Naomi McIntosh is living and working in Pleasant Valley under an assumed name, having escaped her abusive father and an unwanted engagement. But when she hears a rumour that her fiancé is offering a reward for finding her, she knows it’s time to move on again.

She travels to Falls Creek Inn and takes a job as housekeeper under the name Charity Ashton. It would be the perfect job if it wasn’t for James Roberts, son of the Inn’s owner, and the shepherd boy she fell in love with in her home of Southpoint. James knows who she is, but can he keep her secret? And is there any chance of them forming an attachment after how Naomi once rejected him?

Uncharted Freedom is a classic case of doing the wrong thing for the right reason.

Naomi lies about her name and background, but not because she’s dishonest. She lies because she’s afraid of her abusive father and equally afraid of the older man he’s promised her to. For better or worse, running away and lying was the only solution she could see.

James has his own issues. He’s the second son, so won’t inherit the Inn. But Revel, his older brother, is a wanderer with no intention or desire to claim his inheritance, even though their father is aged and unwell. James thinks he wants the inn, but he also loves his role as a shepherd, loves his sheep, and loves Naomi, but doesn’t understand why she’s lying.

As such, this is a story about truth and honesty, and working out how to do the right thing rather than what seems to be the easy thing.

Uncharted Freedom is the latest in Keely Brooke Keith’s ongoing Uncharted series. As part of a series, there are some ongoing threads that will make more sense to those who have read at least some of the previous novels, because there are several recurring characters and an overarching story arc. In fact, the end of Uncharted Freedom promises more from this arc in the next book in the series.

And that was one thing I particularly liked about Uncharted Freedom – the way it connected to the rest of the series. While each novel is a standalone romance, the background is what makes the novels different from other Christian romances set in a similar era, and is what makes the Uncharted series a must-read for me.

Recommended for fans of Christian historical romance and speculative fiction.

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 Freedom

Naomi McIntosh is running from her family’s oppressive expectations and the loathsome man her father has demanded she marry. Renaming herself to live incognito, she takes a housekeeping job at the Inn at Falls Creek and promises God this false identity will be her last.

When shepherd James Roberts goes home to the Inn at Falls Creek for his sister’s wedding, he doesn’t expect the woman who once broke his heart to be working there. No matter how much he wants to be with Naomi again, he can’t go along with her charade, especially since he is trying to persuade his father to make him the inn’s heir.

Though Naomi yearns for a future with James, if she confesses her deception to everyone, her estranged fiancé will find her. And the longer James goes without telling his family the truth about Naomi—and their growing relationship—the further he jeopardizes the inheritance. But just when their relationship looks promising, the inn proves to be a poor hiding place from Naomi’s past.

Find Uncharted Freedom online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

First Line Friday | Week 166 | Organized Backup by Meredith Resce

by Iola Goulton

18 December 2020

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 Organized Backup, the first novel in the new Luella Linley Christian romance series from Australian author Meredith Resce. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Organized Backup

Regency romance author, Luella Linley, arranges her characters’ lives, making sure that they weather all storms and live happily-ever-after. Her characters are putty in her hands, but her 21st Century adult children are not so easily organized. When her daughter, Megan, asks for support with an inappropriate situation at work, Luella decides Megan should get a boyfriend to intimidate her boss. The cop who just pulled Luella over for speeding is a likely candidate.

Cam Fletcher is expecting to be interviewed by a famous author. Instead of sharing insights into his job working in the police force, he is sharing a meal with the famous author and her daughter, Megan. When left alone with Megan, Cam wonders when the interview will begin. The parents’ extended absence gives him a clue, which Megan confirms. Luella Linley is playing matchmaker, but is he willing to play the game?

You can find Organized Backup online at

Amazon| Goodreads | Koorong

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

First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

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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!

Book Review | The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark

by Iola Goulton

14 December 2020

The Dress Shop on King Street is a dual timeline story set in the post-WWII American South, and in the present day. In the present, Harper Dupree’s hopes for a career in fashions have been dashed, so she returns home to Alabama, to the older woman who taught her to sew. Here she meets Peter, an unlikely property developer. Millie Middleton is an expert seamstress who has always wanted to open her own dress shop, but life kept getting in the way. Now she might just achieve her dream, with Harper and Peter’s help.

