A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: A Brewed Awakening 

Author: Pepper Basham 

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 

Release Date: May 5, 2026 

Genre: Small Town Contemporary Romance 

Daphne dreams of Mr. Darcy. Finn serves up pints and rock music. Can opposites attract when a tea shop princess meets her pub-owning rival? 

In the charming mountain town of Wisteria, North Carolina, Daphne Austen clings to tradition like cream to a scone. She's built her life--and her late grandmother's tearoom, Tea Thyme--around all things English: delicate china, Jane Austen novels, and the comforting predictability of routine. The only thing threatening her perfectly ordered world? The loud, aggravatingly handsome Brit opening a pub next door. 

After his ex-wife broke his heart and his business partner nearly destroyed his career, Finn Dashwood packed up his six-year-old daughter and left England behind. He's looking for a fresh start, and the last thing he needs is a fussy, tea-obsessed neighbor criticizing his every pint and playlist. It doesn't matter that she's ridiculously kind (to everyone else) and that his daughter is utterly fascinated by her. Finn's heart is not open to being broken again. 

But disagreements turn into prank wars and then a competition when a high-profile wedding needs a last-minute caterer. The townsfolk are thrilled--Wisteria hasn't seen this much excitement since the county fair lost a goat. 

When the wedding demands both sweet and savory fare, Daphne and Finn are forced to put down their swords and pick up their serving trays. Between burnt pastries, brewing tempers, trending hashtags (#SipsAndSpats, anyone?), and one very adorable little girl, rivalry soon gives way to reluctant friendship--and maybe something that feels suspiciously like chemistry. 

Can a tea shop princess and a pub owner with a past mix their lives as seamlessly as clotted cream and jam . . . or will their differences keep them steeped in rivalry forever? 

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Thomas Nelson | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | BookBub | Bookshop

Also Available:

My Thoughts:

This is a fun enemies to more rom-com. It had social media fun with hashtags after hashtags. As well as the next-door business owners, battling each other. One likes all things British, and one is a transplant who is British. The townspeople get involved in this culinary tug-of-war, which only adds to the incredible delight. Lucy is just a darling sidekick as Finn's daughter. Daphne just nestles up to little Lucy when she's picked on at school for talking "funny." 
The entire book, from beginning to end, is full of drama and loads of fun! This is a must-read, and it is my favorite book of Pepper Basham's, and I've read all of her books. 

I received an audio version from NetGalley. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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About the Author

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of southwestern VA, where she is a wife, mom to five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

Connect with Pepper by visiting pepperdbasham.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will receive a signed copy of A Brewed Awakening, and winners choice of a Literary Beverage Mug or a Storming Castles mug!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 13, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 20, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Top Ten Flowery Covers

 

Welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday link-up sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl.  Today's theme is May Flowers, piggybacking off the April Showers post. I was going back and forth between flowery titles and flowery covers, and went with flowery covers.

My eye is healed, and I'm able to wear my contacts and read!!! It's been so nice.

These covers are so pretty. 

Have you read any of these, or have you heard of them? Let me know in the comments. 

I hope all of you, Moms, had a wonderful Mother's Day on Sunday. We took my mother-in-love out to lunch, and flowers to my mom; got to spend Sunday with my daughter, and my grands. It was a busy weekend, but full of lots of fun.

Top Ten Tuesday Authors I Wish Were Still Writing

 

Welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl. Today's theme is authors you wish were still writing. This is going to be a meloncaly list. With that said, I had a fun conversation today with the receptionist at the Physical Therapy office I go to. Not sure how we got to talking about books, but we did, and she reads Christian fiction and mentioned how she missed Jim L. Rubart's writing. She's not alone. I miss his writing too. 

Frank Peretti

Jim Rubart

Sandie Bricker 

Candace Calvert

Bonnie Calhoun

Tosca Lee (Unsure. She might have a book in the works.)

Carla Laureano

William Frank Lattimore

Varina Denman

Liz Tolsma

Outside of Sandie Bricker, all of these authors might have a book in the works that I don't know about. When you get used to authors having a new book every year or so, you miss them, and I miss reading these authors.

Who do you wish were still writing? 

In Pursuit of Civility by Jen Turano Reviewed

 

About the book:

Title: In Pursuit of Civility

Author: Jen Turano

Series: Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies #2

Source: Publisher

Format: Physical Copy

Publisher: Bethany House

Annaliese Merriweather has been appointed the temporary headmistress of the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies while her sister is on her honeymoon, but she doesn't feel cut out for the role. Especially after she loses two of her most troublesome students during an outing to a county fair and has to recruit the help of Seth McCormick, an eccentric inventor, to retrieve them.

Soon after, one of those mischievous students disappears again, intent on pursuing a pirate map. Together, Annaliese and Seth set out to find her, accompanied by a menagerie of Annaliese's rescued animal companions. As they stumble from one chaotic situation to the next, sparks fly between Annaliese and Seth. Somehow, they'll need to outwit dangerous individuals also intent on seeking treasure and bring everyone back in one piece--all while deciphering what their hearts desire. 

With her trademark voice and witty characters, bestselling author Jen Turano presents a lively tale of hijinks, humor, and romance amid the Merriweather Academy's most tumultuous term yet.

Add to Goodreads || Amazon || B&N|| Baker Book House

My Thoughts:

Let's just say that when mischievous students are placed in the hands of Jen Turano chaos is bound to ensue, and boy does it ever. 

Annaliese's animal choices are enough to have a girl screaming out of the academy, ferrets, and spiders.... yet they stick around and find ways to cause chaos.

