Author: Iola Goulton

I think God would say he believes in libraries. The Lord loves words. He spoke the universe into being, and he gave us his word both in written form and living form.

Book Review | The Land Beneath Us by Sarah Sundin

Private Clay Paxton has a dream … of how he’s going to die.

Oddly enough, that gives him confidence to push through his training as a US Army Ranger, because he knows none of these dangerous activities are going to kill him. And if death is what God has called him to, then death is a sacrifice he will willingly make—even if that means denying his other dream, of being a doctor.

Leah Jones was raised in an orphanage, and works in the library at the Camp Forrest Army Base where Clay is training. The two become friends, bonding over a shared love of God and books (in that order). But when Leah is brutally attacked in the library, Clay saves her life and they enter into a marriage of convenience.

The Land Beneath Us impressed me.

Clay and Leah are both downtrodden characters—Clay because of his race, and Leah because she was an orphan, and “nice” children didn’t end up in orphanages. Both are estranged from their families—Leah knows she has twin sisters, but has no idea where they might live. Clay has two older brothers, one of whom stole his girlfriend, while the other stole his life savings and dream of medical school.

But both have a strong faith in God even in the dark times, and neither are bitter. Clay’s story is based on the story of the Prodigal Son, except Clay is the youngest and stayed home, where his older brothers both left. Despite the circumstances, Clay has forgiven both his brothers, but has no way to reconcile with them because he has no idea where they are. As such, it’s the Prodigal Son(s) with a twist, because Clay isn’t resentful.

The Land Beneath Us is the third book in Sarah Sundin’s Sunrise at Normandy series.

I haven’t read any of the others, and I don’t think I missed anything (although those who have read The Sea Before Us or The Sky Above Us will definitely want to read The Land Beneath Us to conclude the story of the three brothers).

Recommended for fans of historical Christian romance.

Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Sarah Sundin

Sarah SundinSarah Sundin is the author of The Sea Before Us and The Sky Above Us, as well as the Waves of Freedom, Wings of the Nightingale, and Wings of Glory series. Her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Her popular Through Waters Deep was a Carol Award finalist, and both Through Waters Deep and When Tides Turn were named on Booklist‘s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years.” Sarah lives in Northern California.

Find Sarah Sundin online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About The Sky Beneath Us

In 1943, Private Clay Paxton trains hard with the US Army Rangers at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, determined to do his best in the upcoming Allied invasion of France. With his future stolen by his brothers’ betrayal, Clay has only one thing to live for–fulfilling the recurring dream of his death.

Leah Jones works as a librarian at Camp Forrest, longing to rise above her orphanage upbringing and belong to the community, even as she uses her spare time to search for her real family–the baby sisters she was separated from so long ago.

After Clay saves Leah’s life from a brutal attack, he saves her virtue with a marriage of convenience. When he ships out to train in England for D-day, their letters bind them together over the distance. But can a love strong enough to overcome death grow between them before Clay’s recurring dream comes true?

Find The Sky Beneath Us online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Kobo | Koorong

Read the introduction to The Sky Beneath Us below:

Click here to check out The Land Beneath Us and other great Christian fiction at my Amazon store!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 124 | Flight Risk by Cara Putman

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Flight Risk by Cara Putman, which releases in early April. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

First line of Flight Risk by Cara C Putman: "Savannah, call for you on line one. Say's he's a reporter. Never heard of him."

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

About Flight Risk

Savannah Daniels has worked hard to build her law practice, to surround herself with good friends, and to be the loyal aunt her troubled niece can always count on. But since her ex-husband’s betrayal, she has trouble trusting anyone.

Jett Glover’s father committed suicide over a false newspaper report that ruined his reputation. Now a fierce champion of truth, Jett is writing the story of his journalism career—an international sex-trafficking exposé that will bring down a celebrity baseball player and the men closest to him, including Savannah’s ex-husband.

When Jett’s story breaks, tragedy ensues. Then a commercial airline crashes, and one of Savannah’s clients is implicated in the crash. Men connected to the scandal, including her ex, begin to die amid mysterious circumstances, and Savannah’s niece becomes an unwitting target.

Against their better instincts, Jett and Savannah join ranks to sort the facts from fiction. But can Savannah trust the reporter who threw her life into chaos? And can Jett face the possibility that he’s made the biggest mistake of his life?

You can find Flight Risk online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

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

If he'd known all he had to do to make Kim nicer was fly her to Australia and throw her in the mud, he'd have done it years ago.

