About the Book

Book: Scandals and Mercies

Author: 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?

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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.

My Thoughts

Michigan was my home during my early childhood years, so it's always fun to read a story set in Michigan.

I enjoyed seeing the faith-growth in both Nora and James. Nora's compassion and desire to help others is encouraging. To see how God bent James' path was a pleasant surprise.

If you enjoy stories with twists and turns, faith and growth, with a touch of mystery and romance, be sure to grab your copy of Scandals and Mercies.

I received a complimentary copy through Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

More from Kathleen

Writing Scandals and Mercies: A Personal Spiritual Journey

By Kathleen Rouser

Scandals and Mercies has been my hardest story to write thus far. It seems that as I work through issues in my life it may come out in my characters. And I can relate to Nora Armstrong, my heroine. I can understand some of her struggles, her tender heart toward the Coping children, and figuring out who she is in Jesus. The challenges I had in writing this book are reflected in the theme which came through as I wrote it—identity in Christ. Then I became more purposeful in exploring the theme. Nora felt alone and had doubts at the beginning, but then she learned what it meant for her to trust in God despite her difficulties.

Though I’d been a believer for nearly forty years when I began writing Scandals and Mercies, I was—and still am—going through some difficult trials that forced me to really think about what my identity in Christ is. Who am I in Him? Will I depend on Jesus through one of the worst trials of my life? Or will I become bitter? I think of when Jesus said some hard things and many of His disciples deserted Him. He said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” And Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Jesus is truly the only One who has the answers, the words of eternal life. Where else would I turn? And when He doesn’t directly answer, especially the way I want, it’s for me to trust in Him.

And it’s also about sharing in the fellowship of His sufferings, not that we can add anything to our salvation, but that trials and suffering are a part of the Christian life, meant to mold us and grow us in our faith. And if we allow it, to be changed more closely into the someone who projects the image of Christ to others. My husband likes to say we are “Jesus with skin on” for each other.

Working through all of that while writing how Nora grew in her faith took a lot of emotional energy, but God strengthened me and I finished her story, while He is still writing mine!