I’ve bought my husband a trilogy of graphic novels he’s wanted for years and which have recently been re-released. But I think that’s all the books I’ll be buying for Christmas this year.

Last year, I bought books for several family members. They all said the right thing at the time, but none of them came back to me to say they’d read and enjoyed the books. That confirmed what I’ve sometimes found as a recipient of books: it’s hard to buy books for other people, even people you know well. It’s even harder if they’re a reader, because they probably buy or borrow the books they want most as soon as they’re released.

That leaves me, as a gift-giver, searching for a literary unicorn: a book they’ll buy and read and enjoy, but not one they’d have bought themselves.

Buying books for non-readers is even harder, because there is an endless list of books there not interested in, and a too-short list of books they might potentially be interested in.

As such, I think I’ll stick with book vouchers for the readers … assuming I can’t come up with a more creative idea.

What about you? Do you give people books for Christmas? What books are you planning to buy and gift this year (or will that be telling)?

Book Review | Every Word Unsaid (Dreams of India) by Kimberly Duffy

by Iola Goulton

6 December 2021

I thought Kimberly Duffy’s first two novels (A Mosaic of Wings and A Tapestry of Light) were excellent.

Every Word Unsaid is outstanding.

Augusta Constance Travers, better known as Gussie, is the odd one out in her upwardly mobile family. Her family want her to return to New York and become a respectable member of society. But Gussie revels in her secret role as writer and photographer Miss Adventuress, the most popular columnist for the Lady’s Weekly. Yes, she’s the leading travel blogger of 1896, living the “perfect life”.

But her identity is exposed, so her parents plan to send her to her aunt in Chicago until the fuss blows over. Instead, her editor sends her to India for six months a country she’s always wanted to visit. It’s also the home of her childhood friends, twins Catherine and Gabriel MacLean.

The story truly takes off once Gussie reaches India. She stays with her childhood friends in Poona, where she sees a different side of India – the wealth and the poverty, the beauty and the ugliness.

One of the signs of outstanding historical fiction is when the author manages to make the plot and characters compelling in their own timeline at the same time as making the plot relevant to readers in the present. Kimberly Duffy has done this brilliantly, particularly in terms of Gussie’s spiritual journey. There are also more than a few nods to lockdowns and quarantine in the plague scenes.

While Every Word Unsaid is definitely the story of Gussie’s personal and spiritual journey, there is also a lovely romance (and a few kissing scenes).

Kimberly Duffy has done a huge amount of research, and it’s woven beautifully throughout the story in both the language and the description. It leaves me wanting to visit India. I hope to see more books set in India, as it’s obvious Duffy has a passion for the country and the people.

The novel is entirely written from Gussie’s point of view—something I didn’t realise until I’d finished reading. While she’s a little annoying (and possibly immature, even at the age of twenty-five), her voice was compelling and it kept me turning the pages. That’s largely because of the writing, which was excellent. There were wonderful descriptions, unique turns of phrase, intertwined with deep spiritual truths that show our modern problems are actually age-old problems.

Every Word Unsaid by Kimberly Duffy is an outstanding novel, with brilliant writing, and an encouraging Christian message. #BookReview #ChristianFiction Share on X

I highly recommend Every Word Unsaid, especially for the wonderful locations, and the encouraging Christian message.

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

About Kimberly Duffy

Kimberly Duffy enjoys writing historical fiction that takes readers back in time and across oceans. Her books often feature ahead-of-their-time heroines, evocative settings, and real-life faith. When not writing or homeschooling her four children, she enjoys taking trips that require a passport and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of twenty years. A Long Island native, she currently resides in southwest Ohio.

Find Kimberly Duffy online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram

About Every Word Unsaid

Augusta Travers has spent the last three years avoiding the stifling expectations of New York society and her family’s constant disappointment. As the nation’s most fearless–and reviled–columnist, Gussie travels the country with her Kodak camera and spins stories for women unable to leave hearth and home. But when her adventurous nature lands her in the middle of a scandal, an opportunity to leave America offers the perfect escape.

Arriving in India, she expects only a nice visit with childhood friends, siblings Catherine and Gabriel, and escapades that will further her career. Instead, she finds herself facing a plague epidemic, confusion over Gabriel’s sudden appeal, and the realization that what she wants from life is changing. But slowing down means facing all the hurts of her past that she’s long been trying to outrun. And that may be an undertaking too great even for her.