Book Review | A Girl’s Guide to the Outback by Jessica Kate

A Girl’s Guide to the Outback takes Kimberly and Sam from Jessica Kate’s debut, Love and Other Mistakes, and transplants them to Sam’s family farm in the Australian Outback. Sam is convinced he’s a failure, so quits Wildfire, the youth mission he founded. When he gets home, he finds his sister Jules with a broken leg, and the farm under threat of bankruptcy.

Wildfire doesn’t go well without him either.

Kimberly is packed off to Australia to convince Sam to return to the program. Sam won’t return until he knows the farm will be okay, so Kimberly is bribed to stay and help even though she and Sam go together like oil and water. She offers her financial and management smarts to help in the hope she can get Sam back to Wildfire.

I grew up in a farming community, but Kimberly’s research showed me there is a lot more to farming than I knew (especially Aussie farming. New Zealand doesn’t have the same fire and flood risks as Queensland).

Reading this against the backdrop of the Australian fires had a sobering affect on what is otherwise a fun romantic comedy.

And it is funny. As a Kiwi, I found several giggles and groans in the Aussie cultural references as Kimberly settles in to life in ‘Straya. Mick drinks kombucha, which shows he’s a better person than me—I’ve only tried it once, and it was nasty. Sam wears Stubbies, a fashion staple of rural Australia and New Zealand in the 1970s:

Stubbies

Yes. That’s a fashion item that should have stayed in the 1970s (and if you think that photo is scary, click through to the website, which also offers an enlarged view and a back view).

Kimberly packs a picnic basket and includes:

“Canadian bacon—known in Australia simply as ‘bacon,’ plus Vegemite and Weetbix cereal for a traditional Australian touch.”

So if I call it “bacon” and Americans call it “Canadian bacon”, what’s the stuff on the American fast-food menus that they call bacon? Or don’t I want to know?

Also, while I do know some people who eat Weetbix with butter and Marmite (the Kiwi version of Vegemite, and we won’t get into any arguments about which tastes better, thank you very much), I don’t know anyone who’d eat Weetbix, Vegemite, and bacon at the same time. Well, I hope I don’t.

A Girl’s Guide to the Outback has all the wit and sass of Love and Other Mistakes, plus a healthy dose of ‘Straya.

The Australian setting means it also has ample opportunity to showcase the highs and lows, from brown snakes and early-morning avian wake-up calls to the beauty of the Outback and the Gold Coast beaches.

But there are some serious life lessons hidden in the banter.

Both Sam and Kim have mistakes from their past they need to overcome, both for their own sakes and to draw them together as a couple. Jules (Sam’s sister) has her own issues with Mike, the guy she broke up with years ago because she wanted to stay on the farm and he wanted to move to the coast. It’s fun watching both couples fall apart, get together, and work through their issues. It’s also a reminder of the power of God … when we get out of His way.

A Girl's Guide to the Outback by Jessica Kate @JessicaKate05 has plenty of wit and sass, and some serious topics hidden in the banter #ChristianRomance #BookReview Share on X

Recommended for anyone looking for a fun romantic comedy in a unique setting.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Jessica Kate

Australian author Jessica Kate writes inspirational romances that are fun, sassy and real. Jess is a screenwriting groupie, co-host of the StoryNerds vlog and podcasts, and her favorite place to be – apart from Mum and Dad’s back deck – is a theme park.

She’s traveled North America and Australia, and samples her favorite pasta wherever she goes – but the best (so far) is still the place around the corner from her corporate day job as a training developer.

She loves watching sit-coms with her housemates and being a leader in a new church plant.

You can find Jessica Kate online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Podcast | Twitter

About A Girl’s Guide to the Outback

How far will a girl go to win back a guy she can’t stand? This funny, sweet, and romantic story proves that opposites do attract—and that God has a sense of humor.

Samuel Payton is a passionate youth pastor in Virginia, but below the surface, he’s still recovering from the blow of a failed business and insecurities he can’t shake. His coworker, start-up expert Kimberly Foster, is brilliant, fearless, and capable, but years of personal rejection have left her defensive and longing for a family. Two people have never been more at odds—or more attracted to one another. And every day at work, the sparks sure do fly.

When Kimberly’s ambitious plans for Sam’s ministry butt up against his risk-averse nature, Sam decides that obligations to family trump his work for the church. He quits the ministry and heads home to Australia to help his sister, Jules, save her struggling farm. As Kimberly’s grand plans flounder, she is forced to face the truth: that no one can replace Sam. Together they strike up a deal: If Kimberly comes to work on Jules’s dairy farm and lends her business brains to their endeavor, then maybe—just maybe—Sam will reconsider his future with the church.