The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark is a dual-timeline novel that will stay with you long after you've finished reading. Recommended. #BookReview #ChristianFiction Share on X

The past story is Millie’s and takes us from her initial dream through the many reasons why it never came to pass. It’s obvious from the beginning that Millie has a secret, and not just that she’s a mixed-race woman passing as white in 1960’s Georgia, where the “one-drop rule” is a thing. (I had to look that up. For those of us who are not from the USA, it meant that a person with just “one drop” of non-white ancestry was considered black, and therefore treated as a second-class citizen).

Harper’s story and slow-growing romance with Peter was the bulk of the story, but the impact and the heart of the story belonged to Millie. It forces us to face the injustices of the past, and ask ourselves what we can do to atone for those in the present, and to make sure they don’t happen again. It also shows that some injustices have consequences that last years or even decades. Some injustices can never be fixed or made right.

2020 has been a year of outstanding debut novels in the Christian fiction genre.

The Dress Shop on King Street is one of the best. It’s a novel about identity—our racial or cultural identity, but also our identity as Christians, encouraging us to chase our God-given dreams, no matter how old we are.

The Dress Shop on King Street is a novel that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading. Recommended.

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

About Ashley Clark

Ashley Clark writes romantic women’s fiction set in the South, and The Dress Shop on King Street is her debut novel. With a master’s degree in creative writing, Ashley teaches literature and writing courses at the University of West Florida. Ashley has been an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers for almost a decade. She lives with her husband, son, and two rescued Cocker Spaniels off Florida’s Gulf Coast. When she’s not writing, she’s rescuing stray animals, dreaming of Charleston, and drinking all the English breakfast tea she can get her hands on.

Find Ashley Clark online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

About The Dress Shop on King Street

Harper Dupree has pinned all her hopes on a future in fashion design. But when it comes crashing down around her, she returns home to Fairhope, Alabama, and to Millie, the woman who first taught her how to sew. As Harper rethinks her own future, long-hidden secrets about Millie’s past are brought to light.

In 1946, Millie Middleton–the daughter of an Italian man and a black woman–boarded a train and left Charleston to keep half of her heritage hidden. She carried with her two heirloom buttons and the dream of owning a dress store. She never expected to meet a charming train jumper who changed her life forever . . . and led her yet again to a heartbreaking choice about which heritage would define her future.

Now, together, Harper and Millie return to Charleston to find the man who may hold the answers they seek . . . and a chance at the dress shop they’ve both dreamed of. But it’s not until all appears lost that they see the unexpected ways to mend what frayed between the seams.

Find The Dress Shop on King Street online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

First Line Friday | Week 165 | For the Love of Joy by Janet W Ferguson

by Iola Goulton

11 December 2020

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 For the Love of Joy, the next release in Janet W Ferguson’s excellent Coastal Hearts series. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Doesn’t that make you want to keep reading?

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

About For the Love of Joy

Is he married or isn’t he?

Years ago, a Dear John letter and then an IED explosion overseas rocked Davis Donnelly’s world and left him unclear about his marital status. He’d signed divorce papers, but broken mentally and physically, he’d never bothered to find out if his marriage actually ended. Now that he’s about to start a new position as an outreach minister, it’s time to settle things once and for all. At the moment he tracks down his wife—or former wife?—she takes a tumble while chasing a little boy. Her son. And that’s when life flips upside down.

Joy Jennings Donnelly made her share of mistakes. But one thing she never considered a mistake was her child, and she’ll do anything to protect him. Even keep his paternity a secret.

When she’s suddenly injured with not a soul to help her or her son, Joy is forced to rely on the man who has the most reasons to hate her.

You can find Told You So online at

Amazon | Goodreads

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

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

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Book Review | Scattered by Nola Lorraine

by Iola Goulton

7 December 2020

Maggie O’Loughlin has taken a job as nanny to the Plowhurst family, who are emigrating from England to Nova Scotia. She needs to get to Halifax, because her younger brother and sister were taken there as part of the British Home Children scheme, which brought orphaned children from England to Canada to hopefully give them a better life.

While Jack and Emily are technically orphans, Maggie is old enough to work and care for them. They were shipped away while she was working for another family, and now she wants to find her brother and sister and reunite her family. But her quest is fraught with difficulties, from storm and shipwreck to lies and betrayal … and love.

Maggie is shipwrecked en route to Canada. When she finally makes it to Halifax, circumstances conspire to prevent the family’s reunion as Maggie finds both friends and enemies in unlikely places.

Scattered is an outstanding debut novel.

