Madi's Musings

Review: A Touch of Tiaras and Treachery

June 23, 2026Leave a comment

A teaspoon of borrowed identities
A cup of courtly deception
And a serving of peril hidden in plain sight

About the Book

Author: Ashley Evercott

Series: Enchanted Confections Multi-Author Series

Genre: Clean fantasy fairy tale retelling

Suitable for: Audiences 15+

A teaspoon of borrowed identities
A cup of courtly deception
And a serving of peril hidden in plain sight

For Nin, the dream was never a tiara—only survival. But when a desperate bargain promises her brother’s safety in exchange for taking a princess’s place, she can’t refuse. Thrust into a world of luxury and suspicion, Nin must master courtly etiquette to keep the true princess hidden. One mistake could cost more than her secret, it could cost lives.

Captain Cedric Duval lives by a strict code of order, discipline, and restraint. Training a street-smart pauper to impersonate a princess, however, proves far more difficult than any security drill. As he teaches Nin curtsies and royal customs, he begins to question the wisdom of his plan… and his growing feelings for the girl beneath the disguise.

With a royal wedding drawing near, Nin and Cedric must survive a court where danger lurks in the shadows and every dance could reveal hidden truths. Each step closer to uncovering the plot puts their deception—and their hearts—at risk. If they fail, it won’t be a princess the assassin strikes, it will be the girl wearing her tiara.

A Touch of Tiaras and Treachery, a gender-swapped retelling of The Prince and the Pauper, is a standalone novella, complete with tropes such as “swapped identities”, “slow-burn”, “princess training”, and “bodyguard romance”. It is a part of The Enchanting Confections series, a collection of clean and cozy stories guaranteed to delight your sweet tooth.

Find the Book Here

My Review

I am officially declaring that Nin and Cedric must be protected at all costs.

This was a delightful read. Evercott put an enjoyable twist on The Prince and the Pauper. Nin’s character arc is really well-rounded and it was fun to watch her grow and keep the facade while retaining her spark and determination. Cedric, serious and duty-bound, was the perfect match and I enjoyed watching their story unfold.

I also liked how the parents in this story were good and cared about their daughter. While I understand the need for parents of other types in fantasy tales, it was refreshing to read about caring parents. The supporting characters were good as well, especially Lucille, Alain, and Adelina (I’m pleading for the latter two receive their own stories, btw).

And, while I’ve never cared about stories set in France or France-inspired lands, Evercott did a great job of keeping certain elements of historical French culture/aesthetic while making it fantasy and magical.

Perfect for readers who enjoy clean fantasy retellings with danger, sweet romance, and an engaging plot.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher for promotional purposes. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Bookworm + More Book Events

June 2, 2026Leave a comment

The next Bookworm is here, and this time it’s the Spring edition, which is even bigger and better than the Christmas edition. We have over 110 books and several represented genres. There are also some surprises in there.

The Bookworm: Spring Edition is completely free and requires no signup to download. The only thing we ask is that you share the download link with your friends so they too can grab their copy.

CLAIM YOUR FREE COPY

Looking for more book recommendations and potential sales? Check out these book events:

Clean Fantasy Romance and Adventure

Welcome Summer With These Clean Reads

Celebrate Father’s Day with These Clean Fantasy Books

Free Fairy Tale Retellings

Clean & Christian Historical Romance Books

**Bookworm designed by Mountain Peak Edits & Design**

Freedom Isn’t Free

May 25, 2026Leave a comment

Every Memorial Day weekend, one of the veterans at my church stands up and, with choked voice and shed tears, recounts the painful experience of losing his friends who died defending their country.

Every Memorial Day week, my town hangs up banners commemorating the brave men and women who gave their lives or were deemed missing in action. It is sobering to contemplate that they once walked the same streets I do, once watched the sun set over the mountains like I do, and went about their everyday lives, just like I do.

And now they now never again will. Their courage and heroism came with a price, and that price was their life.

Courage and sacrifice come in many forms, many types. Today, we honor those who exhibited the ultimate type of courage and sacrifice and love. From the Battle of Lexington and Concord, to the Battle of Gettysburg, the Alamo, WWI’s Battle of the Somme and WWII’s D Day and Battle of the Bulge, to the Korean, Vietnam, Iraqi, and Afghanistan wars, freedom is paid with the color crimson.

