Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Heartfelt Formula by Leslie Kirby DeVooght, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: The Heartfelt Formula
Author: Leslie Kirby DeVooght
Publisher: Lanier Price Publishing
Release Date: October 22, 2026
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Women's Fiction/Romantic Comedy
After another breakup, Atlanta attorney Hope Elliot decides to stop waiting for her happily-ever-after and write it herself. Inspired by her beloved Christmas romance movies, Hope crafts The Heartfelt Formula: a foolproof plan including snowball fights, cookie baking, and a perfectly timed first kiss.
Trading the big city for coastal Georgia, Hope sets out to find her small-town soulmate. But the actors in her carefully plotted scenes keep shuffling—especially when Brennan Taylor, her ambitious co-counsel continues to fill in for Cole Walker, the carefree furniture maker, who Hope cast as her hero.
Between courtroom drama, a mismatched leading man, and a mistletoe mishap, Hope must decide if she’ll trust her formula or accept a plot twist that might leave her all alone, or perhaps, with the happiest ending of all.
A faith-filled romantic comedy for anyone who believes love, like Christmas, can still surprise you.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub
Also Available
About the Author
PW Best-Selling Author Leslie Kirby DeVooght writes women’s fiction inspired by romcoms, coastal Georgia, and fried okra! While Leslie and her family live in Jacksonville, Florida, they often visit her hometown of St. Simons Island, Georgia, where she loves to go for long walks on the beach. A graduate of Florida Southern College and Mercer Law School, Leslie is always revising her life from prosecutor to judge to PTA president to author of happily-ever-afters.
Connect with Leslie by visiting lesliedevooght.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.
Author Interview
Welcome, Leslie! 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 The Heartfelt Formula.
Can you share 5 random facts about yourself that we won’t find in your bio?
- I played M’Lynn Eatenton in my high school’s production of Steel Magnolias.
- I have a street named after me in Brunswick, Georgia. (My dad and his business partners named all the streets in the development after their daughters.)
- I was a competitive tap dancer.
- I dream in full volume and color. (It’s not as great as it sounds.)
- My focus as an Assistant DA was crimes against women and children similar to Hope in my book.
When did you first discover you had a passion for writing?
Writing has always been a part of my life. When I was a child, I tried to write stories and as I grew older, I started a lot of books. In college, I earned a minor in English with a focus on writing because I planned to go to law school. In law school, I received an Advanced Writing Certificate. Writing was something that I enjoyed, and according to my teachers, I did well. Essay questions were always my favorite in school. As an attorney, I loved the challenge of writing to persuade judges and win legal arguments. I feel really blessed to have the opportunity to write Christian fiction.
What drew you to romance?
I’ve always loved romance. I think it’s the happily-ever after that really gets me. I used to plan dates for my Barbie and Ken dolls. As far as writing, I don’t always try to write romance, but it just happens. On the daily, I hear of chance encounters or unusual situations with people, and my brain automatically starts writing a romance. I truly believe all great stories have a little romance. On the rare occasion when I’ve read a book or watched a movie with no romance, I feel like something is missing.
What was the most challenging part of bringing this story to life?
Because I don’t want to give too much away, I’ll just say the love-triangle aspects of this story challenged me. I didn’t want Hope to seem shallow or self-centered. She’s just misguided and rather stubborn when it comes to her plans--something we can all relate to on some level.
The most rewarding?
It was so rewarding to see all the characters find their way even if some parts of their stories didn’t have a happily ever after, they still had a resolution. I didn’t know if it would happen when I started, but with a lot of prayer and revisions, the story all came together. I love the redemptive arcs in this story.
Describe your main character(s) in three words.
- Hope – smart, nostalgic, strong-willed
- Brennan – loyal, competitive, reserved
- Cole – friendly, uncomplicated, free-spirit
I love seeing holiday traditions in Christmas romance… what are some of your favorite holiday traditions?
My extended family owns a tree farm on the South Georgia coast with house that is over 200 years old. Every Christmas, we gather together for an oyster roast before we sing carols around the fire pit. The children go to bed, and Santa arrives, ringing bells on the front lawn. While he comes inside, the children dash down the stairs and meet him in the living room. One of the kids reads the Christmas story from the Bible, and we sing more songs before pictures with Santa. After a round of “We wish you a Merry Christmas”, Santa leaves and we open presents. This had been the tradition since my dad was a child. These memories are so precious.
What do you hope readers will take away from the book?
The importance of grace and forgiveness, not only to each other but also from God and for ourselves. The person we often need to give the most grace to is ourselves.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Before you go, where can readers follow along to see what’s coming next?
I’m on Instagram @leslie.devooght.author and Facebook @Leslie Kirby DeVooght-Author. My newsletter sign up is on my website lesliedevooght.com. Newsletter members get two free books, including the fourth book in the Magnolia Bluff series which is exclusive to newsletter members. They also get the Southern Sands Cookbook which is full of recipes for the dishes in my stories.
Tour Giveaway
(2) winners will each receive a Coastal Christmas ornament, plus signed copies of Taking a Second Shot, Stealing Magnolias, and The Heartfelt Formula!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 21, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 28, 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. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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"Pleasant words are as a honeycomb: sweet to the soul and health to the bones." Proverbs 16:24