Under a Sky of Memories

Book Review | Under a Sky of Memories by Soraya M Lane

by Iola Goulton

Under a Sky of Memories is the story of Vita, Dot, and Evelyn, three American nurses who sign up to serve in World War II. As members of the Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron, they will be the nurses on board air ambulances, transporting injured soldiers away from the front lines so they can recover in proper hospitals.

They are posted to Catania in Sicily, where they find the work difficult but satisfying. Soon, they are all assigned to the same mission, a super flight with multiple doctors and nurses on board. A series of mishaps leads them to crash-land in Armenia … enemy territory.

The story then becomes a tale of survival: will the pilots, nurses, and medics survive?

Under a Sky of Memories is a gripping story with excellent characters. The writing is excellent, with plenty of suspense, made all the more engaging once I realised this was based on a true story. That’s actually an important fact, because otherwise it would be easy to complain the mistakes leading to the crash weren’t realistic!

The author has obviously done a heap of research, which is great, but it never overwhelms the story. Instead, the story very much focuses on the three nurses.

Recommended for historical fiction fans, especially those who enjoy World War II fiction.

Under a Sky of Memories isn’t Christian fiction but it doesn’t have any explicit sex or language, and I think it would appeal to fans of authors like Lynn Austin or Sarah Sundin.

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

About Soraya M Lane

Soraya M LaneSoraya M. Lane graduated with a law degree before realizing that law wasn’t the career for her and that her future was in writing. She is the author of historical and contemporary women’s fiction, and her novel Wives of War was an Amazon Charts bestseller.

Soraya lives on a small farm in her native New Zealand with her husband, their two young sons and a collection of four legged friends. When she’s not writing, she loves to be outside playing make-believe with her children or snuggled up inside reading.

Find Soraya Lane online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About Under a Sky of Memories

From the bestselling author of The Last Correspondent comes the powerful story of three brave women who go to war—and end up fighting for their lives.

Sicily, 1943. Three American women, all nurses in the Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron, are determined to do all they can for their country. Vita is fun-loving, Dot shy and sweet-natured, and Evelyn practical and determined, but for all their differences, a life of military service pulls the three together as firm friends.

When they’re selected for a daring mission, the women are proud to play their part. But disaster strikes when their plane crash-lands behind enemy lines in occupied Albania. Together with twenty-three other medics, they find themselves trapped, cut off from all communication with the squadron, and in terrifying and unimaginable danger.

As days and nights pass without hope of rescue, the group must travel on foot across unfamiliar terrain thick with Nazis and their violent local allies. Can Evelyn, Vita, and Dot survive the perilous journey through enemy territory—and finally find their way home?

Find Under a Sky of Memories online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week #223 | Something Good by Vanessa Miller

by Iola Goulton

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 Something Good by Vanessa Miller, a new-to-me author. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

These gluten free, avocado-toast-eating-green smoothie-drinking bougie country folk got on Marquita Lewis's last nerve.

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

 

About Something Good

When three women find their lives inextricably linked after a terrible mistake, they must work together to make the most of their futures.

Alexis Marshall never meant to cause the accident that left Jon-Jon Robinson paralyzed—but though guilt plagues her, her husband hopes to put the past behind them. After all, he’s in the middle of selling a tech business—and if Alexis admits to texting while driving, the deal could collapse and cost them millions. Meanwhile, Alexis’s life is not as shiny and perfect as it may seem from the outside. She has secrets of her own. As she becomes consumed with thoughts of the young man she hit, can she reconcile her mistake with her husband’s expectations?

Trish Robinson is just trying to hold it together after the accident that left Jon-Jon dependent and depressed. As the bills pile up, Trish and her husband, Dwayne, find themselves at odds. Trish wants to forgive and move on, but Dwayne is filled with rage toward the entitled woman who altered their lives forever. Trish can’t see how anything good can come from so much hate and strife, so she determines to pray until God intervenes. Then one afternoon Marquita Lewis rings their doorbell with a baby in her arms and changes everything.

Vanessa Miller’s latest inspirational novel reminds readers that differences may separate us, but if we cling to each other, God can bring something good out of our very worst moments.

