In No Stone Unturned, a Regency romance from Jenelle Hovde, aspiring archaeologist Bridget Littleton finds herself at odds with the new lord of Hawthorn Abbey, Captain Rafe Hawthorn, when Roman ruins are discovered on his property. As natural disasters and suspicious accidents threaten each of their plans, they grow closer as they work together to thwart an unexpected enemy.
In this guest blog post, Jenelle explains the inspiration for the setting, provides insight into the main characters, and details how her characters—and even her readers—come to find restoration in what’s been buried for far too long.
If you want to learn more about Jenelle’s historical novel, start reading the first chapter of No Stone Unturned, or find your own copy in softcover, e-book, or audiobook at a retailer near you.
For years, I served as a pastor’s wife near the Yankton Sioux Reservation in South Dakota—a land of breathtaking beauty and deep generational scars. There, I witnessed how trauma weaves itself into families, how abuse can fracture both trust and faith. I held hands with the hurting, prayed through their tears, and wrestled with the question: How can healing ever take root in such pain?
Over time, I learned something I now carry into every story I write: God mends what’s shattered, but rarely all at once. His healing comes in layers—like seasons turning over the earth. That truth shaped my new novel with Tyndale House, No Stone Unturned, a Regency romance born from that very wrestling—with church wounds, buried trauma, and the slow miracle of restoration.
The story follows Bridget Littleton, a vicar’s daughter and passionate antiquarian, as she seeks to restore an ancient Roman mosaic at Hawthorn Abbey—a fictional estate inspired by the real Bignor Roman Villa in Sussex, England. Bignor was unearthed in 1811 on the farm of George Tupper, when a plow struck stone beneath the soil, revealing mosaics of Venus, Medusa, and Ganymede. A grand past buried for centuries. That rhythm of ruin and rediscovery mirrors Bridget’s quest. She’s been hurt by the church. She wonders if community, or even God, can be trusted. But with every stone she turns over, she uncovers more than history—she uncovers a path toward healing.
Writing for Tyndale House—a publisher whose stories, like Francine Rivers’s The Lady’s Mine and Tessa Afshar’s Thief of Corinth, shine light into shadowed places—gave me the freedom to explore that tension. Bridget and Rafe reflect two sides of healing: her desire to face the past and redeem it, his need to outrun it and start anew. But as sabotage threatens the excavation and secrets rise to the surface, they discover what I once witnessed near the reservation: God doesn’t just heal our wounds. He uses them.
The mosaic at the heart of the story becomes more than a piece of art. It’s a mirror. A metaphor for what God does in us—how He takes what’s fractured and, over time, makes it beautiful.
While researching Bignor, I was struck by how the Roman villa had been lost, forgotten, and later reclaimed. Writing Bridget’s persistence and Rafe’s resistance reminded me that God meets us wherever we are. For Bridget, He offers grace to mend church wounds through understanding and compassion. For Rafe, God transforms the pain of the past into a foundation for something new and ultimately stronger. Healing doesn’t mean forgetting. It means letting God turn over the stones we’d rather leave alone—and trusting what He’ll build from them.
A dear pastor friend once told my husband and me about the stones littering the fields in South Dakota. Each winter, the frost would push rocks to the surface—year after year—forcing farmers to clear their fields again and again. “Just when you think the ground is clean,” Gary said, “another frost brings more to the surface.”
That’s how God worked on me near the reservation—and how He works on all of us. The hurts we bury, the wounds we think we’ve healed—He brings them up, not to harm us, but to refine us. Like Bridget and Rafe, we face the stones again and again. And through them, God builds something lasting.
I hope you’ll join me at Hawthorn Abbey with No Stone Unturned. I’m deeply honored to add my voice to the stories of hope championed by Tyndale House. Let’s turn the stones together—and trust God to uncover healing, one layer at a time.
Miss Bridget Littleton’s passion for history and antiquities defies most social conventions, even in her small village nestled in the beautiful English countryside. When a local farmer discovers an elaborate mosaic buried in his field, Bridget dreams of making a name and future for herself by excavating the Roman ruins. Unfortunately, her quest puts her at odds with the ambitious new lord who recently inherited the title and Hawthorn Abbey from his estranged uncle.
Recovering from wounds of both body and spirit, Captain Rafe Hawthorn is intent on restoring his long-neglected ancestral home. His plans to rebuild the abbey’s once thriving orchards require a road that will pass straight through Bridget’s potential trove of artifacts. He will not—cannot—fail again, even if he is moved by Bridget and her passion.
Yet this impasse might not be their greatest obstacle. A natural disaster and a series of suspicious accidents threaten both their plans, along with the livelihood of the nearby villagers dependent on their success. With their dreams in the balance, Bridget and Rafe must work together to fend off an unexpected enemy that may prove more dangerous than either could have imagined.
Jenelle Hovde, an accomplished illustrator, author, pastor’s wife, and homeschooling mother, ventured off the beaten path when she transitioned from her career as a doctor of audiology to pursue her passion for writing. While her eight novels span different eras—from the ancient worlds to World War II—her favorite genre is sweet Regency romance that enchants readers with tales of love and intrigue set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century England.
Drawing inspiration from timeless treasures found in antique stores, Jenelle pens historical romance novels that captivate readers with vivid storytelling and gentle messages of faith. Her stories have garnered impressive showings in multiple writing contests. Often found writing at the Florida beach, she navigates life with her family and manages two saucy cats who insist on interrupting her creative endeavors.
To stay updated with her latest works or subscribe to her newsletter, visit her online at jenellehovdeauthor.com.
