Author: Iola Goulton

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #280 | His Perfect Match by Aminata Coote

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from His Perfect Match by Aminata Coote, a new-to-me author.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Brianna McPherson scowled at the top two columns of numbers on her laptop screen.

I can relate, speaking as as an often-frustrated spreadsheet user myself …

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About His Perfect Match

They were two people who should not fall in love. But God had other plans.

Communications consultant Brianna McPherson would have a much better chance of rallying her fledgling business if her family would stop sending her customers who believed in the barter system. She needs paying clients or will have to close her firm.

Daniel Hutchinson’s church is in trouble. He has less than three months to get an influx of members or close their doors for good. When a friend suggests the free help of a brand manager, he jumps at the chance. He never expected to fall for the feisty consultant.

The last thing she needs is another non-paying client. Especially not the handsome pastor who’s messing with her head and making her feel all kinds of ways. If they can’t make this partnership work, they’ll both be out of a job.

But what if there’s something greater at stake? Like an unforgettable love.

Find His Perfect Match online at:

Amazon | BookBub| Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

What inspires you to keep subscribing to an author's newsletter?

Bookish Question #273 | What inspires you to continue receiving an author newsletter?

What inspires you to continue receiving an author newsletter? That’s not an easy question, so I’m going to turn it around and instead share what is likely to encourage me to unsubscribe from an author newsletter.

The first is if I get too many newsletters.

For obvious reasons, particularly given the state of my overflowing inbox.

The second is if the newsletters don’t have any content I find useful or interesting.

Send me too many uninteresting newsletter, and I will hit the unsubscribe button 🙂

I’m also not a fan of too-long newsletters, which is somewhat awkward, as I suspect I sometimes write too-long newsletters. It’s balance – send the newsletters often enough that no single newsletter drags on, but not so often that readers feel like they’re being spammed.

So what inspires me to continue receiving an author’s newsletter?

  • When it’s not too long
  • When they don’t come too often
  • When the content is interesting and relevant

That means some book news, but a balance between the author’s own books, what they’ve been reading (because author’s should also read),and general life news.

What do you think? What inspires you to continue receiving an author’s newsletter?

Book Review | The Ocean Between Us (Trinity Lakes #2) by Meredith Resce

I’m not always a fan of the “other woman” (or other man) trope.

These may be two women interested in the same man, or two men interested in the same woman.

Some authors show all three points of view, which allows us to get into the heads of all three characters, and see why both women like the man. My problems is that I often back the wrong guy (which is why I stopped reading Karen Kingsbury’s Bailey Flanigan novels, and why Sweet Home Alabama is my least favorite Reese Witherspoon movie).

I much prefer it when the author makes it clear which two characters are going to end up together from the beginning.

Meredith Resce does this in The Ocean Between Us.

I also prefer it when there are good reasons why the main character chooses one over the other … but it’s also clear why he was interested in both in the first place. Again, Meredith Resce gets all these things right in The Ocean Between Us. We can see why Caleb and Kyla are together at the beginning of the novel, and there is a clear reason why Caleb and Alanah were not together (the Pacific Ocean).

All in all, I have to say that The Ocean Between Us is one of the best “other women” novels I’ve read. Alanah and Caleb were both excellent characters in an awkward situation: Alanah in having to spend the summer in the house with her teenage crushand having to hide the fact her feelings are all still there. And Caleb choosing to honor his existing relationship even when faced with his teenage crush.

Yes, The Ocean Between Us is a second-chance romance.

And I have to admit that’s one of my favourite genres. I thought Meredith did an excellent job of bringing the two together in a way that felt real and realistic for the characters, and offered plenty of tension for the reader.

All this sounds somewhat serious, but rest assured: The Ocean Between Us is an enjoyable summer romance read.

About The Ocean Between Us

Alanah has set off on a trip of a lifetime.

Her best friend from high school, Sasha Kennedy, has invited her to Trinity Lakes, Washington State, to be part of her wedding party.