You can find Something Good online at:

Amazon | BookBub | 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!

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

What's Your Favourite Book with a Four-Word Title?

Bookish Question #215 | What’s Your Favourite Book with a Four-Word Title?

by Iola Goulton

A few weeks back, I looked at books with one-word titles. That was a much easier question to answer, as a one-word title is obvious. You don’t have to count the words: the title is either one word, or it’s not.

Four-word titles are a little harder. It’s not a natural way of categorising books (e.g. like categorising by author, genre, or the year of publication).

However, one favourite novel did immediately come to mind and it actually did have a four-word-title:

Then There Was You by Kara Isaac

I love Then There Was You because it’s from one of my favourite authors, because it’s set in Australia and New Zealand, and because it’s got absolutely the best last chapter of any romance I’ve ever read. The rest of the book is excellent, but that last chapter gets me every time I read it (in a good way!).

Full disclosure: I copyedited Then There Was you, which later went on to win a RITA Award from Romance Writers of New Zealand for books with Religious or Spiritual Elements (and I have a plaque on my wall to prove it). So it’s not just me who thinks it’s a great book 🙂

What about you? What’s your favourite book with a four-word title?

If God is real, then he's in this with me and it'll all work out. I can feel it.

Book Review | My Heart Went Walking by Sally Hanan

by Iola Goulton

Una Gallagher is seventeen and pregnant, the result of a single drunken night with the best friend she’s fancied forever. But she can’t tell Cullen he’s going to be a father. They’re in their final year of school, and he’ll feel honour-bound to do the right thing and marry her and work two jobs to keep them, and that will be the end of his dreams.

Una knows she wants to keep her baby.

So when Mam says she has to go and live with the nuns then give her baby up for adoption, she runs away from her tiny home town of Donegal and heads to Dublin, the big city. There she meets an Anglican minister who helps her find a home and a job, and is able to create a new life. But that leaves her family and best friend back in Donegal, trying to work out why she left and where she’s gone.

My Heart Went Walking starts in 1983, and is set entirely in Ireland.

I loved the setting, and I especially loved the way the Irish accents came through in the character’s vocabulary and even the way they talk and think. (There is an extensive glossary for those who aren’t familiar with Irish colloqualisms.)

I loved the realism of the story, the way Una compounds one bad decision (to get drunk) with another (to sleep with Cullen) and another (to run away rather than be forever seen as “that girl” in her small town home). As the oldest daughter in a large Irish family, she knew more than most first-time mothers do about childrearing, even if she was only a teenager.

The story was told in first person from three points of view: Una, Cullen, and Ellie (Una’s next-youngest sister, only eighteen months younger). Una and Cullen both have strong and unique character voices, and that’s much of the strength of the novel. If I had one complaint, it was that Ellie’s voice was too similar to Una’s, and I sometimes confused the two.

Sally Hanan is a Christian writer, but I wouldn’t classify My Heart Went Walking as Christian fiction.

The strength—that’s the novel is authentically Irish—means the language is a little too raw for the more conservative ends of the Christian market. And while the tagline is “An Irish tale of love, loss, and redemption”, the redemption isn’t a come-to-Jesus type of redemption. It’s more subtle, which fits with the characters, the setting, and the time. It feels all the more authentic for not being obvious.

Finally, despite the fact the main character is a teenager, I wouldn’t class this as Young Adult fiction. Sure, teenagers could read it and may well enjoy it. But I think the true fans are going to be women who remember being teenagers in the eighties (or perhaps nineties), in a time before Facebook and mobile phones, a time when running away to the big city so your family wouldn’t find you was entirely possible and believable.

Writers …

If you’ve ever wondered how to use vocabulary and sentence structure to construct realistic dialogue without resorting to nonstandard spelling to show accents, read this book as a text.

Readers …

If you’re a fan of Irish authors such as Maeve Binchy or you’re looking for fiction with underlying Christian values but which steps outside the boundaries of most modern Christian fiction, I think you might enjoy When My Heart Went Walking.

