Author: Iola Goulton

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 120 | A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner

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 A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

First Line from A Fall of Marigolds: The length of floral-patterned challis rested on the cutting table like a bridal bouquet undone.

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

About A Fall of Marigolds

(Yes, there are two covers. I like the blue one best.)
A beautiful scarf connects two women touched by tragedy in this compelling, emotional novel from the author of As Bright as Heaven and The Last Year of the War.

September 1911. On Ellis Island in New York Harbor, nurse Clara Wood cannot face returning to Manhattan, where the man she loved fell to his death in the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. Then, while caring for a fevered immigrant whose own loss mirrors hers, she becomes intrigued by a name embroidered onto the scarf he carries…and finds herself caught in a dilemma that compels her to confront the truth about the assumptions she’s made. What she learns could devastate her—or free her.

September 2011. On Manhattan’s Upper West Side, widow Taryn Michaels has convinced herself that she is living fully, working in a charming specialty fabric store and raising her daughter alone. Then a long-lost photograph appears in a national magazine, and she is forced to relive the terrible day her husband died in the collapse of the World Trade Towers…the same day a stranger reached out and saved her. But a chance reconnection and a century-old scarf may open Taryn’s eyes to the larger forces at work in her life.

You can find A Fall of Marigolds 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!

From No Less Days by Amanda G Stevens: He wished people valued books—paper, ink, effort, art, knowledge—the way they used to.

Bok Review | No Less Days by Amanda G Stevens

It’s Throwback Thursday! Today I’m resharing one of my favourite not-romance reads from 2018, No Less Days by Amanda G Stevens. The sequel, From Sky to Sky, has just been published, and I’ll share my review next week.

This is one of those rare series you have to read in order. Also, you’ll enjoy From Sky to Sky a lot more if you’ve read No Less Days recently I haven’t read it for close to two years, and I have to say I would have enjoyed From Sky to Sky more if I had remembered more of the detail from No Less Days.

About No Less Days

David Galloway can’t die.

How many lifetimes can God expect one man to live? Over a century old, David Galloway isolates himself from the mortal humans who die or desert him by making a quiet life as a used bookstore owner in Northern Michigan. But then he spots a news article about a man who, like him, should be dead.

Daredevil celebrity Zachary Wilson walked away unscathed from what should have been a deadly fall. David tracks the man down, needing answers. Soon David discovers a close-knit group of individuals as old as he is who offer the sort of kinship and community he hasn’t experienced for decades—but at what cost?

David finds himself keeping secrets other than his own. . .protecting more than himself alone. He’ll have to decide what’s worth the most to him—security or community. When crimes come to light that are older than any mortal, he fears the pressure is more than he can stand. What does God require of him, and is David strong enough to see it through?

My Thoughts

No Less Days is not contemporary romance, although it does have a minor romance subplot. I suspect most novels could be improved with the addition of a minor romance subplot …

David Galloway is 167 years old, but looks thirty-five, thanks to a doctor who saved his life over 130 years ago. He’s survived five major wars, and now makes a living selling second-hand and antique books. He thinks he’s the only one of his kind until he sees a news story about a daredevil who falls to his death crossing the Grand Canyon, yet miraculously survives.

David is curious. There is no way this daredevil, Zachary Wilson, could have survived that fall. Is there someone else like David? He goes to Nevada to find out the truth, and finds something unexpected: he is not alone.

Like I said, No Less Days isn’t the usual book I review.

But if there were more Christian novels like this, I’d read and review them because No Less Days was excellent. A unique hook: the man who lives forever. Great characters: David, Zac, Tiana. A moral dilemma to work through. And lots of amusing insights from a man who has lived longer than he should.

The story of No Less Days is told entirely from David’s viewpoint, and that’s one of the strengths. Learning things about the Longevites as David learns them gives the sense of being in the story. The writing is excellent, and while this story comes to a complete and satisfying end, there is certainly scope to turn No Less Days into a series.

I recommend No Less Days for fans of TV shows like Fringe and forever who’d love to see more Christian fiction delve into these areas of the unknown.

Thanks to Barbour Publishing for providing a free book for review.