Freedom is paid for, won, and kept by blood.

This is the ultimate sacrifice. This is the ultimate type of courage.

Today we honor those who emulated John 15:13 and laid down their lives for those who would never know them, those who would forget about them, those who would disparage their sacrifice, those who would live in enviable freedom paid for by blood. By honor. Courage. Sacrifice. Love.

To those who fought and died so the United States of America can remain free, there are no words strong enough or powerful enough that can describe the gratitude you deserve. Thank you for your sacrifice.

May we always remember freedom isn’t free.

Happy Memorial Day.

A Garden of Books Giveaway

May 14, 2026Leave a comment

My book A Change of Heart is one of thirty ebooks you can win in the A Garden of Books giveaway.

All books are supposed to be clean, if not Christian.

ENTER HERE

There may also be some discounted clean/Christian books here, here, and here.

Introducing the Bookdragon Cover Contest

April 29, 2026Leave a comment

I am excited to announce the Bookdragon Cover Contest.

While The Bookworm is being discontinued after the Spring Edition, I still want to support my fellow authors. Hence Bookdragon. The details are still in the works, but this will be a free cover voting contest of six to eight books max. This is to spotlight clean and Christian books, help authors gain visibility, and help readers grow their TBRs. The contest will receive a dedicated page on my blog. As the organizer and to keep from any potential bias, I will not be casting my vote or entering my books.

While it is free, participating authors will be expected to share about the giveaway at least once in their newsletter and twice on social media.

Any author whose book(s) fit the criteria may apply, but Madi’s Musings reserves the right to deny participation in the cover contest.

This contest is for and only supports human produced books. Any books with AI-generated covers, or AI-generated content, are ineligible. Please remember that AI-generated and AI-assisted (spellcheck, Grammarly) are not the same thing.

I plan to hold the first contest in June.

Authors can apply here. Don’t forget to share this opportunity with your author friends.

Review: Mail-Order Duchess

April 14, 2026Leave a comment

A marriage born of duty. A love neither expected.

Book: Mail-Order Duchess

Author: Misty M. Beller

Series: Lords of the Rockies

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Recommended for: Age 17 and up

About the Book

A marriage born of duty. A love neither expected.

When Enoch Balfour’s eldest brother tragically dies, the weight of family responsibility falls on his shoulders. Now this Montana rancher must train for his role as the next Duke of Clarence—and marry the mail-order bride his brother sent for. Hardened by loss, Enoch has no intention of opening his heart to a stranger, but duty demands he produce an heir.

Mandie Beaumont is a desperate young widow fleeing the sinister advances of her brother-in-law. After arriving in the Montana Territory to marry a man she’s never met, an accident leaves her robbed of her recent memories—memories that conceal a devastating secret. When she discovers she’s carrying a child conceived through betrayal and violence, Mandie fears rejection and ruin. Yet, in Enoch, she finds an unexpected protector whose fierce gentleness makes her long to trust again.

Though Mandie’s charm and resilience begin to thaw Enoch’s guarded heart, he struggles with his fear of loss. When Mandie’s past resurfaces, Enoch must risk everything to save her. If he fails, Mandie will be torn from him—and the love they’ve begun to embrace could be lost forever.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a royal family saga featuring a mail-order bride, amnesia, a secret baby, and an aristocratic marriage of convenience…all set in the rugged Montana Territory.

Tropes/
*mail-order bride
*amnesia
*secret baby
*English aristocracy
*fish out of water
*ready-made family
*high-stakes danger
*family saga
*Rocky Mountain wilderness setting
*frontier time period

Review

Rating: 5 Stars

Sometimes, you can’t escape heartbreak.

That’s what Lord Enoch Balfour has learned throughout his life. Reeling from the latest death of a loved one, he finds himself not only grieving, but facing an unpleasant order from his father: marry his deceased brother’s mail-order bride.