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

About Sally Hanan

Sally Hanan grew up in Ireland and became a nurse, but she left all the big family dinners, rain, and cups of tea when she and her husband won a green card lottery and moved to Texas. Her family now raised, she works as a book editor and occasional lay counselor and life coach. Sally lives near Austin, Texas, in a gorgeous 1930s home with her hunk of burning love husband and their spoiled-rotten doggie.Also a writer of flash fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, she has won numerous awards for her writing from publishers like iParenting magazine and Faithwriters.

Find Sally Hanan online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About My Heart Went Walking

“I can’t bear to keep walking. But you can’t keep a secret in this town unless you leave with it.”

Kept apart by their love for one man, two sisters embark on their own paths towards survival, love, and understanding, until they finally meet again in the worst of circumstances. And the reality might break them all.

My Heart Went Walking is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that sweeps from the small Irish town of Donegal to the “big smoke” of Dublin City; a book that celebrates the pull of family and the chance of redemption. It is a novel for everyone who feels connected to the Irish approach to life—that of grit and laughter—and also for everyone who loves an overriding message of hope and restoration in all things.

Find My Heart Went Walking online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

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

Read the introduction to My Heart Went Walking below:

New Releases in Christian Fiction

What’s New in Christian Fiction | February 2022

by Iola Goulton

Here’s the February 2022 new releases from members of American Christian Fiction Writers. I’ve already read the new releases Her Tycoon Hero by Narelle Atkins and In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh (click here to read my review), and have preordered Checked Impressions by Carolyn Miller. I’m also tempted by To Belong Together by Emily Conrad …

What’s on your wish list for February?

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Amish Romance

Strength in the Storm by Laurel M. Blount — After the murder of both her parents, Emma Hochstedler returns to the small community of Johns Mill, hoping to resume her quiet existence. Reclaiming her place proves harder than expected—especially now that a movie is being made about her family’s loss. But then, an old friend offers her a lifeline that gives her new purpose. Amish builder Samuel Christner is the biggest—and the strongest—man in town. In fact, the gentle giant has only one weakness—Emma. Even though she broke his heart, he won’t let his childhood sweetheart face her troubles alone. He hires Emma as a nurse for his elderly aunt…and finds himself falling for her all over again. (Amish Romance from Berkley Penguin Random House)

Biblical

Defending David by Barbara M. Britton — When a quiet journey to Jerusalem turns tragic, newly orphaned Rimona must flee a kinsman set on selling her as a slave. Racing into the rocky hills outside of Hebron, Rimona is rescued by a Philistine commander journeying to Jerusalem with six-hundred warriors. Exiled commander, Ittai the Gittite, is seeking refuge in the City of David. Protecting a frantic Hebrew woman is not in his leadership plan. Although, having a nobleman’s niece in his caravan might prove useful for finding shelter in a foreign land. Rimona and Ittai arrive in Jerusalem on the eve of a rebellion. In the chaos of an heir’s betrayal, will they be separated forever, or can they defend King David and help the aging monarch control his rebellious son? (Biblical from Harbourlight Books (Pelican))

Contemporary Romance

Checked Impressions by Carolyn Miller — Sparks fly when a hometown hockey hero meets a classy art-loving museum guide hiding a secret…Jai Mullins is used to being the fastest man on ice. Trouble is, his ability to find a genuine woman is tracking at glacial melt levels. He’s trusting God she’s out there, but he’s wary of getting trapped by a superfan, when all he wants is someone with whom he can be real. Allie Davis has two great loves: impressionist art and hockey. More specifically, a certain hockey player. But between her shyness and her family, she’s convinced she’ll never meet him, let alone connect with him in a non-embarrassing way.
Until she does. And they connect. And romance sparks. But she is hiding a big secret, and he’s about to find that first impressions sometimes need a reality check. Will they learn to trust and find a way forward, or will half-truths lead to further hurt on opposite sides of the country and lonely lives? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Her Tycoon Hero by Narelle Atkins — Cassie Beaumont believes in second chances. Cassie is set on proving she’s no longer a party girl, instead focusing on her career as an event planner. Ryan Mitchell, her dad’s top executive, proves to be a handsome distraction, especially when someone from Cassie’s wild past tries to draw her back into the life she has worked hard to escape. Ryan is taken with his boss’s beautiful daughter. But he is slow to trust, having been burned by a brother who ran in the same circles. When Cassie’s newfound faith works its way into his heart, Ryan wants to claim both Cassie and her faith as his own. Can they forgive past mistakes and navigate a future together? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh — Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha’s Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops the mother of all bombshells–Brielle is a princess in the kingdom of Oloro Ilé, Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, King Tiwa Jimoh Adebayo, is failing. 
Distraught by her mother’s betrayal, Brielle is further left spinning when the Oloro Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before assuming the throne or the crown will be passed to another. Uncertain who to choose from the council’s list of bachelors, she struggles with the decision along with the weight of her new role in a new country. With her world totally shaken, she must take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring. (Contemporary Romance from Bethany House (Baker) Publishing)