It's like the girls are honestly trying to run away for good, with talks of pirates, pirate maps, and treasure seeking. With all of it, I was literally in stitches laughing, and my husband couldn't figure out what was so funny.

Seth was just the sweetest. He found ways to assist Annaliese, and I just adored him.

From beginning to end, this was Jen Turano! She knows how to tickle your funny bone and have you care about the characters. 

This is a five-star read for me!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher and was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About Jen Turano

 

A USA Today Best-Selling Author, Jen Turano has written the critically acclaimed Ladies of Distinction series, and A Class of Their Own series, published through Bethany House Publishers. Her novel, After a Fashion, was chosen as a top pick from Romantic Times, as JenTuranowell as being named a top ten romance of 2015 from Booklist.  It is also a nominee for Romantic Times 2015 Reviewers’ Choice Award. Her book, A Most Peculiar Circumstance, was chosen as a top ten romance by Booklist in 2013. Her seventh book, Playing the Part, released in the spring of 2016, and will be followed by a new four-book series, Apart from the Crowd. When she’s not writing, Jen spends her time outside of Denver with her husband and neurotic Cattle Dog, enjoying herself as an empty-nester since her son recently abandoned her for college life. 

Website || Facebook || Twitter || Instagram

Top Ten Tuesday Book Titles That Describe Me

 

Happy Tuesday and welcome to another blog link-up sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl. Today is a freebie so I'm going to do the topic from a few weeks back that scared me to death. Book titles that describe me. 

This title describes me because I was and will always be a daddy's girl and while I'm not an Olympian as depicted in the book. The dance between father's and daughter's is beautiful and something to be treasured.

This title describes me because I love true crime. If I'm not reading I'm watching SVU.

This title describes me because it's about Epilepsy, and Epilepsy is rarely controllable.

This title describes me because the beach is my favorite place.

This title describes me because I was a Navy Brat who moved around a lot and I've only been able to find them because of the internet.

This title describes me because I'm really good at overthinking things and stressing myself out.

This title describes me because I am adopted.

This title describes me because there's no place I'd rather be than at home. For me it's safe, if I were to have a seizure I'm safe at home.

This title doesn't actually describe something.  It was the first Christian fiction book my mom got me. She brought it home from a women's retreat.

This title describes me because I place boundaries. I'd never heard the term until 2009 when I went through my divorce, but it's one of my favored books. We all should've read it when we exited the womb.

So, do you identify with any of these books? Please tell me in the comments.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Top Ten Tuesday Books That Make You Laugh Til You Cry & Books Perfect For a Rainy Day

 

Happy Tuesday, and welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday link-up sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl. Today's theme is April Showers (Interpret this however you’d like: rainy day reads, books that make you cry, books that give you happy tears, books to wash away a bad reading experience, books set in rainy places, books with rain/raindrops/umbrellas on the cover, blue book covers, etc. I've decided to do five books that will make you laugh until you cry, and books perfect for a rainy day. I hope you find at least one to add to your TBR.

Books That Will Make You Laugh Till You Cry.

                          A Brewed Awakening will release on May 5, 2026 click the cover and preorder.

These books are perfect for a rainy day.

What do you think? Did I choose well? Let me know in the comments.

Jen Turano's new release, In Pursuit of Civility, releases today, and if you enjoy laugh-out-loud books, you won't want to miss it!

Enjoy your Tuesday!

First Line Friday 112

 About the book

Title: In Pursuit of Civility

Author: Jen Turano

Series: Metriweather Academy for Young Girls BK 2

Publisher: Bethany House

Format: Physical

Source: Publisher

Annaliese Merriweather has been appointed the temporary headmistress of the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies while her sister is on her honeymoon, but she doesn't feel cut out for the role. Especially after she loses two of her most troublesome students during an outing to a county fair and has to recruit the help of Seth McCormick, an eccentric inventor, to retrieve them.

Soon after, one of those mischievous students disappears again, intent on pursuing a pirate map. Together, Annaliese and Seth set out to find her, accompanied by a menagerie of Annaliese's rescued animal companions. As they stumble from one chaotic situation to the next, sparks fly between Annaliese and Seth. Somehow, they'll need to outwit dangerous individuals also intent on seeking treasure and bring everyone back in one piece--all while deciphering what their hearts desire. 

With her trademark voice and witty characters, bestselling author Jen Turano presents a lively tale of hijinks, humor, and romance amid the Merriweather Academy's most tumultuous term yet.

Goodreads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Baker Book House

This book releases on 4/21, and you will want to pre-order it!

First Line:

Chicago

Fall 1885

In hindsight, taking a small group of students from the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies to a country fair to assess their progress regarding rudimentary rules of civility wasn't quite the brilliant opportunity Miss Annaliese Merriweather had expected it to be--not when two of the five young ladies had slipped away from the group, undoubtedly intent on delving into a bit of mischief.

About Jen Turano

 

A USA Today Best-Selling Author, Jen Turano has written the critically acclaimed Ladies of Distinction series and A Class of Their Own series, published through Bethany House Publishers. Her novel, After a Fashion, was chosen as a top pick from Romantic Times, as JenTuranowell as being named a top ten romance of 2015 from Booklist.  It is also a nominee for Romantic Times 2015 Reviewers’ Choice Award. Her book, A Most Peculiar Circumstance, was chosen as a top ten romance by Booklist in 2013. Her seventh book, Playing the Part, released in the spring of 2016, and will be followed by a new four-book series, Apart from the Crowd. When she’s not writing, Jen spends her time outside of Denver with her husband and neurotic Cattle Dog, enjoying herself as an empty-nester since her son recently abandoned her for college life. 

Website || Facebook || Twitter || Instagram

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