Author: Iola Goulton

Are there any occupations you would like to see in Christian fiction?

Bookish Question #386 | Are there any occupations you would like to see in Christian fiction?

Great question.

Christian fiction (and perhaps all fiction) seems to go through stages. It seems that most fiction I read features cowboys, cafe owners, bookshop owners, or B&B owners. (And it’s almost always the owners, not the workers.)

I see a handful of accountants and a few marketing executives, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Human Resources manager or business analyst. I’ve never read a Christian novel featuring an auditor or an actuary. I’ve seen a few winery owners, but never seen a publican (which perhaps is less surprising than the winemakers.)

I see very few stories set in big businesses or government departments.

Even billionaire romances tend to feature heroes (and they are almost always heroes) who spend little of their time in the office. And when I see government employees, they tend to be law enforcement, teachers or medical professionals(because outisdethe USA,most medical professionals are government employees).

When I do see businesspeople, the story typically mentions their occupation, but everything happens outside this office. This does make sense: most businesses, especially large businesses have strict rules about relationships between colleagues.

So what occupations would I like to see?

Honestly, I’d like a good workplace romance where the woman is the boss or where the man is the one who sacrifices his career for love.

What about you? What occupations would you like to see more of in Christian fiction?

That's the beauty of traditions. Even if everything else changes, some things stay the same.

Book Review | What Not to do on Vacation by Rachel McGee

What Not to do on Vacation is part romance and part women’s fiction. On the outside, it’s the story of three sisters reuniting for a reenactment of the childhood summer holidays in Sunnyside, Florida.

But nothing goes according to plan …

Cora arrives with no luggage. Bianca and Savannah each arrive with news, although while Bianca is delighted to share that she’s engaged to a man she’s been online dating for five weeks and has never met in real life, Savannah keeps her news a secret.

In what seems perfectly logical in a way only a rom-com can be logical, Bianca persuades the very single Cora to sign up for SoulMate, the AI matchmaker app she used to find Zander, her now-fiance. The app sets Cora up with local hotel chain heir Jax Verona, who isn’t interested in a relationship that goes past two dates except for when a much-wanted promotion is dangled in front of him.

The characters are relatable, if a little cliche: Savannah, the responsible perfectionist oldest sister. Cora, the hardworking middle sister who sometimes resents both her sisters. Bianca, the flighty youngest sister who doesn’t know what she wants from life (and whose sisters don’t believe her when she claims she’s found The Answer).

The book description discloses the plot is partly based on 10 Things I Hate About You (which is based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew), although I felt it was more like How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days (which isn’t officially based on The Taming of the Shrew but has some strong parallels). As with It’s All Relative, the names do give away the underlying plot: Bianca, Jax Verona, and the Padua hotel group.

The story doesn’t have any kind of faith element, which (unfortunately, if you ask me) is becoming more and more common with Thomas Nelson, the flagship imprint of Harper Collins Christian Publishing.

Having said that, there was no bad language, no violence, nothing that went against Christian principles, and only a couple of kissing scenes. The characters are best described as wholesome.

Yet there is surprising depth and character growth

… particularly given the story has three viewpoint characters (four, if you count a couple of scenes from Jax’s point of view). Each character has learned something by the end of the story, which makes for a satisfying read.

Recommended for fans of sweet and Christian contemporary romance from authors such as Tara Grace Ericson, Sarah Monzon, Courtney Walsh.

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

About Rachel McGee

Rachel McGeeRachel Magee writes rom-coms and women’s fiction with relatable characters, witty dialogue, and plenty of happily-ever-afters. Her stories are usually set in fun, sunny locations where she doesn’t mind spending lots of time ‘researching’. When she’s not out scouting the setting of her next book, you can find her at home in The Woodlands, Texas with her amazing husband and their two adventurous kids.