Secrets of Their Past by Allie Pleiter — Facing the past could change his future. Veterinarian Neal Rodgers is in Wander Canyon seeking the truth about his past—not to rescue a litter of kittens under his next-door neighbor’s porch. But persistent single-mom Tessa Kennedy is impossible to ignore—especially when she uncovers a family secret of her own. Discovering the hidden facts of their histories could be the key to unlocking everything in this small town. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired (Harlequin))

The Valentine Proposal by Beth Pugh — Can Love Be 10 Years in the Making? Award-winning photographer Mason Montgomery is back in Pine Valley, Kentucky. Hopefully, for good, if his business proposal is accepted. On paper, he’s the perfect buyer for Forget-Me-Not Photography. Too bad the seller, Ol’ Man Rowe, doesn’t see it that way. He’s looking for a family man to take over, and Mason’s bachelor status doesn’t fit the bill.For shy Lily Anne Dawson, life has not turned out the way she’d hoped. Working at her mother’s bakery and editing for the local newspaper is a far cry from her journalistic dream. She’s a failure. A lonely failure worrying about infertility with no romantic prospects in sight. That all changes when a decade-old promise to marry on Valentine’s Day pushes the two together at their high school reunion. The impromptu proposal offers a solution to their problems. But marriage requires honesty―and both have secrets. Secrets that could make or break their budding love. (Contemporary Romance from Candlelight (an imprint of Iron Stream Media))

To Belong Together by Emily Conrad — Fame and money have a way of complicating love. Drummer John Kennedy can keep a beat, but he can’t hold a conversation, so he relies on actions to show he cares. Unfortunately, when he’s instantly intrigued by a spunky female mechanic, he can’t seem to convey the sincerity of his intentions. And the rejections don’t stop there. His own sister is pushing him away just when he could help her most. Erin Hirsh’s life would be easier if God hadn’t given her a love for cars. Only her father understood her, and she’s losing him to dementia. Her brief romances have always backfired worse than a mistuned engine, and she refuses to give John the chance to wreck her heart. A rock star with a supermodel ex can’t possibly see anything in her. At least that’s what she thinks until they find common ground in faith and their worsening family situations leave them each longing for a place to belong. Could God intend for this pair of opposites to belong together? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Historical

Avenue of Betrayal by Sandra Merville Hart — Betrayed by her brother and the man she loves…whom can she trust when tragedy strikes? Soldiers are pouring into Washington City every day and have begun drilling in preparation for a battle with the Confederacy. Annie Swanson worries for her brother, whom she’s just discovered is a Confederate officer in his new home state of North Carolina. Even as Annie battles feelings of betrayal toward the big brother she’s always adored, her wealthy banker father swears her and her sister to secrecy about their brother’s actions. How could he forsake their mother’s abolitionist teachings?Sergeant-Major John Finn camps within a mile of the Swansons’ mansion where his West Point pal once lived. Sweet Annie captured his heart at Will’s wedding last year and he looks forward to reestablishing their relationship—until he’s asked to spy on her father.To prove her father’s loyalty to the Union, John agrees to spy on the Swanson family, though Annie must never know. Then the war strikes a blow that threatens to destroy them all—including the love that’s grown between them against all odds. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)


