It’s my pleasure to welcome back former regular contributor Janet Ferguson for a guest post. Janet’s writing first drew me in back in 2014 with her signature blend of sweet, funny, and poignant moments, and we’ve been critique partners ever since. (Thanks for all the help, Janet!) If you love mountains and romance like I do, you won’t want to miss her new novel, Holding On to Hope.
Without further ado, here’s Janet!
Hello Inspy Romance Readers! I’ve missed you! This past year has been busy in our family, and we even have a real-life wedding in the works, which is funny because I had no idea that would happen when I started writing a novel about a destination wedding. God knew though. 😊
About Holding On to Hope! There is something about a traveling that inspires me. I love just researching and planning a trip!
Our family planned to go to Wyoming in 2020 on a group tour, but it was cancelled. Then in 2021, I planned our getaway to the Grand Tetons myself. I knew I wanted to write a story set there, and I knew I wanted to write a story for Hope and Caleb who were secondary characters from my novel Healing Skye. I just didn’t realize the two would converge. But they did, and it was a lot of fun sending them off on an unexpected trip to plan a wedding for a friend.
The area is stunning! And not just the Grand Tetons. Each morning I sat outside on a bench facing the Gros Ventre Mountains, spending time in praise and prayer, while my family prepared for the day’s adventures. Little ground squirrels peered out from their burrow, a sweet breeze blew, and wildflowers dotted the ground. When I began writing the story and the characters trip, I had Caleb, the hero, do the same. It was a beautiful way to relive my trip. I dug through our photos and the itinerary I created to write each place they visited and each scene. It was kind of like going on the trip again!
This story is more rom-com and a bit lighter than Healing Skye. Sometimes lighter is needed. I hope you read Holding On to Hope and enjoy the journey!
A fun road trip romance to the Grand Tetons!
Always the wedding planner, never the bride.
Hope Rodriguez loves planning weddings. There’s nothing more special than helping a bride become a princess for a day, but she’s not sure that’s her calling in life anymore.
If only she had her own special someone. Her only current prospect leaves her with more questions than answers about where she falls in his list of priorities.
Yet, when a lifelong friend asks her to plan a destination wedding across the country in only two weeks, she’ll have to figure out how to pull off the impossible…alone.
After being burned as a child and deserted by his family, Caleb Donnelly has an intimate relationship with pain. Despite all he’s endured, one ache refuses to leave him—the throbbing in his heart where Hope is concerned.
So when Hope needs help with their friend’s wedding, he can’t stop himself from volunteering to travel two thousand miles to Jackson, Wyoming.
As long as he keeps his feelings in check, he might not ruin their friendship. Because a beautiful woman like Hope could never love a scarred man like him. There’s no way their longtime friendship could ever become more.
When Hope and Caleb’s plans go up in flames, it’s their hearts that might never recover.
Grab your copy of Holding On to Hope…a Southern Contemporary Christian Romance novel from the Coastal Hearts Series.
What is your dream travel destination?
Emily Conrad writes contemporary Christian romance that explores life’s relevant questions. Though she likes to think some of her characters are pretty great, the ultimate hero of her stories (including the one she’s living) is Jesus. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their energetic coonhound rescue. Learn more about her and her books at emilyconradauthor.com.
This book sounds good!! My dream travel destination is Alaska!! I’ve wanted to go there since I was a child!! I’d also like to visit all of the contiguous states, and Canada!! Then, I’d like to go to Ireland and Scotland!
Good morning Janet and Emily! As a retiree, most of my travels is the arm chair kind through books. For summer, Michigan is a beautiful state and I live within a mile of many beautiful sandy beaches. My favorite spot is shady Bluff Park in my home town, which overlooks Lake Michigan, the Whirlpool Compass Splash Pad and listening to the Silver Beach Carousel, smelling the tantalizing aroma from Silver Beach Pizza while slowing enjoying an ice cream cone from Cabana’s. We are a resort town with summer visitors from all 50 states. Best wishes Janet on your new release. Happy reading!
Alaska is one of my dream destinations too, Trudy!
Your town sounds amazing, Renate! My husband and I live in WI and will be circling Lake Michigan for our vacation this summer. Looking forward to seeing your side of the lake for once!
My dream travel destination is Hawaii. I have always wanted to go there. It’s just something about the islands.
My husband retires in 6-5 months. I would love to take a road trip to CA and stay with out daughter for a week and then travel back home a different way. We will see what happens
Mine was Hawaii but my family just went to Hawaii in January for my brother’s make a wish trip but would want to go back to Hawaii again.
Hi, your book sounds like a really good read, and I love your book cover, it is Beautiful! My dream travel destination is going to a state where the Red Cardinal Birds are abundant, I would love to see alot of the birds all over the place. Have a great day and a great rest of the week.
Hi Trudy! I’m so ready to see Scotland too!!
Hi Renate!
I really need to plan a trip there, with you writing my itinerary 😀
You and me both! It looks so beautiful 😍
That would be amazing! Other than my husband and I might have a few bouts of snippiness driving all that way, ha!
My nephew has a place there, and I keep hoping he’ll invite me!
Hi Janet, your trip sounds great, such lovely photos. Your new book sounds like a great story, I will look out for your books.
I would love to visit Vienna in Austria, it looks such a beautiful and historic city.
I hope you get the see cardinals someday soon! One was building a nest outside my kitchen window a couple of weeks ago, but she abandoned it before it was finished. Must’ve found a more private spot :)
What a great idea. I’m sure there’s tons to see in Vienna!
Thank you, Alicia!! I loved how the cover turned out. We have lots of birds here in Mississippi if you’re passing through.
Thank you, Ruthie!
I went to Austria in college and it is filled with history. Of course, that was eons ago now, ha!
Thank you so much for sharing. I would say that my dream destinations would be Paris and London. Thank you for sharing your fabulous pictures. God bless you.
Hi Debra,
I’m so glad you enjoyed the pics! I have several hundred more if you eve want to look at them, LOL! I hope you get to London or Paris!
Blessings,
Janet
I’m so excited because I Love this whole series that you’ve written beginning with The Art of Rivers and can’t wait for this one. Thanks so much for sharing photos. I grew up hiking and camping in the wilderness in California. My dad took a trip to Yellowstone several years ago which was one of his lifelong dreams. It’s really fun to see photos of all these beautiful places!
California has so many beautiful areas! I bet exploring there was wonderful :) So glad you’re enjoying Janet’s series. She’s talented!!
Sarah Beth! I so appreciate you! Thank you for reading my stories! I’m glad to take you back to Wyoming :)
I’ve been to California a few times, and it’s such a beautiful landscape. Sounds like great memories you have.
Hugs,
Janet
Both wonderful places. There’s so much to see!!
I am beyond late, been an interesting week.
But my dream destination is Hawaii and if I (when I) go back I would stay on the island of Kauai for a week as its so pretty. Oahu is lovely but Waikiki is getting too touristy and too many sprucer wanting you to buy time shares etc. Right now would be wonderful its warm and its cold here
Sounds like you know your way around Hawaii! I’d love to go there someday too.
Hi there! Good to see you again! I’d love to go to Kauai. My son went there on a mission trip! It sounds beautiful!