Find Rachel McGee online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About What Not to Do on Vacation

Savannah is on a mission to reconnect the Prestly sisters the best way she knows how: reliving their carefree childhood summers at the beach. She’s booked the same beach house, convinced her sisters to take the month off, and even made a bucket list to fit in all their favorite coastal fun. It’s going to be perfect . . . or else. (And if planning this trip has anything to do with a certain secret she’s hiding . . . well, let’s not dwell on that.) Sun, sand, and some sisterly bonding–what could possibly go wrong?

Enter Bianca, the baby of the family, with a huge announcement: she’s getting married! And her sisters’ reactions are . . . not exactly what she hoped for. But Bianca is on a mission to prove that she’s not the mess they think she is. Her grand plan? To find love for Cora, her perpetually single sister, on the same dating app where she found her fiancé. The stakes? A bet that if Cora can’t find her ‘One’ on the app, Bianca will call off her engagement. A challenge Bianca is all too ready to tackle head-on, even if it means a little conniving. Cora’s about to get swept off her feet, whether she likes it or not!

Meanwhile, Cora is rolling her eyes so hard they might get stuck. Love is a fairy tale for other people, not her. As she’s filling out her dating profile, she thinks–nope, she knows–it’ll be easy to show her sisters just how absurd this whole love thing is. So what if this Jax guy Cora just matched with is Hemsworth-brother hot? And, if his messages could be believed, maybe even slightly charming? None of this is real, anyway–love just doesn’t come easily Cora. And she’s getting ready to prove it. She’s got this under control.

(Spoiler alert: nothing is under control.)

Find What Not to Do on Vacation 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 #392 | The Dating Game by Heather Miekstyn

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 The Dating Game by new-to-me author Heather Miekstyn. I’ve just downloaded the sample after seeing it recommended in an author newsletter, and if the rest of the sample is like this opening line, it’s going to be a one-click buy (and devour).

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Whoever said knowledge is power obviously forgot to factor in anxiety.

 

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

 

About The Dating Game

Love does not dishonor others … supposedly.

Whoever said knowledge is power obviously forgot to factor in anxiety.Brooke Garza only made a dating bet in an effort to help her widowed best friend Sydney find love again. All she had to do was prove that she could date the same guy for three months, then bam! Sydney would have to go on three first dates of Brooke’s choosing. But when a karaoke duet with a near stranger gets out of hand, her boyfriend—and the subject of the aforementioned bet—breaks up with her, leaving her at the mercy of Sydney. In a faux display of magnanimity, Sydney offers her a bet redo— on one condition: she gets to pick Brooke’s next boyfriend.

Enter Will Barrett, her karaoke partner. Correction: her very attractive karaoke partner. Dating him for a couple of months might not be so bad…or will it?

Because Will doesn’t seem to be the same magnetic guy she danced and sang with onstage. He’s self-centered, inconsiderate, and sort of a slob. Brooke is no longer sure she can last a week as his girlfriend, let alone three months.

As for Will…well, he might just be playing a dating game of his own. Of course, games for two usually end with both players losing their hearts.

 

Find The Dating Game online at:

Amazon | 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 themes would you like to see more of in Christian fiction?

Bookish Question #385 | What themes would you like to see more of in Christian fiction?

This is an interesting question.

The genres and themes I’m interested in change over time, perhaps as my life circumstances change.

What I am always interested in is Christian fiction that explores some of the harder questions while still delivering an enjoyable story.

What I don’t want to read are stories that are so obviously Delivering An Important Message that they forget readers are looking for readable writing, likeable characters, and an entertaining story (or is that just me?)

This is particularly an issue in the Christian fiction market.

Christian where authors can forget they’re writing a novel and start preaching. Usually they are preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, but I’ve also read books preaching the importance of recycling, the right to bear arms, and how it’s important for mothers to not work outside the home when they have children.

(That one really annoyed me, as the couple moved in with mother-in-law to help save the farm, and mother-in-law insisted the heroine should give up her job when Granny could have helped with childcare and allowed the heroine’s salary to cover all their household expenses while husband worked the farm).