Gold Rush Bride Tegan by Linda Shenton Matchett — Tegan Llewellyn has always been different than her adopted family, except Grandmother Hannah, a prospector during the 1829 Georgia gold rush. Now, seventy years later there are reports of gold in Nome, and the opportunity is too good to pass up. But Tegan doesn’t count on the dangers that strike from the moment she steps off the steamer, including the threat of losing her heart. Elijah Hunter has prospected for gold all over the US and Canada and likes being on the move. The last thing he expects to find on his latest search is a lady miner who proves to be nothing but trouble. Can he convince her that leaving is for her own good before it’s too late…for both of them? (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

Lumberjacks and Ladies by Jennifer Lamont Leo, et. al — Lumberjacks and Ladies Work Together to Build America…Struggling to remain independent in the 1800s, four women reluctantly open up to help from lumberjacks—and love. All That Glitters by Candice Sue Patterson, 1851—Maine. Winifred finds herself running the family lobstering business when her father and brothers join the California gold rush. Will she stubbornly reject help from a local lumberjack? Winter Roses by Pegg Thomas, 1865—Michigan. Elizabeth cooks for a logging crew, spurning the men’s advances, until reoccurring gifts capture her attention. Will she heed her mother’s warning about “shanty boys”? Not for Love by Naomi Musch, 1881—Wisconsin. Widowed, Maggie seeks a husband—in name only—from the logging camps, but the man who answers her letter is a surprise. Can she open her heart to love again? Undercover Logger by Jennifer Lamont Leo, 1890—Idaho. Carrie will not sell her timberland and allows the banker’s nephew to sign onto her logging crew to ferret out the reason she is losing money at an alarming rate. Will truth be revealed to her forlorn heart? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)


Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War by Mary Eileen Davis — A WASP Goes Above the Call of Duty to Free Captive American Soldiers. Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes–the heroines of WWII. Peggy Witherspoon, a widow, mother, and pilot flying for the Women Airforce Service Pilots in 1944 clashes with her new reporting officer. Army Air Corp Major Howie Berg was injured in combat and is now stationed at Bolling Field in Washington D.C. Most of Peggy’s jobs are safe, predictable, and she can be home each night with her two daughters–until a cargo run to Cuba alerts her to American soldiers being held captive there, despite Cuba being an “ally.” Will Peggy go against orders to help the men–even risk her own life? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin — As the Nazis march toward Paris in 1940, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. Lucie struggles to run Green Leaf Books due to oppressive German laws and harsh conditions, but she finds a way to aid the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books. Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. After they meet in the bookstore, Paul and Lucie are drawn to each other, but she rejects him when she discovers he sells to the Germans. And for Paul to win her trust would mean betraying his mission. (Historical Romance from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing Group)


Wilderness Wife by Delores Topliff — arguerite Wadin MacKay believes her 17-year marriage to explorer, Alex MacKay, is strong—until sudden fame makes him announce their frontier marriage is void in Montréal where he now goes to choose a society wife—not one with native blood. Taking their son, MacKay sends Marguerite and their three daughters to a trading post where she lived as a child. Deeply shamed, she arrives in time to assist young visiting Doctor John McLoughlin with a medical emergency. Marguerite now lives only for her girls. When Fort William on Lake Superior opens a school, Marguerite moves there for her daughters’ sake. Newly assigned there, Doctor McLoughlin’s friendship with Marguerite grows. When he declares his love, she dissuades him from a match harmful to his career. She’s mixed blood and nine years older. He will have no one else. After abandonment, can a woman love again and fulfill the key role in North American History that is her destiny? (General Historical from Scrivenings Press)

With a Trusting Heart by Dawn Kinzer — Will trust be the winning ticket to mending two wounded hearts? The 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition is taking place in Seattle with participants from all over the world when Lizzie Clark accepts a position at an orphanage in the city. After suffering heartbreak and loss, she is determined to make a life for herself independently. Jack Butler’s mother abandoned their family when he was a young boy. Loyalty to his father cost him fulfilling his own aspirations, so Jack strives to take their family farm in a new direction. A newborn is left at the orphanage with a note asking Lizzie to take care of him. Why did the woman abandon her child? And why is Jack, a handsome local farmer so interested in helping Lizzie search for the infant’s mother?
When shocking revelations disrupt their plans, Lizzie and Jack are faced with life-changing decisions. Will they open their hearts to trusting again? (Historical Romance from Morningview Publishing)

