Susan Pope Sloan | Updates

Book Reviews for May 2026

Susan Pope Sloan — Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Here's another final book in a series. Ruth Kyser does a beautiful job of immersing the reader in the modern Scottish landscape and culture. While introducing new characters, she also adds an element of homecoming with frequent appearances from characters in the earlier books. Caution--reading this book may want you to book a flight to Scotland and enjoy the setting for yourself.

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Book Reviews for April 2026

Susan Pope Sloan — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A young woman who is resigned to becoming a spinster librarian in her small town is surprised that a temporary citizen takes an interest in her as well as in the historical library where she works. The newcomer plumbs her knowledge about the area and learns that the town council plans to raze the library to avoid pouring more money into it. In this story, the secondary characters--mostly senior citizens--keep the plot moving forward while the unlikely romance grows between a wanderer and a home-body.

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Book Reviews for March 2026

Susan Pope Sloan — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This story blends several tropes that historical romance readers love--a wounded hero, a marriage of convenience, a woman caring for an abandoned baby, and saving the home from a grasping relative. The secondary characters support the plot without taking it over, and the setting (a failing estate in the post-Civil War South) makes it realistic.

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Book Reviews for February 2026

Susan Pope Sloan — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

An Uncertain Road by Abbey Downey - Historical Romance

This early 20th century romance revolves around the racing world and two characters with divergent opinions about the auto industry. Despite losing her husband during a race, Flora is excited to enter a ten-day race to help boost her brother's career. Close family friend Jensen, however, resists the pull toward a venture he considers dangerous as well as unfitting for a woman, no matter how enticing.

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January 2026 Book Reviews

Susan Pope Sloan — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A Fleeting Shadow by Daniel Zeigler - Historical Fiction/Mystery

I think the men in the group will want to take a look at this book. I've always been interested in the history of Christianity and translations of the gospel, so it appealed to me even without the promise of romance. It's well written and engaging with several plot twists and the mystery of a supposed relic with special properties. This is the second book in Zeigler's Morningstar Chronicles, but I had no trouble following the story line without having read the first book.

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December Book Reviews

Susan Pope Sloan — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Ruby's Christmas Escape by

Lots of nice setting descriptions in this story. Ruby, an orphan who feels unworthy of love, is persuaded to travel West to wed the nephew of her benefactor's friend. Eli is smarting from being hoodwinked by an unscrupulous woman and resists his aunt's push toward Ruby. To Eli's surprise, Ruby arrives amid much hullabaloo, and he bows to his fate. As Eli grows to appreciate Ruby, he worries what she'll do when she learns he never sent for her after all.

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November Book Reviews

Susan Pope Sloan — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A Musician's Heart by Sandra Ardoin

This book offers a refreshing take on the successful musician who must change course when his band breaks up, Instead of returning to his home, however, Kyle Callahan lands in a small town where he encounters JoElla Ledbetter, a dream from the past. JoElla's past experiences with musicians keep her from moving forward with Kyle. The secondary characters help to drive the action in this story, and emotional pull keeps the reader engaged.

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October 2025 Book Reviews

Susan Pope Sloan — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Etta Lures the Lumberjack by Marisa Masterson focuses on a married couple living apart. Etta Larsen has learned to take care of herself since her husband of two decades abandoned her. Erik sometimes sends money from his work as a lumberjack, but then Etta is told he drowned in an accident. She refuses to accept it, especially when a young orphan shows up and says Erik sent her to Etta. Questions abound: How can she care for a child without sufficient income? Why doesn't Erik return? What compelled him to leave in the first place? To get those answers, she will have to search deeper than Erik would like.

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September Reviews

Susan Pope Sloan — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Like many Regency period stories, this story involves a marriage of convenience that is designed to save a woman's reputation and to preserve a man's political or business connections. Oddly enough, the driving force behind the marriage in this case is the woman's brother who constantly sinks deeper into trouble. Readers of Regency novels, of course, stay with it for the evolving romance, which does not disappoint.

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August News and Reviews

Susan Pope Sloan — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Here's a charming story of a second-chance romance between two former schoolmates. A reunion committee meeting is the perfect place to encounter your old heart-throb, of course, but forty years is a long time to carry a torch--or a grudge. When one never married and the other had a happy marriage until death claimed his partner, when one is a struggling business owner and the other a renowned success--how can they overcome their differences as well as their decades-old misunderstanding?

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July News and Reviews

Susan Pope Sloan — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Tangled Promises by Lynn Watson

If you have a German heritage, this is the historical book for you. Watson uses so many authentic German titles and phrases, she wisely included a glossary for the reader. One trope for this story is mismatched lovers, a Cinderella reversal, with the Baron's daughter pining over their carriage driver. The antagonist nearly steals the show with his high-handed arrogance and interference, one of those characters you love to hate.

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June Book Reviews

Susan Pope Sloan — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

I hope you'll bear with me while I explore this new format. I plan to deliver the same type of content as you found on the old website.

This is not a genre I read on a regular basis, but I really enjoyed the story. I wish I had read the first book in the series, but it didn't take me long to get a good picture of each character and envision the action. This story follows the pattern of classic literature--the hero's (or heroine's) journey--and the writing is practically flawless. Of course, now I have to read the next book, and I would recommend it to teens and adults alike.

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A Time to Change

Susan Pope Sloan — Sun, 1 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” In other words, change is a necessary part of life, so we should expect it and adapt to it.

For those who have been following my journey—getting my newsletter or reading my reviews of books by other writers—you will notice a difference in my website starting this month. It looks different because I switched hosting platforms. The URL is slightly different, now including my maiden name, instead of just the initial, so that it matches the name I use on my books and to avoid someone accidentally leaving off that letter and getting another writer’s site. (There are multiple writers with the same first and last names as mine.)

I plan to keep the monthly information basically the same, still highlighting reviews of books I’ve read recently, giving you glimpses into my writing and research process, and possibly adding minor changes along the way. I like the clean look of this website and hope it will serve my readers by making it easier to find what you’re looking for.

My newsletter will still go out around the 15th of each month, along with updates to the website. I invite your comments and suggestions as we work together to provide you with a beautiful reading experience.

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