About Amanda G Stevens

Author Photo: Amanda G StevensAs a child, Amanda G. Stevens disparaged Mary Poppins and Stuart Little because they could never happen. Now, she writes speculative fiction. She is the author of the Haven Seekers series, and her debut Seek and Hide was a 2015 INSPY Award finalist. She lives in Michigan and loves trade paperbacks, folk music, the Golden Era of Hollywood, and white cheddar popcorn.

You can find Amanda G Stevens online at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

You can find No Less Days online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

You can read the introduction to No Less Days below:

Which is more important in an audiobook—the story, the author, or the narrator?

Bookish Question #139 | Which is more important in an audiobook—the story, the author, or the narrator?

The narrator.

As I said last week, I’m not a big audiobook listener. But when I have listened to audiobooks, the thing that’s make-or-break for me is the narrator.

Why?

Because a bad or boring narrator can ruin a good story.

Sure, I’ll pick out a book to listen to based on the author and the book description—the story. But what makes the story worth listening to—or not—is the quality of the narrator. A great narrator can make an average story sound exciting. A less-good narrator can send me to sleep with even the most exciting scene (and that’s A Bad Thing, given I tend to listen to audiobooks while I’m driving).

The most important thing I listen for in an audiobook is the narrator’s accent and tone.

My very British grandmother would only listen to audiobooks with British narrators. I’m not so fussy, but I do like the accent to match the characters and setting. Books set in England and featuring British characters should probably have a British narrator—unless the main character in the book is American.

Even more important is tone.

The best narrators can play multiple characters—male or female, British or American. They can give each point of view character a distinctive voice, so listening to the audiobook is more like listening to a radio play.

But I’ve started audiobooks where the narrator spoke in a monotone, to the point I couldn’t tell the difference between the point of view characters, or even between the male and female characters. There was such a complete lack of expression, even when the point of view character thought they’d come upon a mass murder scene, that I thought I was listening to a computer read. I wasn’t—I checked.

So if I was going to start listening to audiobooks, I’d make sure I checked the audio sample first. Because the narrator is definitely the most important thing to me.

What about you? Which do you think is more important in an audiobook—the story, the author, or the narrator?

His mother wasn't one to let a little thing like complete stuefaction compromise her manners.

Book Review | Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M White

Arabelle Denler is twenty-five, and is nursing in London in 1918 while her fiance, Edmund Braxton, serves in the British Army. It’s more a match of convenience than love, but it’s a match she means to follow through with. It’s her only chance of love and family.

Phillip Camden is better known as Black Heart since he apparently killed his entire squadron. Even though the Admiralty don’t seem to blame him, someone does—if the death threats are real. But he has a more immediate problem: his younger sister needs to marry Edmund Braxton. Now.

This means Arabelle is now an unattached heiress, the target of every fortune hunter in London. Camden offers to protect her, by pretending he’s her beau. That works in terms of keeping the “gentlemen” away, but Camden’s reputation brings Arabelle problems in the hospital.

Meanwhile, Camden has his own problems—the death threats, his intelligence work, and his reputation. As such, the novel has several threads which all work together to produce an outstanding historical romantic suspense.

Roseanna M White continues to impress me.

Each novel is excellent, and each novel is better than the previous story. Her research is outstanding, yet never overpowers the story. I’ve always been fascinated with codes and codebreakers, which is part of the appeal of White’s novels. Her characters have real problems, yet always turn to God (willingly or unwillingly) for their solution. As such, her stories have a strong Christian thread I enjoy.

On the Wings of Devotion is the second book in The Codebreakers series, following The Number of Love. You’ll probably want to read that first, but it’s not necessary.

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

About Roseanna M White

Roseanna M. White pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna has a slew of historical novels available, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new British series. She lives with her family in West Virginia.

Find Roseanna M White online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube 

About Wings of Devotion

All of England thinks Phillip Camden a monster–a man who deliberately caused the deaths of his squadron. But as nurse Arabelle Denler watches the so-dubbed “Black Heart” every day, she sees something far different: a hurting man desperate for mercy. And when their paths twist together and he declares himself her new protector, she realizes she has her own role to play in his healing.

