First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 155 | Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green

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 Things We Didn’t Say, a unique debut from by Amy Lynn Green. Here’s the first line from the Prologue:

If I were an expert in criminal law, I'd be sick to death of outraged clients claiming to be falsely accursed, and especially of weepy female clients wringing their hands.

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

 

About Things We Didn’t Say

Headstrong Johanna Berglund, a linguistics student at the University of Minnesota, has very definite plans for her future . . . plans that do not include returning to her hometown and the secrets and heartaches she left behind there. But the US Army wants her to work as a translator at a nearby camp for German POWs.

Johanna arrives to find the once-sleepy town exploding with hostility. Most patriotic citizens want nothing to do with German soldiers laboring in their fields, and they’re not afraid to criticize those who work at the camp as well. When Johanna describes the trouble to her friend Peter Ito, a language instructor at a school for military intelligence officers, he encourages her to give the town that rejected her a second chance.

As Johanna interacts with the men of the camp and censors their letters home, she begins to see the prisoners in a more sympathetic light. But advocating for better treatment makes her enemies in the community, especially when charismatic German spokesman Stefan Werner begins to show interest in Johanna and her work. The longer Johanna wages her home-front battle, the more the lines between compassion and treason become blurred–and it’s no longer clear whom she can trust.

You can find Things We Didn’t Say online at

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

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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You can be whoever you want. The only thing that will ever limit you is the belief you can be limited.

Book Review | Nine by Rachelle Dekker

Lucy has lost her memory.

All she knows is that Olivia has sent her west, to Corpus Christi, to find Summer Wallace and the robin. People are after her, to find the secret Olivia buried in her mind. Lucy meets Zoe, a waitress, in the first place she finds, and the two join up to get Lucy to Corpus Christi and hopefully figure out who Lucy is, who is chasing her, and why.

Nine is a fast-paced novel with lots of questions.

The early questions are obvious: who is Lucy? Where has she come from? Why can’t she remember anything? The more challenging questions are those that appear as the novel progresses: who is Zoe? What secret is she hiding from her past? Who does Seely work for? Can Lucy and Zoe trust him?

The novel is set in our world and in our time, but has dystopian elements. I hope.

It centres around the supersecret government department Olivia and Seely work for, and where Lucy aka Nine was born and raised. It’s one of those novels that gets you wondering about what the US government is up to in Area 51 or deep in the Colorado mountains … or other places. What is happening to people—children—in the name of research and politics?

There were a few things about the writing that bugged me. Some scenes were violent and showed the torture of children or teenagers. Was that necessary for the story? I don’t think we needed to see Nine almost drown while the “leader of the free world” watched (in case you’re wondering, he wore a blue suit and red tie). Zoe also had trauma in her background, but that was from a certified religious extremist, not from a government in “the land of the free”.

The evildoers worked for an unnamed organisation they refer to as Xerox, just not the Xerox we know (although I suppose Lucy and her compatriots were copies of sorts). And I wasn’t convinced by Seely’s character—it was never clear whether he was a good guy or a bad guy. Some readers might appreciate this ambiguity, but I like to know. I also found the ending somewhat abrupt—maybe there will be a sequel to answer the remaining questions.

The story isn’t overtly Christian fiction, but the overall message has definite echoes of John 15:13.

The writing is excellent, and there are solid themes about identity and sacrifice. Recommended for fans of speculative and dystopian young adult fiction.

Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Rachelle Dekker

Rachelle DekkerRachelle Dekker is the Christy Award-winning author of The ChoosingThe Calling, and The Returning in the Seer series. The oldest daughter of New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker and coauthor with him of The Girl behind the Red Rope, Rachelle was inspired early on to discover truth through the avenue of storytelling. She writes full-time from her home in Nashville, where she lives with her husband, Daniel, and their son, Jack.