South Australia to Trinity Lakes is literally the other side of the world, so Alanah has a full schedule of adventure planned while she’s away. A summer camp counsellor; a trip to Canada; Sight-seeing in New York and Boston; and avoiding Sasha’s twin-brother, Caleb.

But a silly accident puts Sasha out of commission for all the planned adventures, and Caleb is sent to retrieve his former high school sweetheart from the airport. Eleven years should be enough time to have cooled the love Alanah and Caleb once shared. Should be, but apparently not. This is not a great thing to acknowledge considering Caleb has just announced his engagement to someone else.

Six months of avoiding Caleb—worse—avoiding feelings about Caleb—is going to be a long time.

Find The Ocean Between Us online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

About Meredith Resce

South Australian Author, Meredith Resce, has been writing since 1991, and has had books in the Australian market since 1997. Apart from writing, Meredith also takes the opportunity to speak to groups on issues relevant to relationships and emotional and spiritual growth.

Meredith is the author of the award-winning ‘Luella Linley – License to Meddle’ series (contemporary Christian romance), and the ‘Heart of Green Valley’ historical fiction series. She has also been co-writer and co-producer in the 2007 Australian feature film production, “Twin Rivers”.

Meredith has worked in Christian ministry since 1983 with her husband, Nick. Meredith and Nick have three adult children, one daughter and two sons.

Find Meredith Resce online at:

Website | Facebook

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #279 | From This Day Forward by Irene Hannon

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m quoting from From This Day Forward by Irene Hannon, one of her earlier women’s fiction stories.

Here’s the first line from Chapter One:

Why had his wife's best friend called him now - a year after he and Cara had separated?

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

 

About From This Day Forward

They thought their marriage was over—but can forgiveness open the door to a new future?

After his surgical career ends in tragedy and his marriage shatters, Dr. Sam Martin leaves Philadelphia for a new life in Oak Hill, Missouri. But he’s never stopped loving the woman who stole his heart. Determined to win her back, Sam invites Cara to recover at his home after she suffers a trauma of her own.

Desperate to find a way to conquer the panic attacks that are paralyzing her, Cara accepts—though she wants no part of the husband who betrayed her. Deep in America’s heartland she discovers a changed man—but can she and Sam find a way to build a new future from the ashes of their past?

In this HOLT Medallion winner, bestselling author Irene Hannon takes readers on an uplifting journey that illustrates the healing power of love…and hope.

Find From This Day Forward online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

Do you subscribe to author newsletters?

Bookish Question #272 | Do you subscribe to author newsletters?

I do 🙂

I subscribe to a fair few author newsletters. I don’t actually know how many.

Some are favourite authors. Others are authors I don’t know and haven’t read, but signed up for their newsletters as part of a promotion. And there are a couple I am part of simply because I enjoy their newsletters.

I have my own author newsletter, and you can sign up below. I do need to update my sign-up freebie as it’s several years out of date …

However, I do keep subscribers up-to-date with my journey to publishing, something I haven’t yet shared on this blog, so stay tuned …

I also have a very irregular newsletter for writers, and I’ll tell you about that next week.

What about you? Do you subscribe to author newsletters?

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #278 | The Ocean Between Us by Meredith Resce

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m quoting from The Ocean Between Us by Australian author Meredith Resce.

This is the second book in the new Trinity Lakes Romance series, set in the small Washington of Trinity Lakes, and featuring an Australian heroine.

Here’s the first line from Chapter One:

Thank goodness the day was over. Caleb Kennedy yawned.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About The Ocean Between Us

Alanah has set off on a trip of a lifetime.

Her best friend from high school, Sasha Kennedy, has invited her to Trinity Lakes, Washington State, to be part of her wedding party.

South Australia to Trinity Lakes is literally the other side of the world, so Alanah has a full schedule of adventure planned while she’s away. A summer camp counsellor; a trip to Canada; Sight-seeing in New York and Boston; and avoiding Sasha’s twin-brother, Caleb.