Phillip Camden would have preferred to die that day with his squadron rather than be recruited to the Admiralty’s codebreaking division. The threats he receives daily are no great surprise and, in his opinion, well deserved. What comes as a shock is the reborn desire to truly live that Arabelle inspires in him.

But when an old acquaintance shows up and seems set on using him in a plot that has the codebreakers of Room 40 in a frenzy, new affections are put to the test.

Find Wings of Devotion online:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Kobo icon | Koorong

Read the introduction to Wings of Devotion:

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

It was the perfect evening to commit a crime.

First Line Friday | Week 119 | The Kiss Thief by Jessica Kate

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 The Kiss Thief, a new short story by Jessica Kate. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

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

About The Kiss Thief

A stolen memento and a mission to retrieve it…but who will steal a heart in The Kiss Thief?⠀

The Kiss Thief

A girl doesn’t just let her cheating ex steal her dead mother’s cookbook without stealing it back. At least, that’s Australian carpenter Jaqueline Piper’s philosophy.

Jacq’s on a mission to retrieve her most precious possession, and her neighbor, Louisiana chef Donny Greyson, isn’t about to let her do it alone. But while he’s the only thing that got Jacq through her break-up, she hasn’t been entirely forthcoming with him about her plan. Like the part about breaking-and-entering. Or her ex’s biker neighbors…

The Kiss Thief is free, but only if you sign up for Jessica Kate’s newsletter.

Click here to sign up!

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!

Good days didn't come along very often for him, not since Korea. Melancholy was what my mother called it.

Book Review | All Manner of Things by Susie Finkbeiner

Annie Jacobson is eighteen, the middle child with an older and a younger brother. The Vietnam War is in full swing, and her older brother, Mike, is about to enlist in the army rather than waiting to get drafted. As predicted, their mother isn’t happy with the idea because their father fought in Korea and was never the same. He abandoned them twelve years ago, when Annie was six, without saying goodbye.

All Manner of Things isn’t a typical novel.

There’s no big drama, just a lot of smaller dramas. It’s a story about life, family, and love, set against the backdrop of an idyllic version of 1960s small-town America. It’s almost too idyllic—Annie and her family watch war protests and hippies and race riots on television, but nothing like that comes to their town. Their war hero is welcomed home (although David, who has just moved into town, does experience some racism).

The story is told in first person from Annie’s point of view, interspersed with letters to and from Mike and other characters. The writing style is tight and understated. There are no excess words. And that’s the strength of the story: it’s experienced, not told.

It’s a strong and profound novel that touches on various themes: love, family, healing, reconciliation, loss.

All Manner of Things by @SusieFinkbeiner is a powerful historical novel, recommended for those interested in Vietman-era fiction. Recommended. #ChristianFiction Share on X

There’s no obvious plot, no noticeable three-act structure, no big stakes, no major conflict, no significant character change. Annie starts the story as a well-raised, hard-working, sensitive teenager, and she finishes the story the same way. She grows, but not in a way that can easily be put into words.

The writing is outstanding, but it’s not one of those books with lots of quotable lines.

There are flashes of insight, but they only make sense in the context of the story. Outside the story, they’re just words. Yet it’s compelling. It took me a while to pick up and begin All Manner of Things, but once I got to Chapter Two, I didn’t want to put it down.

I think the story is best summarised by the Julian of Norwich quote at the beginning:

All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

(Julian was a fourteenth-century mystic—a woman, despite the name.)

Recommended for those looking for a novel set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, or those looking for understated yet powerful historical fiction.

Thanks to Baker Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Susie Finkbeiner

Susie Finkbeiner is the CBA bestselling author of A Cup of Dust, A Trail of Crumbs, and A Song of Home. She serves on the Breathe Christian Writers Conference planning committee, volunteers her time at Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and speaks at retreats and women’s events across the state. Susie and her husband have three children and live in West Michigan.

Find Susie Finkbeiner online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

BookBub | Goodreads

About All Manner of Things

When Annie Jacobson’s brother Mike enlists as a medic in the Army in 1967, he hands her a piece of paper with the address of their long-estranged father. If anything should happen to him in Vietnam, Mike says, Annie must let their father know.