And now I’ve forgotten the question…

That’s right. What themes do I want to see more of?

I guess I just want to see well-written stories with likeable characters who don’t have perfect lives, but who overcome their challenges by walking with God.

What about you? What themes would you like to see more of in Christian fiction?

I thought college was supposed to fill my mind with knowledge about the world ... so far it's been more about learning the rules of this alternate universe.

Book Review | Anything (Mayberry University #1) by Kristina Welch

Anything is the story of Kit Talbot and Levi Whitaker, freshman and upperclassman at Mayberry University, a small Christian university in Texas. Kit is determined to stay well away from boys after her last relationship ended badly. Very badly – PTSD badly. But Levi, for some unknown reason, is determined to befriend and pursue her, even after she makes it clear that she’s not looking for a relationship.

Levi is one of the most popular guys on campus, which gives Anything a familiar feel–after all, there is any number of young adult and new adult romances where the popular guy pursues the girl who isn’t interested in him (or the disinterested girl is pursued by the hottest guy in town).

The setting of a Christian university gives the story a different spin.

The beginning was a little confusing as Kit settles into her new environment, learning the names and nicknames of her fellow students and all the unspoken rules of a close-knit college community where everyone seems to live on campus. Kit is a serious Christian, one who continually prays and reads and quotes her Bible, and listens for God’s voice. It isn’t immediatley obvious, but Levi is the same. Even in Christian romance, it’s unusual to read a story where God is this important to the main characters.

The other aspect of anything that lifted it above the norm was the approach to romance. While Levi is clearly interested in Kit from the get-go, Kit’s emotions are more complicated. As a result, their romance is very much based on emotions rather than any physical manifestation, while still having all the romantic tension. I was especially impressed by the way Levi saw the real Kit behind her boundaries and continued to pursue her, all the while remaining within whatever boundaries she set and was comfortable with.

The result is an unexpectedly romantic Christian romance that touches on some serious issues. Anything is the first book in The Mayberry University series. I’m intrigued to see where the series goes next.

Recommended for readers looking for a God-centered young adult Christian romance.

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

About Kristina Welch

Kristina Welch

 

When Kristina Welch isn’t adventuring around the world with her husband and three little blondies, she’s home near Denver, Colorado. She thrives on date nights, forest hikes, and peanut butter cookies. Her days include half-homeschooling her kids, thrifting for treasures, regretting DIY home projects, and babbling to Jesus wherever she is.

Find Kristina Welch online at:

Website | Instagram | Pinterest

About Anything

Two guarded hearts. He’s breaking down walls and she’s building them higher–
A match made in Heaven, or a blueprint for disaster?

After the fiery downward spiral of senior year, Kit Talbot crash-lands on a quirky college campus where traditions rule and dorm floors act more like family. It’s just weird enough to keep her mind off the wreckage she’s leaving behind.

Enter Levi Whitaker, known as the swooniest guy on campus. Magnetic, confident, and far too much like the ex who sent her life into that PTSD-tainted nosedive. Levi seems to be everywhere, focused on her like she’s the only girl in the world–even indulging her sugar addiction with delivered treats. But Kit’s self-preservation instincts are sharper than ever, and she deflects him like Wonder Woman blocking bullets.

That is, until Levi’s quiet faith and humble apology start to break down Kit’s defenses. He loves Jesus in the dreamiest way, looks like wow, and … somehow triggers the flashbacks she fights so hard to avoid. Every minute with him is a risk she isn’t sure she should take. Should she protect them both from the chaos of her life or learn a bravery that feels irresponsible?

As Kit fights to keep her life safe and manageable, she leans into her faith, clinging to the Bible verses God whispers to her heart. Clearly, he’s up to something, but the healing she prays for isn’t happening the way she wants.

Why is God silent on the prayer she needs most?

Find Anything 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 #391 | Emerald Windows by Terri Blackstock

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m sharing from an old favourite, Emerald Windows by Terri Blackstock, which I recently picked up on sale on Kindle. That must mean it’s time for a re-read!

