About the Book
Book Title: Scandals and Mercies
Author Name: Kathleen Rouser
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: April 23, 2024
He’s a reporter determined to uncover the truth, but the secrets he finds could crush her family—and their second chance at love.
Taken from her family’s farm to be raised by her wealthy aunt and uncle, Nora Armstrong has accepted that not only will she never realize her dream of becoming a teacher, she’d also rather be a spinster than submit to her cruel aunt’s society selection of a suitable husband. The one man who caught her eye betrayed her best friend. And she’s got enough on her hands, hiding her sister’s shameful secret from her aunt.
When the local home for unwed mothers burns down, the arson investigation brings big-city reporter James Cooper back to Stone Creek—and back into Nora’s life. James also has a meddling aunt who raises more questions than she answers about his past. Not to mention, he can’t figure out why Nora constantly rebuffs him. When his reporting casts aspersions on the local church and lays the blame for the fire and a series of robberies at the wrong feet, he risks losing his new position at the paper.
As they seek to unravel the town’s mystery, rescue endangered mothers and children, and navigate their own family secrets forced to light, James and Nora increasingly turn to each other for help. But can they overcome James’s lack of faith and the disapproval of Nora’s guardians to find a second chance at love?
Book Excerpt
Ian scraped a hand down the side of his face. Seeing his dream that had only recently come to fruition go up in flames couldn’t be easy.
Rose Sinclair, the head nurse of Hope’s Place, coughed and caught her breath. “I salvaged a few blankets. Would you help me distribute them, Sophie?”
Sophie took half of her pile. “Of course, I’m just glad you got out all right.”
James tapped his ever-present pencil on his pad. “Excuse me, Reverend, do you have a few minutes to answer some questions?”
Ian glowered at him. “Why are you still here?”
James clenched his fist around his pencil and drew in a breath. Stay calm. “I’m simply doing my job, Reverend. The people of Stone Creek deserve to know what happened tonight at Hope’s Place.”
“A tragedy happened tonight at Hope’s Place. And right now, these young ladies are suffering. Now, you know as well as I this is a delicate situation. These women don’t want to be named in your story. In fact, I’d like you to leave all of them out of it.” Ian stepped closer, towering over him. He must appear as a knight-in-shining-armor to the handful of unmarried pregnant girls who’d taken shelter in the old farmhouse-turned-mission.
Missed Any Excerpts, Go Here
Excerpt One: https://coverloverbookreview.blogspot.com/2024/05/scandals-and-mercies.html
Excerpt Two: https://lakesidelivingsite.wordpress.com/2024/05/23/scandals-and-mercies-epic-book-launch/
Excerpt Three: https://musingsbymaureen.blogspot.com/2024/05/celebrate-lit-presents-scandals-and_20.html
Excerpt Four: https://moments-of-beauty.blogspot.com/2024/05/epic-book-launch-scandals-and-mercies.html
Excerpt Five: https://www.artistwriterandstudentohmy.com/posts/scandals-and-mercies-epic-book-launch/
Excerpt Seven: https://www.fictionbooklover.com/posts/scandals-and-mercies-epic-book-launch/
About the Author
Kathleen Rouser is a multi-published, award-winning author of historical and contemporary Christian romance. She is a longtime member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of Faith, Hope and Love Christian Writers. She resides in southeast Michigan, a location which she often uses in her novels, with her hero and husband of forty-some years and two sweet cats who found a home in their empty nest.