In Mike’s absence, their father returns to face tragedy at home, adding an extra measure of complication to an already tense time. As they work toward healing and pray fervently for Mike’s safety overseas, letter by letter the Jacobsons must find a way to pull together as a family, regardless of past hurts. In the tumult of this time, Annie and her family grapple with the tension of holding both hope and grief in the same hand, even as they learn to turn to the One who binds the wounds of the brokenhearted.

Author Susie Finkbeiner invites you into the Jacobson family’s home and hearts during a time in which the chaos of the outside world touched their small community in ways they never imagined.

Find All Manner of Things online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Kobo | Koorong

Read the introduction to All Manner of Things below:

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

New Releases in Christian Fiction

New Releases in Christian Fiction | January 2020

It’s time for the January 2020 New Releases in Christian fiction. I’m a little late in posting these (a combination of holidays and website glitches), but here they are. More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Contemporary Romance:

A Rancher to Trust by Laurel Blount — After learning his ex-wife isn’t so ex after all, rebel turned rancher Dan Whitlock is determined to prove he’s a changed man…but Bailey Quinn is just as set on finally ending their marriage. When tragedy makes Dan the guardian of little orphaned twins, he and Bailey are drawn back together. But can she forgive the past and open her heart to the family she’s always wanted? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired (Harlequin))

Star Rising by Janet W. Ferguson — Star Youngblood tries to protect her employer, Mrs. Priscilla Kelly, from the woman’s neglectful son, an aspiring flight instructor who has issues with religion, but finds her own heart is at the greatest risk. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

I’ve just read this, and it’s excellent. My review will post soon.

A Promise to Keep by Melony Teague — Savannah, a widowed research librarian, goes to her twenty year class reunion and gets reacquainted with Michael, a former troublemaker who is now a professional technical rescuer. Before the night is over, a pact between these two old friends will lead them on an adventure into uncharted emotional territory where Michael must confront his past regrets and find the courage to reveal the truth. But can Savannah fly from her sheltered nest and risk her heart on a real-life hero? (Contemporary Romance from Anaiah Press)

General Contemporary:

A Long Time Comin by Robin W. Pearson — To hear Beatrice Agnew tell it, she entered the world with her mouth tightly shut. Just because she finds out she’s dying doesn’t mean she can’t keep it that way. If any of her children have questions about their daddy and the choices she made after he abandoned them, they’d best take it up with Jesus. There’s no room in Granny B’s house for regrets or hand-holding. Or so she thinks. Her granddaughter, Evelyn Lester, shows up on Beatrice’s doorstep anyway, burdened with her own secret baggage. Determined to help her Granny B mend fences with her far-flung brood, Evelyn turns her grandmother’s heart and home inside out. Evelyn’s meddling uncovers a tucked-away box of old letters, forcing the two women to wrestle with their past and present pain as they confront the truth Beatrice has worked a lifetime to hide. (General Contemporary from Tyndale House)

Historical Romance:

Freedom in the Mountain Wind by Misty M. Beller — A young woman faces overwhelming odds to make her father’s dream come true before he dies of lung cancer, but paddling upriver through fierce rapids and fighting hungry grizzlies to follow the Lewis and Clark trail isn’t what terrifies her the most. Beaver Tail endured more than he can stand from the women in his Blackfoot camp, but the last disaster gave him the final shove he needed to join this band of brothers searching for one of their group who’s gone missing. The last thing he expected was to find a white woman and her sick father stranded at the base of a massive waterfall. His plan is to help them carry their oversize canoe and supplies, then leave them to their strange mission. Yet, the more he learns about the pair, the more he realizes his life is about to be derailed—again. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Uncharted Promises by Keely Brooke Keith — Sybil Roberts uses the warmth of delicious meals to lift the spirits of road-weary travelers at The Inn at Falls Creek. Her life at the inn would be perfect if she could just get her brothers and mother to move back home. And if she could see Isaac Owens again. He visited the inn once when he interviewed for the farm manager job, and she’s dreamed of his return to Falls Creek ever since. Isaac Owens knows how to run a farm. His family might not have faith in him, but if he succeeds at Falls Creek, he’ll prove them wrong. He arrives at the inn thinking the job is his, but the inn’s senile owner offered the position to another man too. Isaac must spend the winter competing if he wants to win the job… and Sybil’s heart. It will take more than warm meals on cold nights for Sybil and Isaac to find love while working at the isolated inn. (Historical Romance from Edenbrooke Press)

This is also on my to-read pile—expect a review soon!