You can find Every Word Unsaid online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

New Releases in Christian Fiction | December 2021

by Iola Goulton

4 December 2021

It’s the end of another year … a year that’s been the longest and the shortest year at the same time. Longest? Well, you know why. Shortest? Because as I get older, every successive year seems to rush past faster than the year before. I’m looking forward to a holiday and spending Christmas with the family … and reading some great books while I lounge on a beach somewhere.

What about you? What are you planning to do (or read) over the Christmas season?

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

Contemporary – General

Broken Together by Brenda S. Anderson — Jennifer and Chad Taylor had dreamed of opening a coffee and cocoa shop since before they said, “I do.” When Chad is sent to prison for murder despite claiming innocence, that dream—along with their family—is shattered. After years of fighting for Chad’s release, Jennifer finally breaks free from her shame, anger, and hopelessness, and forges ahead with the dream the two of them once shared. With the help of their college-aged twins, she begins to move forward. Without Chad. When their lawyer arrives with news of evidence that may prove Chad’s innocence, a strange mixture of emotions overtakes her. Does she want Chad to return home? He isn’t the same man he once was, and she certainly isn’t the same woman. She’s worked hard to piece the remnants of their family back together, and his coming home could fracture the family once again. (General Contemporary, Independently Published)

Contemporary Romance

Healing Skye by Janet W. Ferguson –People can’t be trusted. Animals always made more sense than humans did to marine biologist Skye Youngblood. After her mother’s suicide, she left Alabama and never looked back. These days, she pours her heart into protecting nature’s sea creatures. When she returns to Dauphin Island, Alabama, for a temporary manatee migration study, her dark past is much too close. She can’t let her guard down. But how can she keep her heart hidden when a kind man with a genuine smile makes her want a fresh start? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

No Place Like Home by Amy R. Anguish — Roots are overrated, at least to someone like Adrian Stewart, preacher’s kid, who has never lived anywhere longer than six years. That’s why her job with MidUSLogIn, Inc. is so perfect for her—lots of travel and staying nowhere long enough to have it feel like home. But when work takes her to Memphis, TN, closer to her family for the first time in years, and in the same small office as Grayson Roberts, she starts to question her job, her lack of home, and even her memories of her rocky past with the church. Gray is intrigued by Adrian from the moment he sees her, and he’s determined to get to the bottom of why this girl who loves old movies and hums when she works won’t go to church with him. As they grow closer, he wants more, too, but how can he convince her to stay in Memphis when she doesn’t believe in home—or God? Can he use his own broken past to break through hers? (Contemporary Romance from Scrivenings Press)

Reclaiming Hope by Carolyn Miller — Callie Steele might be a bit… focused on work, but despite what her employers say, she enjoys her well-ordered, productive life. When she’s sent to meet the owners of an estate requiring post-hurricane landscaping, Callie meets their son, Kai Brody, a super-chilled pro surfer, who is as opposite from her as they come. Though initially smitten, Callie knows a relationship with Kai is a bad idea—a very bad idea. Kai, however, can’t help but be intrigued by someone who challenges him to make something of his life again. He’s determined to pursue her, if she’ll give him half a chance. The more time they spend together, negotiating the challenges of work, illness, and family, the more their opposing outlooks clash and connect. What do these unlikely friends really want from life? Is it best to focus on work or recreation? As Kai and Callie answers from the Lord, they also must consider if such complete opposites have enough in common to make a relationship last. (Contemporary Romance from Celebrate Lit)

The Breakup Project by Carolyn Miller –As the twin sister of hockey’s hottest forward, romance-loving Bree Karlsson is used to being ignored, leading to a New Year’s resolution to not date any athlete in her attempt to find Mr. Right. But what happens when the man who might prove to be her personal Mr. Darcy is her brother’s hockey-playing best friend? Mike Vaughan might be happy playing in Boston, but he’d be even happier if Bree could one day see him as more than a good friend. He agrees to help Bree with a special project in the hope she’ll finally see him as something more. But when a misunderstanding ends in a Valentine’s Day disaster, Bree realizes that her breakup project may have broken her friendship with Mike in two. Can she ever redeem her mistake? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Their Yuletide Healing by Mindy Obenhaus — Foster mom Rae Girard’s determined to make her children’s first Christmas with her the best they’ve ever had—and she’s shocked when the town scrooge, attorney Cole Heinsohn, offers to pitch in. Rae’s young charges have melted Cole’s heart, and he wants them to experience the special day he never had. But when disaster strikes, an imperfect holiday might bring them something better: a family… (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired (Harlequin))

