Hello, friend!
I’ve been climbing some mountains, lately.
You know those mountains in our lives… those invisible monstrous things that are these keeping us from reaching the dreams we have for ourselves.
Sometimes they’re big and obvious.
Other times, they’re small habits, doubts, or fears that quietly shape our choices.
I know I’ve had times where it feels like I’m never going to see the other side… and I bet you have too.
Starting tomorrow (can you believe it’s September!), we are reading The Mountain is You for our book club.
Many of these mountains as self-sabotage.
You know the vibe… it’s like when we unconsciously create obstacles for ourselves.
It shows up in ways like…
Procrastination: putting off what matters most
Perfectionism: waiting until everything is “just right”
Avoidance: skipping opportunities because they feel uncomfortable
Negative self-talk: convincing ourselves we’re not enough
Did you feel yourself going… 👀?
I know… it happened to me too.
You might be bemoaning the fact that you keep doing the same things over and over. Ugh!
These habits often feel familiar, even safe, because they’ve been part of our lives for years.
Craziness, but true. Again, Ugh!
Bad news… You can’t climb a mountain you can’t see. Right?
Good news… By noticing when and how you sabotage yourself, you gain the power to respond differently.
Awareness is the first, most powerful step toward transformation.
Think about it: how often do you get frustrated with yourself for doing something you “shouldn’t” do… only to repeat it again?
That’s your mountain calling for recognition.
Take 5–10 minutes to journal and answer these questions:
Where in your life are you holding yourself back?
What patterns keep repeating, even when you don’t want them to?
How do these patterns show up in your work, relationships, or personal goals?
Don’t judge yourself… just notice.
Awareness is your first tool for change.
Notice Your Patterns. Awareness is everything.
Even just noticing the pattern is a victory.
If this is a topic you would like to explore more, join The Literary Assistant book club!
It’s a chill place in the chat here on Substack where you can leave your thoughts in real time as you are reading, bring up questions for us to chat about, or just share a quote that really stood out to you.
It’s held in the Substack chat for The Literary Assistant, and it’s the perfect way to weave a self-growth book club into your life without an extra commitment of showing up in person, but still connecting with fellow readers.
Now for some fiction recs to check out this week…
The theme for this week is women with a mountain to climb. I’ve read and loved all three of these. Let me know if you have read any or if you plan on grabbing one… or more!
When Hollywood auctioneer Emsley Wilson finds her famous grandmother's diary while cleaning out her New York brownstone, the pages are full of surprises. The first surprise is, the diary isn't her grandmother's. It belongs to Johanna Bonger, Vincent van Gogh's sister-in-law.
Johanna inherited Vincent van Gogh's paintings. They were all she had, and they weren't worth anything. She was a 28 year old widow with a baby in the 1800s, without any means of supporting herself, living in Paris where she barely spoke the language. Yet she managed to introduce Vincent's legacy to the world.
The inspiration couldn't come at a better time for Emsley. With her business failing, an unexpected love turning up in her life, and family secrets unraveling, can she find answers in the past?
Check it out HERE.
1867, Richmond, Virginia: Though she wears the same low-cut purple gown that is the uniform of all the girls who work at Worsham’s gambling parlor, Arabella stands apart. It’s not merely her statuesque beauty and practiced charm. Even at seventeen, Arabella possesses an unyielding grit, and a resolve to escape her background of struggle and poverty.
Collis Huntington, railroad baron and self-made multimillionaire, is drawn to Arabella from their first meeting. Collis is married and thirty years her senior, yet they are well-matched in temperament, and flirtation rapidly escalates into an affair. With Collis’s help, Arabella eventually moves to New York, posing as a genteel, well-to-do Southern widow. Using Collis’s seed money and her own shrewd investing instincts, she begins to amass a fortune.
Their relationship is an open secret, and no one is surprised when Collis marries Arabella after his wife’s death. But “The Four Hundred”—the elite circle that includes the Astors and Vanderbilts—have their rules. Arabella must earn her place in Society—not just through her vast wealth, but with taste, style, and impeccable behavior. There are some who suspect the scandalous truth, and will blackmail her for it. And then there is another threat—an unexpected, impossible romance that will test her ambition, her loyalties, and her heart . . .
An American Beauty brings to vivid life the glitter and drama of a captivating chapter in history—and a remarkable woman who lived by her own rules.
Check it out HERE.
Millie has never taken the expected path. Her childhood love for bugs and science led her to entomology, and her role as a curator, inspiring museum visitors every day. It’s her dream to run her own department—so when a rare director position opens, she is determined nothing will distract her from her goal. Especially not Finn, her grumpy coworker with his permanent scowl, electric blue eyes, and endless supply of astronomy ties.
. . . Not that she’s spent time noticing any of those things.
Finn doesn’t mean to glare at everyone, but he’s juggling his role at the museum, navigating the grief of losing his sister, attempting to make his nieces smile, and trying not to ruin dinner for the fifth night in a row. He can’t afford to let anything slip, and certainly doesn’t need more to deal with—especially not Millie literally stumbling into him, with her bright smile and sunny optimism.
He bugs her. She’s too starry-eyed for him. They want nothing to do with each other. But with Finn on the interview committee, avoidance is impossible. And Millie soon realizes it’s one thing when a job is on the line. It’s quite another when it’s her heart.
Check it out HERE.
Bonus FREE book!
My amazing client Kristie has a book that is currently free to grab on Amazon for a VERY limited time. This is an inspirational, historical romance with a bit of mystery!
She promised to help him catch a thief.
He promised to help her track down a killer.
Falling in love wasn’t part of the bargain.
Lady Fanny Morgan has spent much of her life as a member of the highest social circles, a position she relished until the sudden death of her husband. Convinced that foul play was involved, she is desperate to uncover the truth and discover the identity of his murderer.
Detective Julian Gray is one of the hardest working members of the Metropolitan Police Force. He has developed a reputation for unrelenting determination when it comes to solving cases; however, that tenacity has been put to the test by his latest case, a series of mysterious thefts targeting the highest members of society.
When Fanny offers an unexpected assist in preventing the next robbery, Julian hits upon a foolproof method to solve the case. Fanny will use her connections in society to uncover clues that will hopefully lead to the mastermind behind the thefts. In exchange for her assistance, Julian will reopen the investigation into her husband’s death.
It’s an excellent plan, one that is mutually beneficial to both parties—however, neither of them anticipates the complications that arise when their unexpected attraction turns into something deeper. As the danger increases, so, too, does the risk to their hearts. Will they be able to solve the mysteries that surround them before it’s too late, or will their romance be cut short before it even begins?
The fourth book in The Ladies of Roderick Glen series gives us another glimpse into the lives of the villagers as they reconcile faith with love, heartache, and the search for true happiness.
Check it out HERE.
Want to join the book club chat to dive even deeper into each monthly discussion.
Upgrade for just $5 a month to get access to our discussion via chat here on Substack. Plus, for every upgraded membership, I’ll donate a book to a local women’s shelter.
As a community we have now donated 17 books to women who need them.💝
For every membership upgraded for $5, I donate a historical fiction or romance book to a local women’s shelter.
Affiliate links are used at no extra cost to you, but they help me earn a small amount, just enough to grab a tea and keep writing! ☕
Can’t climb a mountain you can’t see. I believe this.
I really enjoyed An American Beauty.