Find Rachelle Dekker online:

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About Nine

Zoe Johnson spent most of her life living in the shadows, never drawing attention to herself, never investing in people or places. But when a wide-eyed, bedraggled teenager with no memory walks into the diner where Zoe works, everything changes. Now, against her better judgment, Zoe, who has been trying to outrun her own painful memories of the past, finds herself attempting to help a girl who doesn’t seem to have any past at all. The girl knows only one thing: she must reach a woman in Corpus Christi, Texas, hundreds of miles away, before the government agents who are searching for her catch up to them.

Award-winning author Rachelle Dekker throws you into the middle of the action and keeps the pressure on in this page-turning story that, asks Are we who the world says we are–or can we change our story and be something more?

Find Nine online:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Read the introduction to Nine below:

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People considered him homeless because he didn't have an address of his own, but Harvey James would have been homeless even if he owned the turreted mansion of State Route 460.

Book Review | The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox

The Edge of Belonging is one of the best debut novels I’ve read in years.

It’s a dual timeline story where the past and present are only twenty-four years apart and feature the same characters.

In the present day, Ivy Rose Lashley is a school counsellor who loves her job and the children she works with, and is engaged to the handsome Seth. But that all unravels after her grandmother’s death, and she returns to her hometown where she finds her grandmother has left her a puzzle to solve—the mystery of her birth and subsequent adoption.

In 1994, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn, so takes her back to the camp he calls home.

But he doesn’t have baby milk or diapers or anything needed to care for a newborn, and he doesn’t have money to buy any. He finds supplies in an unlocked church, and proceeds to name the baby Ivy Rose, and to care for her as his own.

I know this is supposed to be Ivy’s story, but I thought Harvey was the more interesting and sympathetic character, because his problems were not problems of his own making. Having said hat, nor were Ivy’s. At first, I thought Ivy’s problems with Seth were the result of her own bad judgment, but as the novel progressed it became obvious that their relationship was the result of her own emotional needs weaknesses, many of which stemmed from being adopted.

But Harvey was the character who tugged at my heartstrings.

He’s had a rough deal in life but hasn’t let it turn him bitter. In fact, he doesn’t seem to realise how bad it’s been. Instead, all he wants to do is love and protect baby Ivy, and you can’t hold that against him. At the same time, the present story gave an idea of the direction the past story would take, and that tugged the heartstrings even more.

There were lots of twists in the story, most of which only became obvious towards the end so I won’t give spoilers. Let’s just say that I started by saying this is one of the best debut novels I’ve read in years, and I stand by that opinion.

Edge of Belonging has a great dual-timeline plot, wonderful characters, a strong underlying Christian message, and writing that is good enough to make the strongest person weep. Recommended.

Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Amanda Cox

Author photo - Amanda CoxAmanda Cox is a blogger and a curriculum developer for a national nonprofit youth leadership organization, but her first love is communicating through story. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Bible and theology and a master’s degree in professional counseling. Her studies and her interactions with hurting families over a decade have allowed her to create multidimensional characters that connect emotionally with readers. She lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with her husband and their three children.

Find Amanda Cox online:

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About The Edge of Belonging

When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee an estate sale, she soon discovers that her grandmother left behind more than trinkets and photo frames–she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy’s adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing.

Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he’s ever loved.

In this dual-time story from debut novelist Amanda Cox, the truth–both the search for it and the desire to keep it from others–takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go.

Find The Edge of Belonging online:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Read the introduction to The Edge of Belonging:

And 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 | Week 154 | Grace in the Darkness by Bree Livingstone

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 Grace in the Darkness by Bree Livingstone. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

“Lillian. Lillian? Can you hear me, Lillian?” My therapist’s voice grates on my. I’d say like nails on a chalkboard, but that wouldn’t accurately describe just how much I hate her voice.

I read Grace in the Silence when it was first released in 2017, with the title Broken Like Glass. But now it’s available with a new cover, and I think I’m going to read it again. Click here to read my review.