The characters are compelling, the plot finely woven, and the writing excellent. It’s full of emotion, and is one of those novels I almost wanted to stop reading because poor Maggie just couldn’t get a break. But I also wanted to read it quickly to make sure it was going to have a happy ending, and read slowly to savour the writing. Scattered pulls at the heartstrings both in the initial premise, then in Maggie’s ongoing trials to try and find her brother and sister, especially as circumstances (well, a particular individual) continually conspire to keep them apart.

Scattered is an outstanding debut novel that pulls at the heartstrings. Recommended reading for historical fiction fans. #ChristianFiction #NovaScotia @NolaLorraine1 Share on X

It’s obvious the author has spent a lot of time and effort researching the time and location, but this enhanced the plot and the writing, rather than overwhelming it. I only hope it’s not another seven years until we can read Nola’s next novel.

Recommended for fans of Carrie Turansky, Julie Klaasen, and Dorothy Adamek.

About Nola Lorraine

I’ve always been a creative person

I wrote my first mystery story in Mr Cuskelly’s class when I was ten. The goodies and baddies were all trying to get their hands on a mysterious package, and there were plenty of thrills and spills. I used the word ‘suddenly’ five times in those 580 words, and Mr Cuskelly circled every one of them. At least I had a killer ending. ‘What was in the package? I guess we’ll never know.’ It’s a wonder Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven didn’t enlist me right there and then.

Since that auspicious start, I’ve had more than 150 short pieces published including short stories, poetry, creative nonfiction, magazine articles, devotions, inspirational pieces and academic articles. I’ve also been writing songs since primary school. Most of my publications are under my married name of Nola Passmore.

Find Nola Lorraine online at:

Website | Facebook |Pinterest | Twitter

About Scattered

To lose her family was unthinkable … To find them will take a miracle.

While working in Europe, nineteen-year-old Maggie never dreamed that her family would be ripped apart and scattered across the sea, with her young brother and sister sent to Canada as part of the Home Children Migrant Scheme.

Desperation sends Maggie on a search from England to Canada, with a harrowing shipwreck leaving her stranded on Sable Island. Eventually arriving in Halifax, Maggie is devastated to discover the trail to find her sister and brother has gone cold.

An offer of help from industrialist Thaddeus Tharaday seems like an answer to prayer, but is the wealthy Tharaday her benefactor or nemesis?

With the help of a dashing newspaper reporter, Maggie begins to unravel the web of deceit surrounding her siblings’ disappearance. However, the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her quest becomes.

With lives on the line and the threat of everything she loves being torn away, can Maggie entrust the scattered pieces of her heart to the one who will never leave?

Set in Victorian-era Nova Scotia, Scattered weaves together elements of mystery, adventure, faith, and romance to take readers on a journey of hope and courage that will resonate with their hearts today.

Find Scattered online at:

Amazon | Goodreads | Koorong

Read the introduction to Scattered below:

First Line Friday | Week 164 | Nicole by Sarah Monzon

by Iola Goulton

4 December 2020

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 Nicole by Sarah Monzon, the third book in her fantastic Sewing in SoCal romantic comedy series. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Nicole

Who has time to date when she’s trying to raise a miniature human by herself AND save the planet from its irresponsible inhabitants? Not to mention my winning personality (snort) and my curves-have-curves figure (eyeroll) don’t exactly attract the opposite sex. Unfortunately, none of these reasons have stopped my best friends and SoCal sewing sisters from taking on the archaic role of matchmakers, and they’re not beneath a little bribery if that’s what it takes to get my cooperation. Let’s just say everyone has their weak spot, and donations to my favourite charities is mine.

If I were to consider a romantic relationship, my dream guy certainly wouldn’t be immature, everything-is-a-game Dr. Drew Bauer. The man raises my body temperature faster than global warming does the Earth’s! But life seems determined to keep throwing us together, especially now that one of my SoCal sewing sisters is engaged to his best friend, in which case there can only be one of two outcomes:

1. I kill him in a fit of annoyance.

2. My common sense escapes me, and I fall in love with him.

Honestly, I’m not sure which would be worse.

You can find Nicole online at:

Amazon | 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.

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

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New Releases in Christian Fiction | December 2020

by Iola Goulton

2 December 2020

Here are the latest releases from members of American Christian Fiction Writers. Is it just me, or don’t these include as many of the big-name publishers as they used to?