As Kimberly tries her hand at Australian farm life, she learns more about herself than she could’ve ever expected. Meanwhile Sam is forced to re-evaluate this spunky woman he thought he already knew. As foes slowly morph into friends, they wonder if they might be something even more. But when disaster strikes the farm, will Sam find it within himself to take a risk that could lead to love? And will Kimberly trust God with her future?

Find A Girl’s Guide to the Outback online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong | Kobo

You can read the introduction to A Girl’s Guide to the Outback below:

And don’t forget to visit my Amazon store to find A Girl’s Guide to the Outback and other great Christian fiction!

Do you read an excerpt or first chapter sample before buying a book?

Bookish Question #143 | Do you read an excerpt or first chapter sample before buying a book?

Sometimes.

(Well, I had to say something other than my usual “It depends”!)

There are times when I don’t read a sample before downloading (or buying) the book:

  • When the book is a review copy, because I’m not “buying” it, and there is no sample available (as review copies are usually pre-release books).
  • When the book is free on Kindle, because books are often only free for a short period, and I wouldn’t want to download the sample, not read it, then miss out on the free book because of my own tardiness.
  • I may also click Buy without reading the sample on a book that’s on a short-term 99 cent sale so I don’t miss out. This is especially the case if I’ve read and enjoyed other books by that author, or if I’ve seen the book recommended by someone I trust.
  • When the book is a preorder. Kindle samples are only available for books that are for sale, but many authors offer 99 cent or $2.99 preorder specials. If it’s an author I’ve read and enjoyed before, then it’s easy to click Buy on a 99 cent preorder.

If the book is more expensive, then my decision will depend on the price, the book, and the author—I’m more likely to click Buy on a book I’ve been waiting for (e.g. because it’s the next in a series I enjoy) than on an unknown book from a less familiar author.

Otherwise, I’ll download and read the Kindle sample.

Why? Because I already have hundreds of unread books (fiction and nonfiction) on my Kindle. I don’t want to spend money on more books unless I’m confident I’m going to read and enjoy it. The books I abandon are generally those where I didn’t read a sample first. If I read and enjoyed the sample, then I’m likely to want to read the whole book.

What about you? Do you read an excerpt or first chapter sample before buying a book?

Quote from Courting Will: Knowing when you're wrong is the first step to being a good husband. You should learn that now.

Book Review | Courting Will (Escape to the West #8) by Nerys Leigh

I’m a big fan of all Nerys Leigh’s novels, but I especially like her Escape to the West series because it’s Christian romance rather than regular clean romance.

There are three main things I like about her novels.

First, they’re funny. She has some great lines, and her characters have plenty of witty dialogue.

Second, she’s not afraid to put a spin on a popular trope. For example, a lot of historical fiction has the man attempting to court a woman who’s not interested. Courting Will reverses that trope, and has Daisy pursuing Will. Although he’s had a secret crush on Daisy for years, he has a past and doesn’t think he’s good enough for her.

Third, I like that the novels have a clear Christian message. People tell Will God has forgiven him for his past misdeeds, but it takes more than words for Will to believe this for himself. That’s familiar …

All in all, I think Courting WIll is one of the stronger novels in a series that’s already strong. Recommended for fans of Christian historical romance, especially those set in the American west.

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

About Nerys Leigh

Nerys LeighNerys Leigh writes thoroughly romantic Christian historical love stories. She loves heroes who are strong but sweet and heroines who are willing to fight for the life they want.

She’s from the UK, which you would think puts her in a unique position to not write about mail order brides in the American west, but the old adage of writing what you know has never appealed to her. She has an actual American read each book before publishing to make sure she hasn’t gone all English on it.

No One’s Bride is the first in the Escape to the West series which tells the stories of a group of women willing to travel across America to find happiness, and the men determined to win their hearts.

You can find Nerys Leigh online relaxing and generally enjoying the view at:

 Website | Facebook

About Courting Will

How can the right man be so infuriatingly wrong?

Daisy and Will have been not courting for a year.

At first, that was a good thing. When Will began spending time with her and her young son, only four months had passed since the death of Daisy’s husband, and having her childhood friend around eased her loneliness and pain.

But now, a year later, Will is still spending time with her, and they’re still not courting, and it’s beginning to feel like not such a good thing.

With his wild past, Will is convinced he shouldn’t be a husband or father, so Daisy decides to take matters into her own hands. If he won’t court her, she’ll court him.

Until Will’s past catches up with him, and threatens to tear them apart forever.