Mystery: Cozy

Cliffhanger by Susan Page Davis — The Novel Inn’s reopening goes smoothly until a guest vanishes. The new owners prepare for their first large group—a former squad of cheerleaders meeting for a reunion. Things go awry when the head cheerleader fails to show up. Sisters Kate and Jillian, the innkeepers, enlist the help of their brother Rick, a local police officer. They’re confident the missing woman will be found, but they soon learn to expect the unexpected, even during a walk on the beach. (Mystery: Cozy from Scrivenings Press)

Mystery: Romance

The Prediction by Jean Rezab — Thea deals with the limits her father places on her when she has a vision of his death. He has never accepted her ability, and he also deals with his own depression regarding his past. (Mystery: Romance, Independently Published)

Thriller/Suspense/Romance

Safe House Exposed by Darlene L. Turner — Witness protection should have kept them safe. Instead, it left them completely exposed…Canadian border patrol officer Emma James has only one concern after putting a crime boss behind bars: keeping her daughter safe. But witness protection has a leak, and Emma’s enemies know exactly where to find her. Now on the run with no safe haven, trusting her estranged former brother-in-law, police constable Mason James, to shield them is her only hope… (Thriller/Suspence/Romance from Love Inspired (Harlequin))

That Scott Woman by Carlene Havel — Maggie Scott returns home in 1966 after serving four years in prison. She has only one goal in mind, to create a secure and stable life for herself. Then Maggie meets Blake Hamilton, ex-rodeo cowboy turned preacher. The chemistry between this unlikely pair is undeniable, but there are problems. Blake is sure his calling is to serve God. Maggie is convinced she is beyond redemption.
Common sense tells Maggie her attraction to Blake will end in heartbreak. (Thriller/Suspense/Romance, Independently Published)

Touch of Innocence by Robin Patchen — How can she protect the child if nobody believes her? Grace used to try to save people, but that was before she realized how powerless she is. Now, she avoids emotional ties, working from her secluded cabin, content with her aloneness. When eight-year-old Lily starts hanging around, Grace enjoys her company but carefully keeps her distance—until she discovers the girl is being exploited. Little though she wants to, she must get involved, even if it means risking her own safety to secure Lily’s. Andrew can’t help but be drawn to his new neighbor and her beautiful foster child. When he learns about Lily’s disturbing history, he offers to help Grace prove her suspicions about the girl’s father. But the more they learn, the more puzzling Lily’s history seems. They work together to unravel the mystery, determined to ensure Lily ends up with a family who loves her. But Lily’s father isn’t giving up his muse—or his obsession—that easily. He believes Lily is rightfully his, and he’ll do anything to get her back. (Thrilled/Suspense/Romance, Independently Published)

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

Boundary Waters Search and Rescue: Beyond Imagination by Joy Harding, An old foe, unimaginable twists, and deep disappointments challenge both Jack’s and Liz’s faith and their young marriage. (Contemporary Romance)

Dear Beth by Alyssa Schwartz, Might it finally be time for her to risk her heart again? (Romance – Novella)

Recaptured from Oblivion by Cindy M. Amos, In the heat of pursuit, ordination slips toward a far-off horizon—
or can Karch safeguard Lolo and recapture his dreams from oblivion? (Contemporary Romance)

Sleep Deprived by Therese Heckenkamp, An odd encounter in a cemetery. A baby in need.
Every mom’s worst nightmare. (Thriller/Suspense/Romance)

Still the One by Rachel D. Russel, It’s never too late to finish a love story… (Contemporary Romance)

The Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson, In this gripping WWII time-slip novel from the author whose books have been called “propulsive” and a “must-read” (Publishers Weekly), Grace Tonquin is an American Quaker who works tirelessly in Vichy France to rescue Jewish children from the Nazis. (Historical Romance)

Though Darkness Descend by Janet Joanou Weiner, With persecution of the Huguenots intensifying in 17th century France, what will be the cost of her unbelief? (General Historical)
First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week #222 | Her Tycoon Hero by Narelle Atkins

by Iola Goulton

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 Her Tycoon Hero by Narelle Atkins, an old favourite that’s just been re-released. I’m looking forward to reading it again. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Everything was in place for her sister's engagement party.