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

Contemporary Romance:

A Prayer Quilt Christmas by Nancy J. Farrier — Meg’s ex-husband took her boys away for the holidays, and she’s lost her heart to celebrate, but Wade is determined to make this Christmas special for her. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

His Holiday Prayer by Tina Radcliffe — After receiving an unexpected job offer in Texas, widower Tucker Rainbolt decides he and his twins need a fresh start. But moving on means leaving his best friend, Jena Harper, and their vet clinic behind. For the first time, Tucker sees Jena as more than a buddy. What if leaving isn’t the answer? Maybe what he’s been missing has been right beside him the whole time… (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Christmas on Ocracoke by Christina Sinisi — Reeling from the upheaval of a failed marriage, Annie Hanahan is desperate for a new start—and when she inherits a cottage on Ocracoke Island, she may finally get it. Without a second thought, she packs up and leaves everything behind: her first name, her job, and her ex-husband. But when she arrives in the Outer Banks, she finds the island—and her promised refuge—ravaged by Hurricane Dorian. As a contractor who has given so much of his time to helping Ocracoke recover, it surprises no one when Trey Kingsley offers to help the beautiful newcomer, but something is holding her back. Life keeps throwing them together, though, or perhaps God’s hand is giving them a nudge. Will a little bit of divine intervention be enough for a Merry Christmas on Ocracoke? (Contemporary Romance, Anaiah Press)

A Holiday Heart by Denise Weimer — Atlanta film makeup artist Ashlyn Jennings is willed a mysterious box containing a key from her grandmother’s estate. Mamie Lou, the former Hollywood B-lister who inspired Ashlyn’s path in life, always demonstrated a flair for the dramatic. But did Mamie Lou really expect her to put everything on hold to clean out a mountain cabin no one even knew about? And right at Christmas? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Contemporary

Season of Hope by Brenda S. Anderson — Life is good for Ronnie Coborn. She’s newly married to a man who loves her and dotes on her daughter. A man handpicked by Ronnie’s father, a popular pastor at a megachurch who’s been married to her mother for forty years. Yes, life is good. Until a shocking revelation exposes the fact that everything in her idyllic life—her marriage, family, and faith—is based on a lie. (Contemporary, Independently Published)

This sounds like a fascinating read!

Historical

The Mulberry Leaf Whispers by Linda Thompson — A WWII Japanese naval officer. The teenage daughter of a legendary Christian samurai. Three centuries separate them, but a crucial question binds their destinies together. Which lives have value? (Historical from Mountain Brook Ink)

Historical Romance

For the Love of Emma by Starr Ayers — A rose-covered grave, seventy-nine letters, and a scribbled note unearth buried emotions and the timeless beauty of first love. Inspired by actual letters found in her mother’s trunk, Starr pens a poignant love story set in the throes of the Great Depression and portrays a young couple’s quest to keep their love alive, regardless of events that threaten to tear them apart. (Historical Romance from Mountain Brook Ink)

Depending on You by Melissa Jagears — Can the joy and hope of Christmas restore their love before it’s too late? Leah Whitsett’s life was ideal until the disastrous day she nearly died because of her husband’s deceit. When he returns home weeks before Christmas, she knows the best gift she can give him is forgiveness, but how can she relinquish her hard-won independence knowing he plans to turn their family’s life upside down again? Bryant has always known his wife was a gift he’d never deserved, but how can he provide for her in a town that no longer wants anything to do with him? He longs to atone for the misery he’s put his loved ones through, but when he brings a family member home for the holidays, he and Leah may end up even further apart. With emotions high and their marriage at stake, will the season bring the hope they need…or are their rifts too large to mend? (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Legacy of Love by Linda Shenton Matchett — Escaping Boston to avoid a marriage of convenience aimed at garnering society’s respect for her family name in the shadow of her father’s war profiteering, Meg Underwood settles in Spruce Hill, Oregon. Despite leaving behind the comforts of wealth, she’s happy. Then the handsome Pinkerton agent, Reuben Jessop, arrives with news that she’s inherited her aunt’s significant estate, and she must return home to claim the bequest. Meg refuses to make the trip. Unwilling to fail at his mission, Reuben gives her until Christmas to prove why she should remain in Spruce Hill and give up the opportunity to become a woman of means. When he seems to want more than friendship, she wonders if her new-found wealth is the basis of his attraction. (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