Find Courting Will online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

Read the introduction to Courting Will below:

Click here to find Courting Will and other great Christian fiction in my Amazon store!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 123 | Collateral Damage by Lynette Eason

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Collateral Damage by Lynette Eason. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

First Line of Collateral Damage: Sergeant First Class Asher James stared at Captain Phillip Newell, sure he'd heard wrong.

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

About Collateral Damage

Honorably discharged from the Army after an explosion nearly killed her, former military psychiatrist Brooke Adams has set up shop to help others–but her days of helping military personnel are over. She’s got her own battles to fight from her time overseas, and she’s not equipped to take on more. Former Army Special Ops Sergeant First Class Asher James could handle anything that war sent his way–terrorists, bombs, bullets. The only thing that scares him now is sleep. As the shadows close in, the nightmares begin.

Finally convinced that he needs help, Asher makes an appointment with a counselor, and Brooke is pressed by her boss to take him on. When he arrives at her office she isn’t there–but a dead body is. Brooke is devastated when she walks in, and Asher is a conveniently strong shoulder to cry on. But she can’t take him on as a client after sharing such an intimate and unprofessional moment, can she? And he’s not sure he can handle sharing his deepest fears with such a beautiful woman.

When it becomes clear that Brooke was the real target of the attack–and that her secrets go even deeper than his own–Asher vows to protect her no matter what.

You can find Collateral Damage online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

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

Bookish Question #142 | Which authors or novels to you think best illustrate healthy Christian family relationships?

This is another excellent question.

Fiction is about conflict, and that conflict is often in the context of a family relationship. It may be a stage-of-life thing, but I’m over books where the teenage protagonist has #FirstWorldProblems with their (in my opinion) reasonable parent or parents. I’m also not keen on books where the parents are made out to be some kind of ogres … who have magically produced a well-adjusted child or teenager. #YeahRight.

But there is more to family relationships than parents and children.

There is also siblings … and there are a lot of stories which feature siblings.

Susan May Warren’s Christiansen Family series features the Christiansen siblings (and their parents). Now, it has to be said that they aren’t always “healthy” family relationships, but the emphasis is on acknowledging problems and doing whatever you can to fix the relationships. That’s healthy.

Dee Henderson’s O’Malley romantic suspense series features seven adopted siblings, so that’s a different kind of family. They also disagree, but they’re all noble adults who would do anything for each other.

And, of course, there are Clarke and Marty’s family from Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke, and the Baxter family by Karen Kingsbury, as I mentioned last week.

It’s interesting that all the examples I can think of are series.

Can you think of any standalone novels that do a great job of showing healthy Christian family relationships? Or any series I’ve missed?

Her eyes met mine, her desperate look pleading with me not to do anything stupid. Sadly, that wasn't going to happen.

Book Review | Belinda Blake and the Birds of a Feather by Heather Day Gilbert

We’ll start with the one thing I’m not happy about with Belinda Blake and the Birds of a Feather:

This is the last book in the Belinda Blake series 🙁

Yes, it’s another great instalment in Belinda’s life as an exotic petsitter, and it wraps up well, but I’d like more.

For those who have been following the series, we do get an answer to Belinda’s little romance problem. For those who haven’t been following the series … this is the third in the series, and while it’s an excellent standalone novel, there is a little backstory that you might appreciate more if you read Snake in the Grass and Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing first

Belinda returns to her hometown after her best friend’s mother dies. While she’s there, she gets pulled into caring for the lady’s homing pigeons … and investigating a suspicious death in the neighbourhood. As you do.

Belinda is a great character—fun, intelligent, and slightly weird.

She has two jobs: she’s a video game reviewer who probably understands more of what my teenage son says than I do, and she babysits exotic pets: snakes, wolves, and pigeons, among others. The novel is written in first person, and her quirky voice works well as a narrator.

Belinda Blake and the Birds of a Feather by Heather Day Gilbert @HeatherDGilbert is a fun mystery with plenty of humour, witty dialogue, and great characters. #CozyMystery #BookReview Share on X

As with the other books in the series, this is a fun mystery with no on-the-page violence but plenty of humour, witty dialogue, and great characters. I’ve enjoyed this series, and I’m sorry to see it end (although I am hoping that hint towards the end was prepping us for more Belinda Blake books—hint, hint).

Recommended for cozy mystery fans.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Heather Day Gilbert

Heather Day Gilbert, an ECPA Christy award finalist and Grace award winner, writes contemporary mysteries and Viking historicals. Her novels feature small towns, family relationships, and women who aren’t afraid to protect those they love.