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

 

About Her Tycoon Hero

Cassie Beaumont believes in second chances.

Cassie is set on proving she’s no longer a party girl, instead focusing on her career as an event planner. Ryan Mitchell, her dad’s top executive, proves to be a handsome distraction, especially when someone from Cassie’s wild past tries to draw her back into the life she has worked hard to escape.

Ryan is taken with his boss’s beautiful daughter. But he is slow to trust, having been burned by a brother who ran in the same circles. When Cassie’s newfound faith works its way into his heart, Ryan wants to claim both Cassie and her faith as his own. Can they forgive past mistakes and navigate a future together?

You can find Her Tycoon Hero online at:

Amazon | BookBub| Goodreads

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!

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

Do you have book storage problems?

Bookish Question # 214 | Do you have book storage problems?

by Iola Goulton

Do you have book storage problems? How do you decide which books stay and which go?

Do I have book storage problems?

No and yes.

I spent a day over the Christmas break rearranging my main bookshelf (the one with all my Christian fiction), and bagging up books to donate to my local church. The books I want to keep are now all on one shelf (yay!)

Unfortunately, there are also two piles of unread books that I may or may not want to keep once I’ve read them.

(Big assumption: that I’ll actually read the paperbacks when I also have 100+ unread novels on my Kindle).

There is also five (yes, five) bags of books to donate.

The plan is to offer them to my church library first. However, the church library is currently in storage as the cafe and office space have recently been renovated. They have ordered more shelves, but global supply chain problems mean the shelves are apparently stuck on a ship somewhere. I don’t want to donate the books until the library is up and running again, so I can make sure I’m not offering books they already have. Here’s hoping the shelves arrive soon, because my second choice will be to donate them to the annual Rotary Club Easter Book sale.

The second part of the question is harder to answer: how do I decide which books stay and which books go?

I keep books I’ve worked on as an editor, or books where I’m mentioned in the acknowledgements. I donate books that I’ve since bought on Kindle. But that still leaves a lot of decisions. I ended up donating books I’ve enjoyed but know I won’t read again (and this is one reason for donating to the church library: they’re still handy if I want to re-read something).

So now I don’t have a book storage problem. I just have to stop buying paper books.

What about you? Do you have book storage problems? How do you decide what which books stay and which go?

"What do you want in a dream man?" "For him to love God, love me, and any children we might have"

Book Review | In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh

by Iola Goulton

Brielle Bayo is happy in her life as a middle school civics teacher in New York.

But one day her mother shares a bombshell: her long-dead father was the Crown Prince of Ọlọrọ Ilé, a small island kingdom off the coast of Africa. And that means Bri is actually Princess Brielle Adebayo, heir to the throne.

Bri and her best friend travel to Ọlọrọ Ilé to meet Bri’s grandfather and decide whether she will accept her role, or abdicate. But when she decides to step into her heritage and future, there’s one more challenge ahead … finding a husband.

The setup and the characters got me engaged from the very first page.

I’m not usually a fan of princess stories or made-up kingdoms, but the author has done a great job in creating a believable setting and history of Ọlọrọ Ilé.

I liked the fact that the story also had a minor suspense thread, which was enough to add interest to the plot without turning it into a nail biter. (I also liked the fact that I didn’t guess the identity or the motive of the evildoer, but that it still made perfect sense).

I especially liked the fact that the characters were all strong Christians.

Bri prayed about her problems and did her best to seek and follow God’s will in making her big decisions.

One thing that bugged me was the odd speech tags (stated, ordered, censured, requested). I will admit that I started skimming the tags.