Forever Hidden by Kimberley Woodhouse, Tracie Peterson — Sybil Roberts uses the warmth of delicious meals to lift the spirits of road-weary travelers at The Inn at Falls Creek. Her life at the inn would be perfect if she could just get her brothers and mother to move back home. And if she could see Isaac Owens again. He visited the inn once when he interviewed for the farm manager job, and she’s dreamed of his return to Falls Creek ever since. Isaac Owens knows how to run a farm. His family might not have faith in him, but if he succeeds at Falls Creek, he’ll prove them wrong. He arrives at the inn thinking the job is his, but the inn’s senile owner offered the position to another man too. Isaac must spend the winter competing if he wants to win the job… and Sybil’s heart. It will take more than warm meals on cold nights for Sybil and Isaac to find love while working at the isolated inn. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker])

The Gray Chamber by Grace Hitchcock — On Blackwell Island, New York, a hospital was built to keep its patients from ever leaving. With her late father’s fortune under her uncle’s care until her twenty-fifth birthday in the year 1887, Edyth Foster does not feel pressured to marry or to bow to society’s demands. She freely indulges in eccentric hobbies like fencing and riding her velocipede in her cycling costume about the city for all to see. Finding a loophole in the will, though, her uncle whisks Edyth off to the women’s lunatic asylum just weeks before her birthday. Do any of Edyth’s friends care that she disappeared? At the asylum she meets another inmate, who upon discovering Edyth’s plight, confesses that she is Nellie Bly, an undercover journalist for The World. Will either woman find a way to leave the terrifying island and reclaim her true self? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

This sounds interesting, but I’m honestly a little apprehensive about reading it, given it’s based on true events. Have you read it? What did you think?

Romantic Suspense:

Secret Mountain Hideout by Terri Reed — Staying hidden has kept her alive… But now she’s been found. A remote Colorado mountain town and a fake identity have been Ashley Willis’s safe haven since fleeing after she witnessed a murder—but now the killer has found her trail. Desperate and terrified, she’s prepared to run again…but Deputy Sheriff Chase Fredrick won’t let her. With the lawman by her side, can she face danger head-on…and live long enough to bring a murderer to justice? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Plus check out these additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:

50-50 by Roger Bruner, Contemporary
Shattered Treasure by Cindy Patterson, Romantic Suspense
The Contessa Is Missing by Linda Siebold, Romantic Suspense
The Forever Sky by Janalyn Voigt, Western Romance
Northern Hearts by Laurie Wood, Romantic Suspense

Do you listen to audiobooks? Why or why not?

Bookish Question #138 | Do you listen to audiobooks? Why or why not?

I’m not a big audiobook listener, for two reasons:

1. I’m a fast reader, so find it’s quicker to read than to listen.

If I’m enjoying a story, I want to get on with it … which means reading faster and faster, not waiting for the audio to catch up with my thoughts. Yes, I know audiobooks (well, some audiobooks) can be played at 1.5 times or 2 times speed, but then they can end up sounding like Alvin and the Chipmunks …

2. I don’t spend a lot of time in my car or doing tasks that would make listening an option.

Where I do have car time, I tend to listen to podcasts—they’re shorter, and it doesn’t matter if you miss a couple of details (the really important content, like the links, will be in the show notes). With a novel, it’s important to be able to see/hear and retain all the details because missing an important detail might affect your overall enjoyment or appreciation of the book.

Also, audiobooks are long—usually eight to ten hours, and sometimes longer.

I can see the appeal of audiobooks for someone who has an hour or more a day of otherwise dead time e.g., driving or waiting for children, or even exercising (assuming they’re going for a quiet walk, not taking a class or exercising in a gym pumping loud music out of the speakers).

If you’ve got a good chunk of time each day and can get through an audiobook in a week or two, then I can see them as a great way to pep up otherwise useless driving or waiting time. But they are less good for someone like me who would only be listening in ten or fifteen-minute slots two or three times a week. It would take forever to get into the story, and would be too easy to forget the details between sessions.

