book in this series. The plot had so many twists & turns, hidden identity, faith, and an engagement. I enjoyed the surprises, even though you knew in the end the main characters would fall in love.

 

I enjoyed the historical aspects of the era in the stories. For a short novel, the author does a fantastic job bringing the story together. I just wish we had more Kennebra brothers!

 

I highly recommend this lovely, heartfelt, inspirational romance.

 Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through Celebrate Lit Bloggers in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

About the Author

Best-selling, award-winning author of The Debutante’s Code, first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series, Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum.

 

More from Erica

One of the most frequently asked questions an author gets is “Where do your ideas come from?” The truth is…all over! But for me, the main place that story ideas start is in a museum. I see an artifact or object or hear a story as I wander a museum, and I begin to wonder about the people who used the object or survived the events that led to their story being in a museum.

The Engineered Engagement was inspired by a tour of the Great Lakes cargo ship the Meteor. The Meteor is a whaleback and is on display in Superior, WI, just across the harbor from Duluth, MN where the story is set.

I first toured the Meteor when I was eleven years old…awhile ago now. But many years later my husband and I took our kids to tour this amazing piece of engineering. The design, which is characterized by low rounded hulls, decks, and deckhouses looks decidedly odd and different from other ships. This design minimized the wind and water resistance encountered in more traditional hull shapes. The creator/design engineer of the whaleback was a Scotsman named Alexander McDougall who was a ship master and seaman on the Great Lakes.

The first whaleback hit the lakes in 1887, and over the next 11 years, 43 more joined her. One of the largest whalebacks was the steamer named the Frank Rockefeller. This ship was later renamed the SS Meteor. The Meteor hauled iron ore and sand for much of her career, and she is the only whaleback that remains.

As I toured the ship, learning nautical terms and all but feeling the rolling of the deck beneath my feet, I couldn’t help but admire Alexander McDougall for ignoring the critics, the snide remarks, and the jeers that always accompany a design pioneer and creating anyway. Looking for a better way to make something or do a task should be admired. He was tenacious, and I wanted to imbue my characters, Eli Kennebrae and Josie Zahn, with that same tenacity.

The Engineered Engagement involves ship building and hydrodynamics. Now, I know nothing about either of these disciplines, but I did glean some information, hopefully enough to make my characters, Eli and Josie, sound like they do. Ah, the joys of writing fiction! And while Eli and Josie are loaded with brains and tenacity, I also wanted them to have real emotions, to care about each other. One of the joys of writing fiction is getting to live through the eyes/hearts of your characters and feel what they feel. The Engineered Engagement was a joy to write.

If you are interested in Great Lakes shipping, I highly recommend the Duluth Canal Camera, https://www.duluthharborcam.com/p/canal-park-cams.html

And if you are interested in learning more about the SS Meteor, I recommend this site: https://superiorpublicmuseums.org/ss-meteor/

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 20

Worthy2Read, August 20

Melissa’s Bookshelf, August 21

Texas Book-aholic, August 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 22

Devoted To Hope, August 22

Artistic Nobody, August 23 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Simple Harvest Reads, August 23 (Guest Review from Mindy)

For Him and My Family, August 24

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 24

Inkwell Inspirations, August 25

Pens Pages & Pulses, August 25

Stories By Gina, August 26 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 26

She Lives To Read, August 27

Inklings and notions, August 27

Bizwings Book Blog, August 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 28

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, August 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 29

An Author’s Take, August 30

Books Less Travelled, August 30

Book Looks by Lisa, August 31

Blossoms and Blessings, August 31

Holly’s Book Corner, September 1

Pause for Tales, September 1

Devoted Steps, September 2

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Erica is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54282

 

About the Book

Book: The Marriage Masquerade

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

A disgraced captain and a runaway heiress—hiding from the past and bound by fate—will their marriage masquerade lead to true love?

Noah Kennebrae, disgraced ship captain, has escaped to a remote lighthouse to avoid his grandfather’s schemes and the ghosts that haunt him. Taking a job under an assumed name, he’s determined to start over—until he meets Annie Fairfax. The feisty housekeeper’s warmth and spirit captivate him, and he falls for her despite his best efforts. But he’s keeping secrets that could destroy her trust…and his chance at redemption.

Desperate to escape the calculating grasp of her father, Anastasia “Annie” Michaels flees home to become the unlikely housekeeper on an isolated island. Working incognito at the lighthouse, she finds solace in her newfound independence and unexpected friendship with Nick. However, as their relationship deepens, Annie’s fear of abandonment resurfaces when she learns the truth Nick has been hiding.

Caught in a marriage masquerade of their own making, Noah and Annie must navigate secrets, lies, and painful pasts in hopes of a future together.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

This is the second book in the “Brides of the West” series from Erica Vetsch. All the books in this series stand alone.

Caption Noah Kennebrae is grieving from guilt after a terrible accident. None of it was his fault; he couldn’t help but blame himself for the accident. His other problem is that his controlling grandfather has an arranged marriage set up for him. Noah needs to get away, so he changes his name and accepts a job at a lighthouse on an Island on Lake Superior.