This novel would be a great choice for anyone who likes princess stories like The Princess Diaries and is looking for a Christian version.

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

About In Search of a Prince

It seems like a dream come true . . . until it forces her to question everything.

Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha’s Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops a bombshell–Brielle is really a princess in the island kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, off the coast of Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, the king, is failing.

Distraught by all the secrets her mother kept, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before her coronation, or the crown will pass to another. Brielle is uncertain if she even wants the throne, and with her world totally shaken, where will she find the courage to take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring?

You can find In Search of a Prince online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

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 #221 | Love on Ice by Carolyn Miller

by Iola Goulton

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 Love on Ice by Carolyn Miller, the second book in her Original Six series about six ice hockey players. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Not bad for a sports-and-science-focused tomboy, Holly Travers thought, eyeing the intricate paper rose she’d just fashioned, her lips lifted in satisfaction.

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

About Love on Ice

She’s focused on winning gold. He wants to lose the player tag. Can a fake relationship become something real?

Aussie short track skater Holly Travers has one goal – make the Vancouver Games, no matter what it takes. She has no time for distractions, even if they come in the handsome form of her Canadian best friend’s twin brother. This hockey player may say he’s not a player, but can she trust him?

Brent Karlsson has one goal – make his sister’s best friend realize he’s a changed man and she should give him a chance. When a set-up in Hawaii helps these two opposites realize they have more in common than they thought, what happens when he wants to turn their fake relationship into something real? And how can a relationship work when these two elite athletes never see each other and live on opposite sides of the world?

Love on Ice is the second book in the Original Six hockey romance series, a sweet and swoony, slightly sporty, Christian contemporary romance series.

You can find Love on Ice online at:

Amazon | BookBub | 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!

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

What's your view about swearing in fiction?

Bookish Question # 213 | What’s your view about swearing in fiction?

by Iola Goulton

I don’t swear and nor do most of the people I know (including the non Christians I work with).

As such, I always find swearing a little jarring when I hear or read it.

However, I do know that some people swear (and some people swear a lot). Most movies I watch have some swearing—they have to, or else they end up with a G rating. TV shows often have swearing as well, although it tends to be fairly low-key and is always consistent with the type of TV show (e.g. I do expect more swearing in an adult crime drama series than in a family comedy show).

I suppose you could say my view depends on the genre.

Likewise, my view of swearing in fiction depends on the genre. If I’m reading a general market thriller or suspense novel, then I expect to see some swearing and I’m not surprised by it. Sure, I  might not like it and I often feel there is too much, but that’s my personal taste.

For example, The Martian by Andy Weir had a lot of swearing. But Mark Watney had just discovered he was alone on an inhospitable planet (Mars) with no way to get home. I can understand the sentiment, and his language did fit his predicament.

If, however, a character is in a less precarious situation, then they probably don’t have to swear. As such, I’m not a fan of swearing in romance (especially not in historical romance) or rom-com. Adding the f-word to a sentence doesn’t make the sentence funny, no matter what some “comedians” might think. There are always alternatives.

 On this basis, I don’t want to see any swearing in Christian fiction.

It’s not funny. It’s not clever. It’s not strong writing. There is always a way to get the sentiment across without using the words. So I prefer for authors to be original and not use the swear words.

I’m also not a fan of derivatives of swear words e.g bloody (a shortened for of By Our Lady, referring to Mary, Mother of Jesus), or Geez (a shortened and misspelled version of Jesus). The other word I don’t like (and which I have seen in a couple of Christian novels recently) is spitless. It’s a made-up substitute for another word (no, spitless isn’t in the dictionary). I actually don’t mind made-up words … in general market material (e.g. characters in Battlestar Galactica used “frack”).

What I don’t mind is silly words used in place of swear words.

For example, NZ Twitter has taken to calling people they don’t like (often politicians or media “personalities”) casseroles (with apologies to all those tasty casseroles out there). Those politicians or personalities who are especially dim are absolute casseroles. One politician was recently awarded the title of full casserole. British English has muppets and numpties.

So that’s my preferred approach: no overt swearing, but using nonsense words where necessary.

What’s your view on swearing in fiction?