Romantic Suspense

Deadly Amish Reunion by Dana R. Lynn — Jennie Beiler’s husband was supposed to be dead, so she’s shocked when he rescues her from an attacker. Although Luke has no memories of his Englisch wife, it’s up to him to protect her from someone who won’t stop until she’s dead. Can the peaceful Amish community he returned to after losing his memory shelter them and their son this Christmas when danger strikes again? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Christmas Protection Detail by Terri Reed — When a call from a friend in trouble leads Nick Delaney and Deputy Kaitlyn Lanz to a car crash that killed a single mother, they become the baby’s protectors. Now figuring out why someone is after the child is the only way to save her. But they must find answers soon…or this baby’s first Christmas might just be Nick’s and Kaitlyn’s last. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Speculative

Dawn of Vengeance by Ronie Kendig — Haunted by a prophecy that promises pain and war, bounty hunter Marco Dusan forges alliances to protect the primitive world against Symmachia’s devastating influence. But one truth becomes painfully clear: the biggest threat to their world may be much, much closer to home. (Speculative Fiction from Enclave)

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

A Question of Survival by Alice K. Arenz – A victim of domestic violence searches for hope after her recent miscarriage. (Women’s Fiction)

Ask Lolita by Roger E. Bruner – Not only does the Town Curmudgeon’s pet hen Lolita learn to use the computer and get her own newspaper column, she helps the lifelong bachelor survive the challenges of old age and find true love in the process. (Contemporary Fantasy)

The Mistletoe Contract by Jennifer Chastain – He needs a wife to inherit the family business, she needs money for her mother’s medical treatment, but is their convenient marriage a blessing or a disaster waiting to happen? (Contemporary Romance)

Dreaming of Tomorrow by Michelle De Bruin – Love leads them to a lifetime of commitment where the dreams they have held onto for so long start to come true. (Historical Romance)

Grumpy the Gator by Melissa Henderson – In Grumpy the Gator, we are reminded to be careful around alligators. Always tell an adult when we see a gator. (Children’s)

Lessons Learned in Love by Milla Holt – The boss’s daughter is off-limits. Especially when she steals the job that should have been his. (Contemporary Romance)

I’ve just finished Lessons Learned in Love, and it was excellent!

Fractures by Jason C. Joyner – A group of teens with superpowers must navigate high school, parents, and the enemies that want to destroy them. (Young Adult)

His to Keep by Sherrinda Ketchersid – He’s fighting for his inheritance – she’s marrying her sworn enemy. (Historical Romance)

Making Memories by Ruth Kyser – When her life is changed by a car accident, Kelly finds hope again through faith and an old friend from high school, Michael. (Contemporary Romance)

Reagan’s Reward by Susan G. Mathis – As trouble brews, Daniel sees another side of Reagan, the woman he’s come to love. (Historical Romance)

Georgia Ann, English Rose by Elva Cobb Martin – The lure of the legendary Spice Trail beckons, but he may never find a spice more precious than the treasure he left in Charles Town. (Historical Romance)

Giving Grace by Jennifer Pierce – Nothing is more embarrassing than Grace Dixon’s dog peeing on the new mailman. Except maybe when she thinks she’s hit the handsome man with her SUV. When he’s assigned to cover an injured co-worker’s route, Evan McDonald assumes it will be like any other mail route he’s done. But then he meets Grace Dixon, and he’s thrust into total Christmas chaos. (Contemporary Romance)

The Snowbound Bride by Davalynn Spencer – On the run from a heartless uncle, Arabella Taube hides in Nate Horne’s farm wagon just as a harsh winter storm sweeps into Colorado. Despite Ara’s mysterious background, Nate’s mother thinks she is the answer to a prayer and the hope for his future. (Historical Romance)

First Line Friday | Week 163 | Told You So by Kristen Heitzmann

by Iola Goulton

27 November 2020

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 Told You So by Kristen Heitzmann, a book that’s been on my to-read pile for ages. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Told You So

From the minute Grace Evangeline throws her sweet tea in Devin Bressard’s face, their battle of wits and cross-purposes overtakes their lives. Sassy “angelic” Grace Evangeline will stop at nothing to see her romance novel produced for Broadway. Devin Bressard knows all about the commercial success of Ms. Evangeline’s “novels”—as far from his literary, nerve-striking plays as anything could be.