General Historical

Elinor by Shannon McNear — In 1587, Elinor White Dare sailed from England heavy with her first child but full of hopes. Her father, a renowned artist and experienced traveler, has convinced her and her bricklayer husband Ananias to make the journey to the New World. Land, they are promised, more goodly and beautiful than they can ever imagine. But nothing goes as planned from landing at the wrong location, to facing starvation, to the endless wait for help to arrive. And, beyond her comprehension, Elinor finds herself utterly alone. The colony at Roanoke disappeared into the shadows of history. But what if one survived to leave a lasting legacy? (General Historical from Barbour Publishing)

What Matters Most by Carol Ashby — For ten years, the incorruptible Tribune Titianus enforced Rome’s laws. He’s four days from leaving the Urban Cohort to teach at his brother-in-law Kaeso’s school when Emperor Hadrian and the Praetorian Prefect draft him to secretly investigate and thwart an assassination plot…one that might involve his own commander. He can’t refuse, but if Hadrian’s enemies discover his Christian faith, will it mean death for everyone he loves? The new tribune Glabrio wants two things as Titianus trains him: to discover for their commander who Titianus is investigating and to gain the support of Titianus’s powerful relatives. Marrying Sabina would secure the backing of her grandfather, but because of the teacher, she’s making choices no noblewoman should. As he gets closer to both his goals, will he realize in time what matters most? (General Historical from Cerrillo Press)

Romance Novella

A Covert Cowboy Christmas by Carol James — A December ice storm destroys Rebekah Kingston’s Christmas plans. With the power out and the West Texas roads closed indefinitely, she’s forced to spend Christmas at her brother Braden’s ranch instead of at home with her parents. But Rebekah and Braden are not alone. Also stranded is an annoyingly chatty ranch hand, Dirk Sims. While Rebekah is certain she’s met him before, Dirk insists she’s mistaken.  However, when Rebekah inadvertently eavesdrops on one of Dirk’s phone conversations, she discovers his lie. Dirk is not who he seems. This Christmas just got interesting. (Romance Novella from White Rose Publishing (Pelican))

Suspense/Thriller

Buried Cold Case Secrets by Sami A. Abrams — She can’t remember and he can’t forget. When a killer targets Melanie, it is only through her determination to relive the past and Jason’s willingness to let go of his resentment, can they find his sister’s killer and keep Melanie alive. (Thriller/Suspense from Love Inspired (Harlequin))

Stealth Insurgence by Vikki Kestell — Nanostealth | Book 5: Jayda and Zander are returning to Albuquerque, satisfied that they have completed the mission for which President Jackson called them to Washington DC. They are filled with hope for the future, bursting with joy for the unborn child Jayda carries, and keen to share the news of their blessing with those they love: Abe, Emilio, Dr. Bickel, Zander’s parents, and his sister, Izzie. They arrive in Albuquerque on a notable date: the one-year anniversary of General Cushing’s attack on Dr. Bickel’s lab hidden within the tunnels of the old Manzano Weapons Storage Facility. It was the same attack that incited the nanomites to take up occupancy in Gemma Keyes—now Jayda Cruz —the extraordinary event that will continue to impact their lives forever. (Thriller/Suspense, Independently Published)

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

Hidden Danger by Jerusha Agen, The greatest threat to this K-9 team is the one they don’t see coming. (Thriller/Suspense)

Footprints on Her Heart by Tabitha Bouldin, He’s saving the world, one animal at a time. (Contemporary Romance)

A Christmas Home for Hannah by Joi Copeland, A rancher in need of a wife or he loses his everything. A promise to her grandfather to be a mail order bride just may be unfulfilled. (Historic Romance)

An Awestruck Christmas Medley by Emily Conrad, Four hundred miles of snow-covered terrain stand between the men of Awestruck and a Christmas with loved ones. (Contemporary Romance)

Rachel’s Road to Love – Great Smoky Mountain Getaways by Elsie Davis, Escape to the Great Smoky Mountains… Rachel trusts God’s plan for her life, but did that plan really include being left at the altar?
(Contemporary)

The Corporal’s Codebook by Susan Page Davis, Jack Miller stumbles through the Civil War, winding up a telegrapher and cryptographer for the army. In the field with General Sherman in Georgia, he is captured along with his precious cipher key. (General Historical)