But a silly accident puts Sasha out of commission for all the planned adventures, and Caleb is sent to retrieve his former high school sweetheart from the airport. Eleven years should be enough time to have cooled the love Alanah and Caleb once shared. Should be, but apparently not. This is not a great thing to acknowledge considering Caleb has just announced his engagement to someone else.

Six months of avoiding Caleb—worse—avoiding feelings about Caleb—is going to be a long time.

Find The Ocean Between Us online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

Does knowing you will be added to author mailing lists stop you entering multi-author contests?

Bookish Question #271 | Does knowing you will be added to author mailing lists stop you entering multi-author contests?

While I am actively trying to reduce my email, knowing I will be added to author mailing lists wouldn’t stop me entering multi-author contests.

No, because modern privacy laws mean they always have to offer an easily visible Unsubscribe button, and Gmail makes it easy to block any authors silly enough to not offer that option.

(Or, to put it another way, any author who doesn’t follow the Biblical command to obey the law.)

What does stop me signing up to multi-author contests?

I’m reluctant to enter if too many of the books/authors don’t appear to be Christian fiction, especially if signing up means getting a whole lot of free books I don’t want (e.g. because I don’t read the genre, because they’re books from authors I don’t read … perhaps because they’ve spammed me before, or if they’re books I already have).

The other thing that stops me signing up to some giveaways is geography: paperback giveaways are often US-only because of the cost of posting paperbacks internationally. Even ebook giveaways may not work for non-US readers e.g. if the books are going to be gifted from Amazon.com, that cuts out any readers who can’t access Amazon’s US site because they are required to use their local site (e.g. Australia, Canada, or the UK).

What about you? Does knowing you will be added to author mailing lists stop you entering multi-author contests?

You take the time to slow down and listen. To have wonder and awe. I need that.

Book Review | Holding onto Hope by Janet W Ferguson

Boat captain Caleb Donnelly has been in love with wedding planner Hope Rodriguez for years. Hope has never noticed because she’s got her own unrequited love story: she’s been in love with Peter Thompson for just as long.

They’re both at Pete’s Alabama wedding to Skye (from Healing Skye) when Pete’s brother Andrew drops his own bombshell. He’s getting married. In two weeks. In Wyoming. And Andrew wants Hope to organise not just the wedding, but a week’s worth of “fun” activities for the guests.

So Caleb volunteers to help.

Between them, Hope and Caleb manage to arrange what seems impossible, not helped by the absent bride’s list of requirements. Caroline was Bridezilla on steroids (seriously: if you want to hold an event that doesn’t leave a carbon footprint, you don’t hold it halfway across a continent with only two weeks’ notice).

Most of the people Hope and Caleb talk to think they’re the couple getting married, which is more than a little awkward for Caleb … and for the reader, because I was wondering when Hope was going to notice that Caleb was interested in her.

(It was worth the wait.)

Caleb grew up in foster care after being burned in a house fire as a small child. He carries a lot of physical and emotional scars, so while he’s in love with Hope, he’s also convinced he’s not good enough for her.

Yes, it’s a great setup.

This is one of those books I inhaled – I am an absolute sucker for unrequited love stories, and Caleb was a eminently lovable hero. I was so keen for Caleb and Hope to get their happy-ever-after than I practically inhaled this book. I’m sure I’m going to have to read it again and savour it to pick up the nuances I inevitably missed the first time around … and to enjoy some of the scenes which will no doubt be much more amusing now I know the story plays out.

Recommended for all fans of contemporary Christian romance, or anyone looking for Christian fiction set in Wyoming.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

About Janet W Ferguson

Janet W FergusonJanet W. Ferguson grew up in Mississippi and received a degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Mississippi. She has served her church as a children’s minister and a youth volunteer. An avid reader, she worked as a librarian at a large public high school. Janet and her husband have two grown children, one really smart dog, and a few cats that allow them to share the space.