Publisher’s Weekly gave Heather’s Viking historical Forest Child a starred review, saying it is “an engaging story depicting timeless human struggles with faith, love, loyalty, and leadership.”

Find Heather Day Gilbert online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube

About Belinda Blake and the Birds of a Feather

When exotic pet–sitter Belinda Blake starts pecking at the details of a suspicious accident in her sleepy hometown, she inadvertently digs up a murder case that won’t be solved without ruffling a few feathers . . .

The moment Belinda arrives in Larches Corner, her Upstate New York hometown, she’s immediately recruited to care for a deceased friend’s flock of homing pigeons. But Belinda’s plans for a swift visit scatter after a local college student is mowed down in a malicious hit-and-run that has the whole town reeling.

At first, the gruesome demise of Jackson Hait appears to be a random tragedy. But Belinda quickly uncovers connections to a tight-knit group of friends and a similar death three years earlier . . . one that wasn’t as accidental as it seemed. Now, Belinda must pluck the truth from a tangled nest of lies before a cruel killer takes wing.

Find Belinda Blake and the Birds of a Feather online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

And 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 | Week 122 | Border Breach by Darlene L Turner

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Border Breach, the debut novel by Darlene L Turner. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

First line from Border Breach by Darlene L Turner: Officer Kaylin Poirier's stomach lurched at the sight of the two people inside a white florist van that pulled up to her booth at the Windsor-Detroit border.

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

About Border Breach

When drugs are smuggled across the border …

It’s their duty to stop the culprits … at any cost.

Forming a joint task force, Canada border officer Kaylin Poirier and police constable Hudson Steeves have one objective: take down a drug-smuggling ring trying to sell a new lethal product. But when the smugglers come after Kaylin and Hudson, this mission becomes more than just a job. Can they live long enough to solve the case?

Find Border Breach online at:

Amazon | Goodreads | Kobo

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

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

The biggest subgenre in Christian fiction is romance, and the definition of a romance novel is that it ends with the promise of a happy-ever-after. It doesn't then go on to show that happy-ever-after. Some women's fiction novels do deal with marriage, but the focus is more likely to be a marriage in trouble. As such, it shows the main character (usually the wife) and their marriage partner overcoming their issues. Although, if I think about it, isn't that the definition of a healthy relationship: one where the people involved work together to overcome their issues? There is also the problem of the nature of fiction: it's about conflict. As such, a healthy Christian marriage is never going to be the focus of a Christian novel (although it could be the backdrop). After all, fiction loves contrast, and what better contrast to relationship drama than a healthy Christian marriage? There are several Christian authors who do this well, including Catherine West and Elizabeth Musser. Having said that, I do think their are some authors and series who do a great job of depicting healthy Christian marriage. The classic is Janette Oke, with both the Love Comes Softly and the Canadian West series (serieses?). Another example is Karen Kingsbury with the everlasting novels about the ever-growing Baxter family. Neither series depict perfect marriages (although the Baxter novels come melodramatically close), but that's good: there is no perfect marriage. And perhaps that's something our romance novels should make clear. But that's a topic for another day. What about you? What authors or novels do you think best illustrate a healthy Christian marriage? Why?

Bookish Question #141 | Which authors or novels do you think best illustrate a healthy Christian marriage?

The biggest subgenre in Christian fiction is romance, and the definition of a romance novel is that it ends with the promise of a happy-ever-after. It doesn’t then go on to show that happy-ever-after.

Some women’s fiction novels deal with marriage.

But the focus in women’s fiction is more likely to be a marriage in trouble. As such, it shows the main character (usually the wife) and their marriage partner overcoming their issues. Although, if I think about it, isn’t that the definition of a healthy relationship: one where the people involved work together to overcome their issues?

There is also the problem of the nature of fiction: it’s about conflict.

As such, a healthy Christian marriage is never going to be the focus of a Christian novel (although it could be the backdrop). After all, fiction loves contrast, and what better contrast to relationship drama than a healthy Christian marriage? There are several Christian authors who do this well, including Catherine West and Elizabeth Musser.

Having said that, I do think their are some authors and series who do a great job of depicting healthy Christian marriage. The classic is Janette Oke, with both the Love Comes Softly and the Canadian West series (serieses?). Another example is Karen Kingsbury with the everlasting novels about the ever-growing Baxter family.

Neither series depict perfect marriages (although the Baxter novels come melodramatically close), but that’s good: there is no perfect marriage. And perhaps that’s something our romance novels should make clear. But that’s a topic for another day.

What about you? What authors or novels do you think best illustrate a healthy Christian marriage? Why?