Grace Beneath the Frost by Christine Dillon, Professional success. Personal failure. (General Contemporary)

The Christmas Family by Linda Goodnight, With the holidays in sight, Brady wonders if his own Christmas wish could come true… (Contemporary Romance)

Gifts: A Christmas Novella by Jeanette Hanscome, When the party guests include faces from her past, Justine must decide whether to keep running or receive a gift that might free her to give much more than her beautifully wrapped presents. (General Contemporary)

Harper’s Hollers by Ruth Kyser, Will God bring them together as more than friends—or will circumstances beyond their control keep them apart? (Contemporary Romance)

First Line Friday | #Week 214 | You and Me by Becky Wade

by Iola Goulton

3 December 2021

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 You and Me by Becky Wade, a Christmas novella in her popular Misty River Romance series. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About You and Me

Easy-going, artistic Connor Bryant fell hard for his friend Shay Seaver when they were both in the seventh grade. Sixteen years later, he’s returned to Misty River. She’s finally between boyfriends. And his crush on her hasn’t wavered. Now’s his chance.

He tells Shay that he’s found someone he wants to date and is in need of a makeover when it comes to his appearance and dating strategies. He asks if she’ll serve as his consultant — in hopes that he’ll learn how he can become her ideal man. What he doesn’t tell her? That she’s the one he wants to date.

Sporty stationery shop owner Shay immediately agrees to Connor’s request because he’s one of the best guys she knows. However, she quickly realizes she’s in over her head. She’s pledged to help him win the affection of another woman — even though she dearly wants to claim his heart.

You can find You and Me 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!

Bookish Question #205 | Do you like reading Christmas novels?

by Iola Goulton

30 November 2021

Do you like reading Christmas novels? Or Christmas novellas?

At Christmas, yes. But not otherwise.

This could be because most Christmas stories are written with a northern hemisphere setting, which means they are set in winter. Winter is not my favourite season, so I’m unlikely to read a winter story unless it’s a Christmas story.

If it’s a Christmas story, I want to read it somewhere close to Christmas i.e. December.

Apparently, some people read Christmas stories throughout the year. I recently listened to a presentation at a writer’s conference, and someone ask the speaker if she wrote special Christmas stories. She said no – all her stories were based around Christmas, because that’s what her readers like to read. Given how many books she releases, that means she’s writing, releasing, and selling Christmas stories all year round. Maybe that’s why her books don’t resonate with me: because I like Christmas in December. The rest of the year has enough rush rush rush without the added rush of Christmas.

But now we’re past most of the rush of the year and almost up to December, I’ll be happy to kick back with a Christmas novel or novella or three. But only until Christmas 🙂

After Christmas, I’ll want summer reads because it’s summer here in New Zealand. I’ll want light and fun, not a cold, dark Christmas.

How about you? Do you like reading Christmas novels or novellas?

Book Review | The London House by Katherine Reay

by Iola Goulton

29 November 2021

Caroline Payne was always told she was named for her great-aunt who died of polio at the age of seven. But an unexpected visit from her college crush, historian Mat Hammond, says that was a lie. He says Caroline Waite left England for France in 1941 and disappeared with Paul Arnim, her Nazi lover. Caroline wants to prove him wrong.

So starts a fast-paced story that takes Caroline from her home in Boston to the ancestral family home in London, the titular London House. Here she rediscovers her grandmother’s diaries from the war years, and the letters Caro sent her sister.

The story flips between present and past, unravelling a compelling story.

The present story is all written in first person from Caroline’s point of view. I know first person annoys some readers, but it works in this instance. Using first person keeps us in Caroline’s mind as she tries to unravel a decades-old family mystery, and the single point of view adds to the tension.

We then have the two historic points of view, from twins Margaret and Caroline, which we’re shown through Margaret’s journals, Caroline’s letters, and a handful of historic documents Mat has dug out of various archives (it never ceases to amaze me what kind of information governments have seen fit to record and store).

Caroline soon realises that her namesake didn’t die of polio as a small child, but that raises bigger questions: what did happen to Caroline? Why did the family never speak of her? Most importantly, how has this impacted on Caroline’s own life?

As with any good fiction, there is more than one story going on.

Underneath Caroline’s attempts to find the story of the previous Caro, she is also finding similarities with her own story and this depth strengthened the overall story.