Grace intends to pull his head out of the rarified air long enough to make her point, even if it involves stalking him and infiltrating his friends and colleagues. Devin knows she’s trouble, but who would guess the spokesperson for strength and virtue would be a calamity vortex? He mounts a fierce resistance, but when he’s forced to work with Grace, his profession and sanity aren’t the only things at risk. Collapsing walls on both sides bring a détente that could shatter their bond—or resound through more lives than their own.

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.

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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!

Book Review | The Stable Hand Lord (Escape to the West #9) by Nerys Leigh

by Iola Goulton

23 November 2020

Lord Aaron Wetherington, third son of His Lordship The Marquess of Ipswich, has arrived in the tiny town of Green Hill Creek to find Josephine Carter, to determine whether he is the father of her child. If so, he wants to take responsibility for his actions, even though his father has cut off his allowance in punishment for making the journey. He soon finds Josephine is happily married and he is not the father of her baby. But a minor accident introduces him to Miss Jemima Wood, and he decides to stay in town a little longer.

Jemima is visiting her sister, ostensibly to help her care for her newborn. A badly sprained ankle makes that difficult, but it does introduce her to Aaron, who has some handy tips for dealing with a crying baby. He’s also handsome and kind and attractive … a shame he’s only a stable hand, because her parents want her to marry well, especially after neither of her sisters have. As such, she is entertaining the well-off Mr Wilcox.

Yes, that’s a great setup, in that Aaron and Jem are obviously perfect for each other.

The fun is in watching the characters work out what we already know is going to happen, and wondering how they’ll get out of a few less-good situations.

I have read and enjoyed the entire Escape to the West series.

The first five books were a unique concept: concurrent stories of five mail-order brides in the same small Western town. As such, they could be read in any order. The later books run sequentially, so should be read in order (although they don’t have to be, as they are all standalone stories). The Stable Hand Lord also has a link back to one of Nerys Leigh’s Pinkerton Detective stories, which are also great fun.

In The Stable Hand Lord (Escape to the West #9), Nerys Leigh again takes a well-worn Western romance trope and make it her own. #ChristianRomance #BookReview Share on X

The reason I like Nerys Leigh’s writing so much is that she manages to take the well-worn Western romance trope and make it her own. The plot always has a little something extra, often a low-key suspense element. Her characters are excellent–clever and funny–and there is plenty of witty dialogue. The series isn’t specifically Christian fiction, but the characters do all go to church and it’s definitely wholesome fiction.

All in all, The Stable Hand Lord is another winner from Nerys Leigh.

Recommended for fans of historical romantic comedy from authors such as Jen Turano.

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

About Nerys Leigh

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

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

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

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

Website | Facebook

About The Stable Hand Lord

Lord Aaron Wetherington, third son of the Marquess of Ipswich, is a very long way out of his depth.

Having traveled to California to make up for the mistakes of his past, he runs, literally, into Jemima Wood. And his whole world changes.

Jem doesn’t know Aaron is a nobleman, but she likes him anyway, and he decides to stay for as long as it takes to win her heart. He has two problems, however.

First, his father has stopped his allowance, and funds are rapidly running out. And second, there’s a rival for Jem’s affections, one who is, as far as she knows, a far better prospect than Aaron.

So he’ll have to find a job and learn how to attract a woman without using his title, and he has no idea how to accomplish either.

But for Jem, he’ll do anything. He just wants her to love him for who he is.

And for that, he’ll have to risk losing her before he’s even won.

Find The Stable Hand Lord online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Read the introduction to The Stable Hand Lord below:

First Line Friday | Week 162 | Jocelyn by Sarah Monzon

by Iola Goulton

20 November 2020

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 Jocelyn by Sarah Monzon, the second book in her Sewing in SoCal series of rom-coms. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Jocelyn

WWSOD—What would Scarlett O’Hara do?

Anything to survive, that’s what. But instead of a man-eating Southern belle in hoop skirts and big hats, my version of existence looks an awful lot like a financial conglomerate employee staring blankly at budget analysis spreadsheets. Either way, the motto has served me well most my life. Until now, that is. The corporate retreat location has just been announced, and this city girl is headed to a dude ranch in the country. How will Scarlett help me survive that? No, this time I’ll turn to the sage advice of preteen YouTubers and their ponies to keep me from making a fool of myself.

But who’s going to help me navigate the kind yet reticent cowboy in the black Stetson—the cattle ranch owner who’s slowly claiming corners of my heart?

You can find Jocelyn by Sarah Monzon online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

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