Meanwhile, in Rivendell . . .

I had the privilege of being an advance reader for Rachel Kovaciny's latest novel , My Rock and My Refuge , which retells the classic fairytale "Beauty and the Beast" in an Old West mining town.  I genuinely enjoyed it, and for today's stop on the virtual book tour, I'll be sharing my Goodreads review. 😊  Read on, Lizzy! ⸻ Another satisfying installment of the Once Upon a Western fairy tale retellings, My Rock and My Refuge features my favorite love story in the series so far.  It is what we could call swoon-worthy. 😉  Retelling the “Beauty and the Beast” romance can be tricky, but I genuinely loved what the author did with it here.  Definitely the healthiest, most relaxed, most adorable take on the couple I’ve ever encountered.  I won’t say too much here, because I don’t want to spoil the fun of experiencing it firsthand, but I loved how well-adjusted and forthright it was.  There’s no pretense, there’s no melodrama; everyone is pretty upfront about how they’

Hello, all!  If you haven't heard, author Rachel Kovaciny has just released the fourth full-length installment in her Once Upon a Western series, which retells fairy tales in the setting of the American Old West.  This new novel is entitled My Rock and My Refuge , and Ms. Kovaciny has been conducting a virtual book tour this week in honor of its release! ⸻ Marta knows she shouldn't feel this way toward Mr. Wendell.  She needs to keep her job as his servant, especially because her family back in Germany depends on the money she and her brother Jakob send home. Although Mr. Wendell's face bears terrible scars, Marta sees past them to his kind and generous heart.  Still, she wonders why he never leaves his big house high in the Colorado mountains. While Marta tries to push away her questions, others are determined to find answers.  Their efforts lead to a fresh tragedy that threatens Marta's hope of finding happiness with Mr. Wendell.  Will Marta fail her family and her ne