There were a couple of errors that bugged me: Winston Churchill was not knighted until after the war, so should not have been referred to as Sir (and when he was, it should have been Sir Winston, not Sir Churchill). On a related note, if Margo and Caro were the daughters of an earl, they would have held the courtesy title of Lady. Also, they would have been unlikely to inherit the family estate and the London House, as one or both would have gone to the closest male relative (who also would have inherited the earldom). Finally, the Chunnel is the Channel tunnel, not the train that goes through the tunnel. The train is the Eurostar, owned by a completely different company. Fortunately, these silly mistakes don’t have any bearing on the actual plot, and I was already hooked by the time they appeared.

Apart from that, the writing and underlying research were excellent. The characters were compelling, and the way the story weaved between past and present made it even more compelling. It was a hard book to put down, as I wanted to know what came next and discover what actually happened to Caro. What made it even better was that the story went off in directions I hadn’t anticipated.

The London House by Katherine Reay is an outstanding novel, following Caroline Payne following the story of her grandmother through letters and journals. #BookReview #EpistolaryFiction Share on X

Katherine Reay’s previous books have been published in the Christian fiction market. The London House is published by Harper Muse, a general market imprint. While the story doesn’t have any overt or covert faith references, it doesn’t have any language or content that would be out of place in the Christian market.

Recommended for historical fiction fans.

Thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Katherine Reay

Katherine Reay has enjoyed a life-long affair with the works of Jane Austen and her contemporaries—who provide constant inspiration both for writing and for life. She is the author of three previous novels, and her debut, Dear Mr. Knightley, was a 2014 Christy Award Finalist, winner of the 2014 INSPY Award for Best Debut, and winner of two Carol Awards for Best Debut and Best Contemporary.

Katherine holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University and is a wife, mother, runner, and tae kwon do black belt. After living all across the country and a few stops in Europe, Katherine and her family recently moved back to Chicago.

Find Katherine Reay online at:

Website | Facebook | Pinterest| Twitter | Goodreads

About The London House

Uncovering a dark family secret sends one woman through the history of Britain’s World War II spy network and glamorous 1930s Paris to save her family’s reputation.

Caroline Payne thinks it’s just another day of work until she receives a call from Mat Hammond, an old college friend and historian. But pleasantries are cut short. Mat has uncovered a scandalous secret kept buried for decades: In World War II, Caroline’s British great-aunt betrayed family and country to marry her German lover.

Determined to find answers and save her family’s reputation, Caroline flies to her family’s ancestral home in London. She and Mat discover diaries and letters that reveal her grandmother and great-aunt were known as the “Waite sisters.” Popular and witty, they came of age during the interwar years, a time of peace and luxury filled with dances, jazz clubs, and romance. The buoyant tone of the correspondence soon yields to sadder revelations as the sisters grow apart, and one leaves home for the glittering fashion scene of Paris, despite rumblings of a coming world war.

Each letter brings more questions. Was Caroline’s great-aunt actually a traitor and Nazi collaborator, or is there a more complex truth buried in the past? Together, Caroline and Mat uncover stories of spies and secrets, love and heartbreak, and the events of one fateful evening in 1941 that changed everything.

In this rich historical novel from award-winning author Katherine Reay, a young woman is tasked with writing the next chapter of her family’s story. But Caroline must choose whether to embrace a love of her own and proceed with caution if her family’s decades-old wounds are to heal without tearing them even further apart.

You can find The London House online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads

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

Book Review | The Crystal Crypt (Poppy Denby #6) by Fiona Veitch Smith

by Iola Goulton

27 November 2021

The Crystal Crypt is the sixth book in the Poppy Denby Investigates series.

While it is a standalone mystery, many of the characters have been introduced in previous novels, and a couple of the minor plot points do refer back to hose earlier stories. However, there is a character list at the beginning of the novel for those who haven’t read all the previous stories (or who have read dozens of novels since the last Poppy Denby novel was released and needed a little reminder, ahem).

As with the previous Poppy Denby mysteries, The Crystal Crypt sets a solid mystery against a backdrop that gives insight into the culture and attitudes of the 1920s. Poppy, a female journalist, is herself a trendsetter of sorts, and in this novel she meets a female police constable while investigating the murder of a female scientist at Oxford University. Poppy therefore shows us what was considered ground-breaking science at the time, as well as showing us a woman’s place in society.