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

 

About Grace in the Darkness

A three-day weekend visit home goes terribly wrong when Lillian James stabs her dad and has no memory of doing it.

Now, faced with six-months of court-ordered therapy, she’s stuck in her small hometown with her high school crush, Uriah Pendleton, judgmental townsfolk, and painful childhood memories that are bubbling to the surface.

Can the Savior—who she lovingly calls Papa—heal her wounds while teaching her that the past doesn’t define the future and that He has a purpose for all things, even the bad?

You can find Grace in the Darkness 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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First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 153 | The Apprentice by Kristen Young

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 Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe by Carla Laureano. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

Some things should never be forgotten—at least, that's what they tell me.

I read an early version of The Apprentice, and it was excellent—recommended for fans of YA dystopian novels like The Hunger Games or Divergent. Yes, I’m going to read The Apprentice again and write a full review (I have to. I’ve read two versions of the end, and I need to know which one got the final tick!) I’ve also read a draft of #3 in the series. Now I’m anxiously awaiting #2!

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

 

About The Apprentice

The Love Collective is everywhere.
It sees everything.
Be not afraid.

Apprentice Flick remembers everything, except the first five years of her life. And for as long as she can remember, Flick has wanted to enter the Elite Academy—home to the best, brightest, and most loyal members of the Love Collective government.

Flick’s uncanny memory might get her there, too … even if it is the very thing that marks her as a freak. But frightening hallucinations start intruding into her days and threaten to bring down all she has worked so hard to accomplish. Why is she being hijacked by a stranger’s nightmare over and over again?

Moving to the Elite Academy could give Flick the future she’s always wanted. But her search for truth may lead to a danger she cannot escape.

You can find The Apprentice online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

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!

And 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 | Week 152 | Scattered by Nola Lorraine

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 Scattered, the debut novel from Australian author Nola Lorraine. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

Maggie shoved the hatch open and peeked out across the saturated deck.

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

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.

You can find Scattered online at:

Amazon| Goodreads | Koorong

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!

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

It was difficult to motivate herself to get home in time for yet another tiresome dinner party populated by the most boring young men left in London.

Book Review | Portrait of Loyalty (Codebreakers #3) by Roseanna M White

Lilian Blackwell spends her days volunteering in Charing Cross Hospital … at least, that’s what her mother thinks. She actually spends her afternoons in the basement of the Admiralty building, retouching and manipulating photographs to be used in the war effort. Propaganda—something Lily and her mother have opposing views on.

Cryptographer Zivon Marin escapes Russia in the fourth year of World War I, escaping the rise of the Bolsheviks … and the murder of his fiance. He ends up in London, working for the British Admiralty, although he doesn’t think the British trust him, especially not after certain photographs show up.

The two meet when Lily’s father invites Marin home for dinner, and start getting to know each other. But it’s not an easy relationship, as the Admiralty aren’t sure if they can trust Marin, as it’s not clear which side of the Russian Revolution he supports. What does become clear is that he is on one side … and his brother is on the other, which places Marin in danger …

Portrait of Loyalty brings in more history than simply the backdrop of World War I, and that is a strength.

The other nod to history (which I should have seen coming) is the Spanish Flu arriving in London from Kansas via half of Europe. And that’s not pretty, particularly given what we now know about living through a pandemic. So if you’re one of the people avoiding pandemic books, you might want to wait before reading Portrait of Loyalty.

Overall, Portrait of Loyalty is another excellent installment in Roseanna M White’s Codebreaker series. The characters are people of faith, so it’s clearly Christian fiction. It has romance, suspense, and tragedy, and the writing is excellent.

A Portrait of Loyalty is yet another brilliant World War I Christian romance from Roseanna M White. Recommended! #ChristianFiction Share on X

It’s a standalone novel, so you don’t have to have read earlier books in the series to enjoy this one. However, if you have, you’ll recognise some characters. Recommended for fans of historical fiction.