 

Find Janet W Ferguson online at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | BookBub

About Holding onto Hope

A fun road trip romance to the Grand Tetons! Always the wedding planner, never the bride.

Hope Rodriguez loves planning weddings. There’s nothing more special than helping a bride become a princess for a day, but she’s not sure that’s her calling in life anymore.

If only she had her own special someone. Her only current prospect leaves her with more questions than answers about where she falls in his list of priorities.

Yet, when a lifelong friend asks her to plan a destination wedding across the country in only two weeks, she’ll have to figure out how to pull off the impossible…alone.

After being burned as a child and deserted by his family, Caleb Donnelly has an intimate relationship with pain. Despite all he’s endured, one ache refuses to leave him—the throbbing in his heart where Hope is concerned.

So when Hope needs help with their friend’s wedding, he can’t stop himself from volunteering to travel two thousand miles to Jackson, Wyoming.

As long as he keeps his feelings in check, he might not ruin their friendship. Because a beautiful woman like Hope could never love a scarred man like him. There’s no way their longtime friendship could ever become more.

When Hope and Caleb’s plans go up in flames, it’s their hearts that might never recover.

Find Holding onto Hope online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #277 | Holding onto Hope by Janet W Ferguson

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m quoting from Holding onto Hope by Janet W Ferguson, the latest release in her wonderful Coastal Hearts series.

Here’s the first line from Chapter One:

Could loving someone physically hurt? It must be possible.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About Holding onto Hope

A fun road trip romance to the Grand Tetons! Always the wedding planner, never the bride.

Hope Rodriguez loves planning weddings. There’s nothing more special than helping a bride become a princess for a day, but she’s not sure that’s her calling in life anymore.

If only she had her own special someone. Her only current prospect leaves her with more questions than answers about where she falls in his list of priorities.

Yet, when a lifelong friend asks her to plan a destination wedding across the country in only two weeks, she’ll have to figure out how to pull off the impossible…alone.

After being burned as a child and deserted by his family, Caleb Donnelly has an intimate relationship with pain. Despite all he’s endured, one ache refuses to leave him—the throbbing in his heart where Hope is concerned.

So when Hope needs help with their friend’s wedding, he can’t stop himself from volunteering to travel two thousand miles to Jackson, Wyoming.

As long as he keeps his feelings in check, he might not ruin their friendship. Because a beautiful woman like Hope could never love a scarred man like him. There’s no way their longtime friendship could ever become more.

When Hope and Caleb’s plans go up in flames, it’s their hearts that might never recover.

Find Holding onto Hope online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

What do you like or dislike about Facebook reader groups?

Bookish Question #270 | What do you like or dislike about Facebook reader groups?

As I said last week, I have a love-loathe relationships with large multi-author Facebook groups like Inspy Romance or Avid Readers of Christian Fiction.

I love them because I get so many great recommendations (contemporary Christian romance from Inspy Romance, and all genres of Christian fiction from Avid Readers). I love the fact that you can ask for what feels like an obscure kind of book yet still get dozens of recommendations.

My wallet and my overburdened Kindle love them less, as I already have too many unread books on my Kindle (and on my bookshelf). Exhibit A: yesterday, I reviewed a book that’s been sitting on my Kindle since 2016. And that’s not the oldest unread book …

I have one other love/loathe to share:

I like Facebook groups that truly feel like a community. For example, Canadian Romantic Suspense author Darlene L Turner has built a group of readers she truly cares for, and who care for her and for each other. She will often share news or post prayer requests from group members, which I find inspiring. I always enjoy reading posts from her group.

I dislike Facebook reader groups that are all about the author: pre-order my book! Buy my book! Read my book! Review my book! The constant sell-sell-sell feels selfish in comparison to the groups which are more community-minded.

What about you? What do you like or dislike about Facebook reader groups?