The novel is written in a somewhat distant point of view, almost omniscient. This usually frustrates me as a reader, but it works in this instance because it feels appropriate for the time setting. It gives the novel an Agatha Christie or Georgette Heyer feel, harking back to a time when bright young things were jolly and gay. Well, except for when they’re getting murdered in the workplace …

Yes, The Crystal Crypt is a murder mystery.

Poppy is asked to investigate by an acquaintance who worked with the victim, Dr June Leighton, and who believes June’s death was not the accident the police claim. Poppy uses her press credentials to find out more about June’s life and death, to determine whether there was a murder … and if so, who is the culprit.

Some murder mysteries have lots of potential evildoers with means, motive, and opportunity. The Crystal Crypt has less than most, so the focus is on the investigation, and it soon becomes obvious that someone has something to hide.

I enjoyed The Crystal Crypt, as I’ve enjoyed the other novels I’ve read in the series (the ones I haven’t read are waiting on my Kindle. This is a series that can definitely be read out of order).

I especially enjoyed the insights into Twenties culture, and learning a little more about the long struggle for gender quality. Recommended for mystery lovers, especially those who enjoy unique historical settings.

Thanks to Lion Fiction and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Fiona Veitch Smith

Formerly a professional journalist, Fiona Veitch Smith is now an author of books for adults and children. She has also written theatre plays and screenplays. Her adult mystery series, Poppy Denby Investigates, set in the 1920s, is published by Lion Fiction (paperback & ebook) and audiobook (HW Howes). The first book in the series, The Jazz Files, was shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Historical Dagger award, 2016. Other titles in the series include: The Kill Fee, The Death Beat, The Cairo Brief, and The Art Fiasco.

She has two standalone novels Pilate’s Daughter (Lume Books – formerly Endeavour Press) and The Peace Garden (Crafty Publishing)

Her books for children include the Young David and the Young Joseph picturebooks, published by SPCK, and a new series of graphic novels called The Time-twisters, published by SPCK in collaboration with the Faraday Institute at Cambridge University.

Fiona lives in Newcastle upon Tyne with her family.

Find Fiona online at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

About The Crystal Crypt

The 1920s most stylish sleuth returns in The Crystal Crypt for another thrilling murder mystery!

“But accidents can still happen… Perhaps there was something out of her control, something she couldn’t have foreseen…”
“Like someone plotting to kill her?”

In the city of dreaming spires, Poppy Denby is asked to investigate the mysterious death of an up-and-coming female scientist. But was it an accident or is something more sinister lurking in the shadows? And is Poppy the next target…

You can find The Crystal Crypt online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

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

First Line Friday | Week #213 | Healing Skye by Janet W Ferguson

by Iola Goulton

26 November 2021

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 Healing Skye by Janet W Ferguson, the latest in her Coastal Hearts series (don’t worry: it’s a standalone so you don’t have to read the earlier novels first).

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Healing Skye

People can’t be trusted.

Animals always made more sense than humans did to marine biologist Skye Youngblood. After her mother’s suicide, she left Alabama and never looked back. These days, she pours her heart into protecting nature’s sea creatures. When she returns to Dauphin Island, Alabama, for a temporary manatee migration study, her dark past is much too close. She can’t let her guard down. But how can she keep her heart hidden when a kind man with a genuine smile makes her want a fresh start?

Charter fishing pays the bills for widower Pete Thompson and his little girl, but like his father, a pastor, Pete can’t help but fish for men. Only, after growing up under constant scrutiny as a preacher’s kid, Pete’s ways are a bit more unconventional. And the bulk of his life revolves around raising his precious daughter.

When he witnesses the car wreck of a new marine biologist on the island, it doesn’t take a genius to see that more than just her physical pain needs tending. Pete feels called to help Skye find true healing, but he’s navigating dangerous waters. And he’s not at all sure he’ll walk away unscathed.

You can find Told You So online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

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

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!

Bookish Question #204 | Do you like weddings in Christian romance?

by Iola Goulton

23 November 2021

The whole point of a romance novel is that the two main characters end up with their “Happy Ever After” ending.

As such, many readers want and even expect the novel to end on a proposal or wedding scene.

I am not that reader.

I’m perfectly happy to read a proposal scene or a wedding scene, but only if it fits the story. As a general rule, this means I want to see the couple are emotionally and spiritually mature enough to make that decision. I don’t like proposal or wedding scenes that feel rushed, as though the characters don’t know each other well enough yet to make that kind of decision.

