🍎 Friday Finds - 12 September 2025: Indie Author Cricket Rohman ~ Giveaways ~ Food & Crafts

👋 Welcome

Hello, friends!
Welcome to another cozy edition of Friday Finds—our weekly pause to celebrate books, bites, and creative delights. I’m sipping a fresh cup of coffee while the September sun filters through the window, and I’m so glad you’re here to share the start of a brand-new weekend with me.

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The weekly independent author feature has been a huge hit, so I will continue it each week for now. I usually pull names from my list, but I also love receiving nominations! Tell me your favorite Indie Author on my website — you can find all my authors➡️HERE.

🐾 Indie Author of the Week: Cricket Rohman

Meet Cricket Rohman, a longtime favorite here on the blog (I’ve reviewed seven of her books and loved every one!). Cricket grew up in the mountain town of Estes Park, Colorado, surrounded by deer, coyotes, and the blue columbine. Those wild beginnings shine through in her warm, character-driven stories.

Today, she’s a full-time author crafting romantic mysteries and contemporary fiction that celebrate cowboys, dogs, teachers, actors, wounded warriors, creative women, and even characters facing Alzheimer’s. And yes—there’s a memorable dog in every single book!

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✨ A Few Favorites

• The Creative Hearts Sweet Romance series
  Perfect 3-hour reads for gals 15 to 105
  Anna's Animal House • Phoebe's Photo Follies • Caitlin's Cow Wash • Tina's Tasty Tours

• Saving Madeline
  (Contemporary women’s fiction) – Now with a fresh cover, discussion questions, and an audiobook!
  A struggling Hollywood actor, a wounded warrior, and a woman losing her memory share a small L.A. apartment. Heart-wrenching, funny, and yes—there’s a wonderful German shepherd.

• Christmas in the North Woods  (Children's fiction) – Oliver, the wise old Owl, narrates this story and takes the reader to the Bears' den, the Birds' dwelling, the squirrels' tree, and the Cougars' cave as each family rehearses for the Christmas song Contest. Review

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📚 More Series to Explore

• McAllister Brothers: Colorado Takedown • Montana Countdown • Wyoming Sundown • Wild Weddings

• Fantasy Maker: Autumn's Ghost • Winter's Blush • Summer's Island • Spring's Fling

• Lindsey Lark: Wanted: An Honest Man • Letters, Lovers, & Lies • Hit the Road, Jake!

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🎭 A Life of Creativity

Before turning to fiction, Cricket wore many hats: actor, singer, audio/video producer, classroom teacher, school principal, and University of Arizona College of Education assistant professor. That rich background fuels the heart and humor in her novels.

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I’ll be linking all seven of my reviews to this feature so you can hop straight into the books I’ve loved. Watch for more. I can't get enough.

If you’re new to Cricket’s work, start anywhere—just be ready to fall for her storytelling and her unforgettable canine sidekicks.

📚 Connect with Cricket!

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Twitter

Please give a warm welcome to this week's Indie Author!

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📚 Weekly Book Blog Roundup | 5 September through 11 September 2025 

This week’s book blog roundup includes interviews, giveaways, and some must-read new releases. (Click on the image for more information, including raffle entry.)

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Clues to You by Claire Huston is the BBNYA 2024 Winner! This cozy romantic mystery blends friendship, self-growth, and a playful rivals-to-lovers romance set against a murder mystery weekend.

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Not your typical self-help guidebook—this one blends approachable science with reflections on the small joys that lift a tired life. In my 4/5 review of Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired, I share why the reflective second half truly shines. Part of the iRead Book Tour, with a giveaway inside.

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A practical spotlight feature on Fix the Fire Damage by Dr. Ya-Ling J. Liou — Volume 2 in The Everyday Pain Guide series. This book offers gentle, step-by-step action plans for when pain first strikes. Includes giveaway info, author bio, and tour details.

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Spotlighting Wedding Planning: Five Easy Steps & The Secret to Pull It Together by Kathy Forbes is a practical, stress-free guide to creating your perfect wedding. Enter the giveaway for a $10 Amazon/BN gift card!

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My review of The Adventures of Faraday Fox by Travis E. Short — a middle-grade adventure filled with courage, discovery, and over twenty original paintings.

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Coal Dreams by Annette Oppenlander is a moving WWII historical novel of forbidden love, survival, and courage. Read my 5-star review and an exclusive excerpt, then enter the tour giveaway hosted by Goddess Fish Promotions.

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Welcome to my stop on the iRead Book Tour for The Midnight of Eights by Justin Newland.
This historical fiction with a touch of magical realism follows Nelan Michaels, a young man with mystical powers, as Queen Elizabeth’s England faces the mighty Spanish Armada.

Read more reviews of Justin Newland books!

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Last week's Friday Finds Recap

“In last week’s (Friday Finds, September 5), we celebrated indie author Missy Tarantino, rounded up fresh book blog reviews, shared a pumpkin coffee cake recipe, and fall-themed watercolor postcards for our craft. Don’t miss the fun recap!”

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🌟 Under-the-Radar Indie Gem

I just added this one to my TBR "mountain"!

Half Agony, Half Hope (Jane Austen's Men #1)

A father’s love is unbreakable. But sometimes, it takes a brother in all but blood to break the chains.

Some nightmares don’t end when you wake. And some prayers take years to be answered.

Taut with suspense and rich with emotion, Half Agony, Half Hope is a dark yet redemptive Christian romantic thriller about unimaginable trauma, resilient love, and the kind of faith that endures even in silence.

At its core is a father’s unshakable love, a friendship that refuses to let go, and a flicker of hope that keeps burning—no matter how long it’s been buried. When evil hides in plain sight and survival comes at a steep cost, it will take more than strength to rise again. It will take grace.

Loosely drawn from a chilling true story and inspired by Jane Austen’s fiercely determined Captain Wentworth, Half Agony, Half Hope is a suspenseful, soul-stirring journey through terror, healing, and the long, hard fight to reclaim what should never have been stolen.

Amazon   |   Bookshop

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🍴 Foodie Fun - 12 September 2025

I love a good Stromboli. I can't wait to try this one!Stromboli Bundt Cake from Sue Lau

I know you are looking at this recipe and quizzically scratching your head. Stromboli. Bundt cake? But aren’t Bundt cakes delicious, sweet desserts?

Usually, they are. But we should all step out of our comfort zone occasionally and try something different.

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🍎Craft Corner – Halloween Hanging Crochet Patterns

Halloween Hanging Crochet Patterns

If you aren't a crocheter, these are cute enough to encourage you to learn. So fun, fast, and easy.

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🍎 Thanks for stopping by!

Thanks for spending part of your day with me!
I hope something here—whether it’s Cricket Rohman’s heart-filled stories, a brand-new indie gem, or that savory stromboli bundt—sparked a little inspiration. Don’t forget to leave your “What time is it?” guess in the comments for this month’s giveaway, and let me know what you think of September’s back-to-school look.

Until next Friday, may your weekend be full of good books, creative moments, and maybe a tasty treat or two. 💛

Gina

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