I am no stranger to mail-order bride stories, and this is another one to add to the list of those that do the trope justice. Beller crafts an interesting story that will capture the reader’s interest from the very beginning. Mandie and Enoch both have their own struggles to overcome, which Beller portrays well. The reader is also treated to an endearing love story.

As always, Beller keeps the romance clean and sweet. There is also a healthy faith thread, which I always appreciate. Other themes include pro-life elements, family ties, and brotherhood bonds.

While this story is completely clean, there are some content warnings to keep in mind. Mail-Order Duchess does address the sexual assault that happened to the heroine. This is off-page and prior to the story, but it is mentioned on a few occasions. Beller handles this topic both tastefully and compassionately, and there is never once superfluous detail.

Sensitive readers should note that a child is conceived from assault, a man is attacked by a wild animal (his wounds are not described in detail), shots are fired, with three individuals being hit (again, non-gratuitous), and a barn catches fire, which results in an injury.

Beller is one of the go-tos I recommend for clean Christian historical romance, and Mail-Order Duchess is no exception. Readers who like pro-life themes, sweet romance, strong faith, and heroic characters will enjoy this book.

This review was originally written for and featured in Clean Fiction Magazine.

***

FIND THIS BOOK ON AMAZON

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He is Risen

April 5, 2026Leave a comment

On Good Friday, we were reminded of Christ’s sacrifice, which came in the form of the worst type of death known to mankind at that time.

Somber, mourning, and still. That’s how I always feel on Good Fridays. But that doesn’t stay. Instead, it is replaced with gratitude, awe, and wonder.

For the grave was not the end. If it had, we would still be without hope. Christ’s resurrection has defeated death and offered a way for lost souls to reconcile with God.

He’s not still in the tomb, my friends. That stone hole is empty, and that emptiness is a clarion reminder of hope.

For He is Risen!

Have a blessed Easter and may we never forget to marvel at the grace, mercy and justice of our Lord and Savior.

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.”

Matthew 28: 1-6

Good Friday

April 3, 2026Leave a comment

Why is Good Friday named thus? What is good about the brutal suffering our Savior endured? What is good about His horrific death?

We often speak of how God is mercy and grace. That is true. What we forget so often to include is He is also just. Because of this, Israel had to sacrifice animals as atonement: blood being spilled for their sins. In this God’s mercy, grace, and justice was seen. Mercy and grace because He did not strike down the Israelites for their sin. Justice because a sacrifice was made in lieu of their lives.

Humanity is sinful and fallible. We are born into sin and have no hope of atoning ourselves by our own works. God, in His awesome mercy and grace and love, “so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16-17).

But there had to be justice as well. For God is perfect and cannot tolerate sin. A sacrifice had to be made. Blood had to be spilled. That Sacrifice was Jesus. “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:3a).

Our Lord and Savior suffered grievous wounds and indignity. He endured tremendous pain and agony. He felt the full wrath of God turned upon Him as he bore our iniquities.

Why is Good Friday named thus? Because, through His suffering and by our Savior’s love and justice and mercy, a Sacrifice was made. Because, “upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:3b).

Good Friday is named thus because, on this day, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24). Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we have the hope of eternal life.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.- 1 Peter 3: 18

It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. – Luke 23:44-46

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. – 1 John 4:10

Let us remember with awe, reverence, and the deepest gratefulness what Christ endured.

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

– When I Survey The Wondrous Cross by Isaac Watts

Retellings with the Nobility x Commoner Trope

March 30, 2026Leave a comment

Which of these have you read? Which clean retellings with the nobility x commoner trope do you recommend?

Featured Books

Lilac by Madisyn Carlin

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A Noble Purpose by Laurie Lucking

The Sea-Bear’s Wife by Eliza Propokovis

The Witch and the Wyrm by Beth Alvarez

A Silent Hope by Madisyn Carlin

Captured Crimes by Annabelle Raven

Thorn by Madisyn Carlin

Trials and Command by Erin Halbmeir

Cursed Climb by Sarah Beran

Grab Your Free Copy – The Bookworm: Spring Edition

March 24, 2026Leave a comment

The Bookworm: Spring Edition is completely free and requires no signup to download. The only thing we ask is that you share the download link with your friends so they too can grab their copy.