Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for A Mother's Prayer by Chris Maday Schmidt, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: A Mother's Prayer
Series: Sweetwater, Arizona #3
Author: Chris Maday Schmidt
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired
Release Date: June 30, 2026
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Can an unexpected turn
lead her right where she belongs?
Pregnant, single and stranded in a storm with her two young kids, Olive Hart is out of options—until gruff mechanic Hank Valentine comes to their rescue. When her housing falls through, he reluctantly offers them shelter at his ranch in exchange for help at his garage. It’s just a temporary arrangement…but Olive’s chaotic, lovable crew begins to warm his guarded heart. They’ve both been burned by the past, but can they find the courage to build something lasting…together?
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Harlequin.com | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop |BookBub
More in This Series
About the Author
Chris Maday Schmidt is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author who writes contemporary inspirational romance—real-life fairy tales filled with hope, humor, and heart. A member of Faith, Hope & Love Christian Writers, she is the author of the Love Inspired Sweetwater series for Harlequin, including her latest release, A Mother’s Prayer (June 30, 2026). Her debut novel received a 5-star review in the 2024 Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews and Award Contest.
Connect with Chris by visiting chrismadayschmidt.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.
Author Interview
Welcome, Chris! Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and giving my readers a chance to get to know you and your new book A Mother’s Prayer.
I'm so glad to be here. Thank you for the opportunity to chat about books, writing, and my newest Sweetwater story.
Can you share 5 random facts about yourself that we won’t find in your bio?
1. I’m a lifelong cat lover. Cats have always had a way of finding their way into my heart—and occasionally into my stories. In fact, my grand-kitty inspired the rescue in my second book.
2. I have more than 30 great-nephews and nieces, plus at least a dozen great-greats and counting. Being the baby of a large family definitely comes with some fun statistics!
3. One of my three sisters married a Schmidt 19 years before I did. The funny part? The Schmidts aren’t related and were from different Dakotas.
4. I earned my bachelor's degree later in life. I graduated at 47 with a degree in Literature, Writing & Film. Eleven years later, my first book was published, proving it’s never too late to pursue a dream.
5. I learned to type the old-fashioned way. I started on a black manual typewriter and was later clocked at 120 words per minute on an electric model. Those typing classes came in handy when I eventually became an author!
When did you first discover you had a passion for writing?
I think my passion for writing began when I was a little girl making up stories for my imaginary friends. I’ve always loved storytelling and creating characters, and I dreamed of writing books one day. In elementary school, a poem I wrote was selected to be shared through a library program, and by junior high I was writing and helping produce a play. Later, I wrote for my school newspaper and even created a serialized story for its pages, which gave me another outlet for my imagination. Looking back, writing has been a thread woven through my life for as long as I can remember. While my path eventually took a few detours, God never let go of the dream He planted in my heart all those years ago.
What drew you to writing romance?
I’ve always been drawn to stories that leave readers feeling hopeful, and romance naturally lends itself to that. Life can be messy and unpredictable, but romance reminds us that love, grace, and second chances are possible. Perhaps some of that comes from living my own love story. I’ve been married to my real-life prince for almost 38 years, and while our fairytale journey hasn’t been without challenges, it’s been filled with love, laughter, adventure, and God’s faithfulness. As a writer, I enjoy exploring how two imperfect people grow individually and together while overcoming obstacles along the way. Add in small-town charm, a supportive community, a little humor, and a faith thread, and I’m right at home.
Can you tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind the book?
The inspiration for A Mother’s Prayer began with Hank “Big Country” Valentine, a character that readers first met in the earlier Sweetwater books. Hank is the dependable mechanic, the guy everyone can count on, but I always knew there was more to his story. I wanted to explore what would happen when a man who spends his life fixing everyone else’s problems meets a woman who has spent much of hers trying not to be a burden. Through Hank and Olive’s journey, the story became one of faith, healing, community, and learning to trust God with the things we cannot fix ourselves.
What was the most challenging part of bringing this story to life?
One of the biggest challenges was helping Hank and Olive work through the hurts they carried from the past in a way that felt authentic. Olive struggled with believing she was worthy of help, while Hank wrestled with grief, guilt, and learning to forgive himself. I wanted their emotional journeys to unfold naturally and at a pace readers could believe.
The most rewarding?
The most rewarding part was watching Hank finally get his happy ending. Readers have known him as Sweetwater’s go-to mechanic and loyal friend since the beginning of the series, so it was especially satisfying to see him open his heart, extend himself the same grace he offered others, and discover that God’s plans for him were far bigger than he imagined.
If you could describe your main character(s) in just three words each, what would those words be?
Hank: Protective, dependable, selfless
Olive: Prayerful, resilient, hopeful
What do you hope readers will take away from the book?
More than anything, I hope readers come away with hope. Hank and Olive’s journey is a reminder that God sees us, hears our prayers, and is always at work—even when we can’t yet see the outcome. My prayer is that readers close the book encouraged by His faithfulness and reminded that happy endings of the heart are always possible.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Before you go, where can readers follow along to see what’s coming next?
Thank you so much for interviewing me and for helping spread the word about
A Mother’s Prayer. Readers can find me at
https://chrismadayschmidt.com, where you’ll find information about my books, current projects, and links to all my social media accounts.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a book tote, a B&N gift card, and a signed print copy of A Mother's Prayer!
(1) winner will receive a Sweetwater, Arizona book bundle: A Father's Vow, The Fire Chief's Surprise, and A Mother's Prayer! (print for US winner, ebooks if winner is outside the US)
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 30, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 7, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only for print copies & book tote. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Enter Giveaway
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"Pleasant words are as a honeycomb: sweet to the soul and health to the bones." Proverbs 16:24