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

The windows of Hayden’s landmark church—St. Mary’s—were caked with dust, and from outside Brooke Martin could see web-shaped cracks that had already been evident seven years earlier when she’d last seen the place.

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

 

About Emerald Windows

Ten years ago, devastated by an ugly scandal, Brooke Martin fled the small town of Hayden to pursue a career as a stained glass artist. Now Brooke has returned on business to discover that some things never change. Her spotted reputation remains. Tongues still wag. And that makes what should be her dream assignment tough.

Brooke has been hired to design new stained glass windows at Hayden Bible Church. The job is a career windfall. But Nick Marcello is overseeing the project, and some in the church think Nick and Brooke’s relationship is not entirely professional–and as before, there is no convincing those people otherwise.

In the face of mounting rumors, the two set out to produce the masterpiece Nick has conceived: a brilliant set of windows displaying God’s covenants in the Bible. For Brooke, it is more than a project–it is a journey toward faith.

But opposition is heating up. A vicious battle of words and will is about to tax Brooke’s commitment to the limit. Only this time, she is determined not to run.

Find Muskoka Blue 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 remember the first Christian novel you read as an adult?

Bookish Question #384 | Do you remember the first Christian novel you read as an adult?

Yes – in fact, it was the first Christian fiction I ever read at all.

The title?

This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti.

My aunt bought This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness and loaned them to my mother. Mum didn’t read them, but I devoured them.

I was then thrilled to discover Christian fiction was an entire genre … and my life has literally never been the same.

What about you? What was the first Christian novel you read as an adult?

And in case you’ve never read them, here are the details:

This Present Darkness

Ashton is just a typical small town.

But when a skeptical reporter and a pastor begin to compare notes, they suddenly find themselves fighting a hideous plot to subjugate the townspeople―and eventually the entire human race.

A riveting thriller, This Present Darkness offers a fascinating glimpse into the unseen world of spiritual warfare.

Buy on Amazon

Piercing the Darkness

Leaders in the realm of darkness have mounted a new attack that will create chaos and cause defeat in the human beings who claim unity with their enemy, Christ.

Readers will find themselves rooting for a most unlikely hero as her quest for inner peace exposes the most frightening war of all, the battle for the human soul. Be captivated anew as you enter the world of battling angels and demons that author Frank Peretti so masterfully uncovered in This Present Darkness.

Buy on Amazon

Book Review | Every Hour until Then (Timeless #5) by Gabrielle Meyer

Every Hour Until Then is the fifth book in the Timeless series, in which the narrator lives in two different time periods at once … but will soon reach an age where she has to choose which time to live in permanently.

In 1888, Kathryn Kelly is the oldest daughter of an esteemed London surgeon. In 1938, she is a historian working on a display featuring the crimes of Jack the Ripper … and has recently learned her sister in 1888 will become the Ripper’s last victim.

The beginning of the story had a couple of instances of stating the obvious, but once I got into the story I couldn’t put it down. Kathryn was trying to solve the same mystery in two timelines and it made for compelling reading.

The mystery of Jack the Ripper has never been solved. His killing spree stopped as suddenly as it started, and history has yet to workout why. This, of course, means we’re never quite sure if Kathryn will succeed in her quest in either timeline.

Meyer does an excellent job of developing an imaginative yet believable solution.

Kathryn meets many of the key figures of the day in the 1938 portion of the story, and they represent the disparate views of the growth of Hitler’s Third Reich. One of the benefits of historical fiction is the ability to use the events of yesteryear to speak into the events of today, and Every Hour Until Then draws some subtle yet strong parallels between the rise of Hitler and modern politics.

(I also have The Collector of Burned Books by Roseanna M White on my to-read pile, which I expect to show more parallels. Let’s not forget the old saying about burning books and burning people. As Christians, this should bother us. It should bother us a lot, because destroying books is about destroying ideas and the right to think and live and worship in the way we want.)