But that’s me. What about you? Do you listen to audiobooks? Why, or why not?

Quote from Star Rising: She could only do her small part and leave the rest to God. That's where she found peace—realizing she didn't have to do—couldn't do—God's job.

Book Review | Star Rising (Coastal Hearts #4) by Janet W Ferguson

Star Youngblood is rebuilding her life.

A horrible childhood sent her into alcoholism and addiction. She’s now a Christian, has been sober for a year, and is supporting herself by working as an aide and housekeeper for the elderly Mrs. Kelly, who has become surrogate mother. Star’s troubles start when Mrs. Kelly has a heart attack. Her son, Paul, returns and takes an instant dislike to Star.

Then Mrs. Kelly decides she wants to complete the trip she’d planned to take with her husband—to Ireland. She invites Star along as her caregiver, a move which raises Paul’s ire and suspicion. He ends up tagging along, more to keep an eye on Star than to care for his mother.

Star has problems, but she has identified them, is working on them, and most are a direct or indirect result of her childhood mistreatment. While I couldn’t Star’s background from personal knowledge (thankfully), I could respect and admire her progress into becoming the woman God created her to be. Paul Kelly? Not so much.

I will admit that I had a lot of unChristian feelings for Paul.

Sure, he’d given up on Christianity, but he’d also turned into an unkind and suspicious person. I also suspected he never had a deep Christian faith to begin with, as the event that caused him to lose his faith didn’t seem a big enough deal to abandon faith in God. (Abandon the church, sure. But not God.) That low baseline meant Paul had a lot of room to grow and improve— and he had a lot of improving to do if he was going to be worthy of Star.

Janet Ferguson did a brilliant job of redeeming Paul.

By the end I was convinced that he and Star would make a great couple. This is a credit to the excellent writing. Overall, Star Rising is an excellent example of Christian romance, with an emphasis on the “Christian”. The Christian elements are well integrated into the plot so they’re essential, but never preachy.

Recommended.

Note that Star Rising is the third novel in the Coast Hearts series, but can easily be read as a standalone story.

Star Rising by @JanetwFerguson is another excellent example of Christian fiction showing the challenges new Christians face, and their victory over their pasts. #BookReview #ChristianRomance Share on X

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.

Click here to read my interview with Janet W Ferguson.

Find Janet W Ferguson online at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | BookBub

About Star Rising

Star Youngblood has always been a fighter–a necessity after her mother married a monster of a man. Now, she’s finally on the path to the stable life she’s always wanted. Her employer, Priscilla Kelly, is a sweet woman ravaged by rheumatoid arthritis, and Star will do anything to help her. Even if that means going toe to toe with Mrs. Kelly’s neglectful son.

After being betrayed on the mission field and devastated by the tragic death of his father, Paul Kelly gave up on God. He lives life on his own terms, biding his time as a corporate pilot until he can save enough money to begin his own flight school closer to home. His mother is all he has left, and he wants to be near her. He just didn’t expect her health to decline so quickly. When he discovers his mother has taken in a stray—a woman he’s not at all sure can be trusted—his protective instincts kick into high gear. Paul’s handled a lot of turbulence, but he’s never gone up against a force like Star.

As Paul and Star strive to protect his mother in their own ways, they soon find their own hearts are at the greatest risk.

Find Star Rising online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

Read the introduction to Star Rising below:

Which books are you most looking forward to reading in 2020?

Bookish Question #137 | Which books are you most looking forward to reading in 2020?

Tough question! But at least it says “books” not “book”. Book would be impossible.

Here are some of the review copies already on my Kindle:

Other books I’m looking forward to reading:

  • Kara Isaac‘s next book (expected in July 2020).
  • The next book in Christine Dillon‘s Grace series, which should get published in August or September.
  • I’m also hoping Adam Collings will release the third instalment in his space opera series.

(If you want to know more, I suggest you click on the above links and sign up to their newsletters.)

I’ll also be on the lookout for whatever is new from some of my favourite romance and women’s fiction authors, such as Caroline Miller, Courtney Walsh, Elizabeth Musser, and Catherine West.

What about you? Which books are you most looking forward to reading in 2020?