There, he meets Annie, a beautiful young woman. Annie, “Anastasi,” overhears her father arranging an engagement for her with someone she doesn’t even know. She decides to run away and finds herself employed as a housekeeper at a remote lighthouse.

The characters drew me in. I was anxious to see how the romance and story developed. The plot was beautifully written in this page turner. Everything flowed naturally in the story. The best part is that what they are running from is the person in front of them.

I highly recommend this lovely, heartfelt, inspirational romance.

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through Celebrate Lit Bloggers in exchange for my honest thoughts.

 

About the Author

Best-selling, award-winning author of The Debutante’s Code, first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series, Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum.

 

More from Erica

I love a hidden identity story! And in the case of The Marriage Masquerade, both the hero AND the heroine are hiding their true identities.

The Marriage Masquerade features Noah, who is running from the guilt of a mistake he feels he made that lost both a Great Lakes ship and several lives. Anastasia Michaels is running away from an arranged marriage.

They both flee to a remote lighthouse on the North Shore of Lake Superior, he as an assistant lighthouse keeper and she as a housekeeper and cook.

The lighthouse in The Marriage Masquerade is based directly upon the Split Rock Lighthouse, one of my favorite places to visit along the North Shore. Situated on a cliff high above the lake, Split Rock is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world.

When I first visited this exquisite place, I fell in love. And when I fall in love with an historical site, I need to know as much of the history of the place as I can. Several of the incidents that occur at the fictional lighthouse in the story come directly from the history of Split Rock.

Filtering liquid mercury, polishing the Fresnel lens, hiding dishes in the oven when the inspector comes, and other happenings in The Marriage Masquerade actually happened in the real lives of the lightkeepers at Split Rock.

Noah and Anastasia’s story is a forced proximity romance, with a dash of hidden identity, redemption, and learning to stand on your own two feet. I hope you’ll enjoy their journey from fearful, guilt-ridden characters to healed through love, confident, and ready to embark on a lifelong journey together.

If you would like to learn more about Split Rock and see glorious photos of this picturesque site, check out: https://www.mnhs.org/splitrock

Blog Stops

Pens Pages & Pulses, August 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 12

She Lives To Read, August 13

Fiction Book Lover, August 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Devoted Steps, August 14

Melissa’s Bookshelf, August 14

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 15

Texas Book-aholic, August 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 17

Devoted To Hope, August 17

For Him and My Family, August 18

Simple Harvest Reads, August 18 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 19

Inklingsandnotions, August 19

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 20

Inkwell Inspirations, August 20

Artistic Nobody, August 21 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Blossoms and Blessings, August 21

Little Homeschool on the prairie, August 22

Vicky Sluiter, August 22

An Author’s Take, August 23

Books Less Travelled, August 23

Holly’s Book Corner, August 24

Pause for Tales, August 24

Jeanette’s Thoughts , August 25

Jodie Wolfe, August 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Erica is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54276

When I was in Israel, one of the most surreal moments was going to the Temple Mount. It’s something I will never forget. We nearly didn’t get to go up there due to the unrest the day before. Baruch HaShem (Praise G-d), we were cleared to go at our scheduled time.

Being able to walk where Yeshua walked and where the Temple once stood left me in tears. I will never forget that moment, standing on the Temple Mount and seeing Jerusalem from there. 

I was humbled to be able to have a piece of the Temple Mount soil to call my own with the Pendant of Eternal Faith. I received both the gold and silver pendants.

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem is one of the world's most sacred sites for many religions and one of the most disputed piece of land on earth. 

In 1999, a construction project was undertaken without the authority of Israel’s Antiquities Law. The soil was carelessly dumped in the Kidron Valley. The dumped soil was later discovered, revealing three thousand years of history from the First and Second Temples. The Temple Mount Sifting Project was created from this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Once the soil has been sifted, the project will be complete. Many artifacts have been found through this effort. You can participate in sifting the soil yourself if you ever visit Israel—you might just uncover a piece of Biblical history!

Pendant of Eternal Faith is available in silver and gold. Each glass capsule contains soil and ash from the destruction of the temples. The chain comes with a lovely lobster clasp that makes it easier to take the necklace on and off. The necklace is solid and doesn't feel cheap for not being gold or sterling silver. Every necklace comes in a velvet bag. Each bottle of Temple Mount soil is numbered and certified by the Temple Mount Sifting Project, the only authorized body verifying its authenticity. It is also signed by leading experts in biblical archaeology to confirm its origin and historical significance.+

The necklaces are beautiful and would make a lovely gift for someone special or just to spoil yourself. 

A QR code is included, allowing you to document your participation in this historical preservation effort. A full colored informational booklet is secured in a beautiful black box. 

There are other items available with the Temple soil to purchase.

You have an opportunity to win a Pendant of Eternal Faith with a Giveaway. 

@templemountsoil #TempleMountSoil #HolyLandArtifacts #PreserveHistory #BiblicalArtifacts

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through FrontGate Blogger.