I don’t think appeasing Hitler is the answer. He’s a bully, and nothing is ever good enough for bullies. They take and take until someone stops them.

While this is a Christian romance, the Christian element isn’t as strong as in some of the earlier books because Kathryn likes to be the one in control. Yes, that means she has a lesson to learn …

Recommended for fans of the Timeless series and historical Christian romance.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Gabrielle Meyer

Gabrielle Meyer

Gabrielle lives on the banks of the Upper Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing historical and contemporary novels inspired by real people, places, and events. The river is a constant source of inspiration for Gabrielle, and if you look closely, you will find a river in each of her stories.

When Gabrielle is not writing, you might find her homeschooling her children, cheering them on at sporting and theatrical events, or hosting a gathering at her home with family and friends.

Find Gabrielle Meyer online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About Every Hour until Then

Every Hour until ThenGifted with the ability to time-cross between Victorian-era London and World War II Washington, DC, Kathryn faces two lives fraught with danger. In 1938 amid the looming shadow of war, Kathryn is invited to the London Museum as a guest curator to create a groundbreaking exhibit on Jack the Ripper and his reign of terror. As she delves into her grim research, she uncovers a chilling truth: Her own sister is destined to become the Ripper’s final victim decades earlier.

In 1888, in a race against fate, Kathryn is assisted by her handsome childhood friend in hunting down history’s most elusive killer. As they unravel the threads of mystery woven through time, Kathryn must decide if she’ll unmask the murderer history has chosen to hide, forfeiting a life with the man she loves to save her sister.

Find Every Hour until Then online at:

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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 #390 | If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair

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 If All Else Sails, a grumpy-sunshine hockey rom-com from marketing guru and indie author Emma St. Clair, her first traditionally published book.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

I am standing outside of what could best be described as a quaint little murder cottage, wondering if, instead of going on vacation with my brother, I’m about to die.

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

 

About If All Else Sails

In this enemies-to-lovers romance, school nurse Josie and her brother’s best friend–hockey player Wyatt Jacobs–are tricked into spending a summer together that’s anything but smooth sailing.

When Josie’s brother sends her to a random address for their (sometimes) annual Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza, she finds neither siblings nor extravaganzas. Instead, ends up at a run-down cottage on the Northern Neck of Virginia occupied by a hockey player she knows and loathes.

A hockey player who isn’t just one of her sports agent brother’s clients. He’s also his best friend. And Josie’s sworn enemy.

Oh–and her brother wants Josie to help Wyatt recover from his injury.

Dragging grumpy hockey players to physical therapy is a far cry from bandaging skinned knees, but for the price her brother offers to pay, Josie is willing to try.

Even if it means sharing what she dubs the quaint little murder cottage with Wyatt.

Find If All Else Sails 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!

How do you find books set in a specific location?

Bookish Question #383 | How do you find books set in a specific location?

I thought about this question for a while, because I don’t usually look for books based on where they are set (although an intriguing setting will often entice me to pick up a new book).

However, I know a lot of readers do location-based reading challenges, so the answer to this question is important for filling in the gaps!

When I review books, I do try to include the location in my review or in the tags so I can find the book again, and I know some other reviewers do this as well (I admit I got the idea from Narelle Atkins). That helps me locate books set in specific locations again in the future, and I hope it helps other readers.

If I did need to find a book set in a specific location, I can think of three places I’d look:

1. Amazon

I would search the location name on Amazon, in the hope that authors writing in different locations would include that in their subtitle or book description.

2. The Story Chats Podcast

The Story Chats @ Inspy Romance podcast has (sadly) closed down, but the old episodes are all available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. The team did a whole series of episodes on locations.

3. Avid Readers of Christian Fiction on Facebook

If all else fails (or if you want to save yourself a search), the Avids always come through with a veritable trove of suggestions, not matter how obscure your question. I am not responsible for how much your bank account will suffer should you ask.

What about you? How do you find Christian novels set in a specific location?