This is especially important in shorter books—novellas and short novels—which tend to take place over a condensed period of time. Yes, I know some people meet and marry within months or even weeks and go on to have long and successful marriages. But divorce statistics suggest these people are the minority, not the norm.

The other reason I don’t like the novel that ends with a proposal or marriage is because it often feels contrived. It feels as though the author has decided the book must end with a marriage, rather than the marriage being the logical emotional conclusion for the couple. It can feel manipulative, and I don’t like that. It feels like the characters are being forced into marriage rather than making that decision themselves.

This is one of the reasons why I enjoy reading books in a series.

While I don’t want the couple who first met on page one to be married by page three hundred, I do enjoy a good wedding. the right place for that wedding might be in the second or third book in the series.

A wedding at the beginning of book two or three can be a great way to connect the two stories and introduce the new couple. A wedding in the middle of another book can be a great emotional turning point, where the hero and heroine realise they want to be together.

What about you? Do you like weddings in a Christian romance?

What’s the best proposal or wedding scene you’ve read?

Book Review | Uncharted Courage (Land Uncharted #10) by Keely Brooke Keith

by Iola Goulton

22 November 2021

Bailey Colburn is feeling unsettled, so takes a trip to the village of Good Springs to visit old friends and get advice from the village elder, John Colburn. She visits over spring equinox, the one time of year when a change in atmospheric conditions allows newcomers to enter the Land. And someone does … actually, two people.

Revel is enjoying his role as island courier now he’s had his father’s blessing to take the role and not take over the family inn. Now, if he can only get Bailey to see how he feels about her. But first he has to share the information the newcomer brought.

Both are fiercely independent and love their freedom, Bailey especially. Both have to learn that working alone doesn’t always yeild the best result. Sometimes, it’s better to work together …

Uncharted Courage is an enjoyable romance, and a relatively quick read.

It’s good to see Bailey again—she’s been one of my favourite characters throughout the series. I also enjoyed the underlying spiritual thread, and the way the Christian elements underpin the entire plot without being preachy.

Uncharted Courage is the tenth book in the Uncharted series, about a small community living on a hidden island while World War III rages in the outside world. Keith does an excellent job of reminding readers of the important points from the previous novels by weaving them into the present story in a way that feels natural.

While you could read Uncharted Courage as a standalone novel, it’s probably best to read through the series in order. Having said that, my favourite stories in the series are the stories like Uncharted Courage, where there is a crossover between the Land and the outside world.

Recommended for fans of historical Christian romance or speculative romance with a twist.

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

About Keely Brooke Keith

Keely Brooke Keith writes inspirational frontier-style fiction with a slight Sci-Fi twist, including The Land Uncharted (Shelf Unbound Notable Romance 2015) and Aboard Providence (2017 INSPY Awards Longlist). Keely also creates resources for writers such as The Writer’s Book Launch Guide and The Writer’s Character Journal.

Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely grew up in a family that frequently relocated. By graduation, she lived in 8 states and attended 14 schools. When she isn’t writing, Keely enjoys playing bass guitar, preparing homeschool lessons, and collecting antique textbooks. Keely, her husband, and their daughter live on a hilltop south of Nashville, Tennessee.

Find Keely Brooke Keith online at:

Website | Facebook

About Uncharted Courage

With the survival of the Land at stake and her heart on the line, Bailey must find the courage to love.

When Bailey accepts John Colburn’s offer for her to visit Good Springs, she leaves the Inn at Falls Creek expecting to spend the autumn relaxing in her favorite seaside village. Upon her arrival, Connor asks her to cover a shift of guard duty on the equinox, and her quiet vacation takes a shocking turn.

Revel Roberts works hard to keep his life commitment-free, making it easy to leave community decisions to men like Connor and John. But when the Land is threatened, Revel sees his chance to prove he is a man worthy of Bailey’s love. Amid the chaos in Good Springs, his unrequited feelings for her preoccupy him. One wrong choice could ruin everything.

As Bailey’s new life in the Land unravels and threats from the outside world loom, a yearning she can’t define surges within her. It distracts her from defending the hidden world she loves, and a tragedy reinforces her need for independence.

With the survival of the Land at stake and their hearts on the line, Bailey and Revel will need more courage than fighting ever required. They will need to find the courage to love.

You can find Uncharted Courage online at:

Amazon | BookBub| Goodreads