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

About Roseanna M White

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

Find Roseanna M White online at:

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About A Portrait of Loyalty

Zivon Marin was one of Russia’s top cryptographers until the October Revolution tore apart his world. Forced to flee to England after speaking out against Lenin, Zivon is driven by a growing anger and determined to offer his services to the Brits. But never far from his mind is his brother, whom Zivon fears died in the train crash that separated them.

Lily Blackwell sees the world best through the lens of a camera and possesses unsurpassed skill when it comes to retouching and re-creating photographs. With her father’s connections in propaganda, she’s recruited to the intelligence division, even though her mother would disapprove if she ever found out.

After Captain Blackwell invites Zivon to dinner one evening, a friendship blooms between him and Lily that soon takes over their hearts. But both have secrets they’re unwilling to share, and neither is entirely sure they can trust the other. When Zivon’s loyalties are called into question, proving him honest is about more than one couple’s future dreams–it becomes a matter of ending the war.

Find A Portrait of Loyalty online at:

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First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 151 | The Art Fiasco by Fiona Veitch Smith

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from The Art Fiasco by British author Fiona Veitch Smith. It’s the fifth book in her Poppy Denby mystery series, but the first one I’ve seen. I’m looking forward to reading it.

Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

Agnes Robson hurried into the church hall, smiling an apology at the gentleman in charge, and took her usual place at the easel nearest the window.

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

 

About The Art Fiasco

It’s 1924 and Poppy Denby is heading up to Northumberland to celebrate her father’s sixtieth birthday. She stops off in Newcastle en route to visit her Aunt Dot, who has temporarily relocated from London to renovate a house she’s inherited.

One of Aunt Dot’s guests is the world-renowned artist, Agnes Robson, who is staging an exhibition at the Laing Art Gallery. Reluctantly, Poppy is roped in to help when the artist’s press liaison man falls ill.

She soon discovers that the local press has dug up some dirt on Agnes relating to the tragic death of a young art teacher in Ashington Colliery, twenty-seven years earlier. As she tries to suppress the story, Poppy begins to suspect that the teacher might have been murdered and that the killer may still be on the loose…

Find The Art Fiasco online at:

Amazon | Goodreads | Koorong

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!

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

New Releases in Christian Fiction

New Releases in Christian Fiction | September 2020

It’s September! This year is going fast … and slow. But a new month means new novels to read. What’s on your to-read pile this month?

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

Contemporary Romance:

Until I Met You by Tari Faris — Libby Kingsley dreams of a new life and a new library for the charming small town of Heritage, MI. Things get complicated when her big ideas threaten Austin Williams’ blueprints and his plan to leave town unattached. (Contemporary Romance from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

A Love Redeemed by Lisa Jordan — They agreed to help each other out. No one mentioned falling in love. Back home after losing her job, Isabella Bradley plans to stay only long enough to save her father’s diner, but she can’t do it alone. Her childhood friend Tucker Holland has the perfect solution—he will renovate the diner if she’ll be a nanny for his twins. But as Isabella and Tucker reconnect, their arrangement begins to feel a lot less temporary… (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Contemporary

The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox — When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee an estate sale, she soon discovers that her grandmother left behind more than trinkets and photo frames–she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy’s adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing. Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he’s ever loved. In this dual-time story from debut novelist Amanda Cox, the truth–both the search for it and the desire to keep it from others–takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go. (Contemporary from Revell [Baker])

Finding Wings by Deborah Raney — Taking care of her family is a blessing, but Britt thought there would be more to life–like falling in love . . . (Contemporary from Kregel Publications)

Historical

A Christmas Tale for Little Women by Linda Brooks Davis — Broadview is attired for Christmas. Adelaide Fitzgerald must provide two girls a Christmas like no other. Has she thought of everything? Has she accomplished enough? What would top off this Christmas in an extraordinary way? Addie’s answer lies just the other side of Rock Creek. What will it take for her to recognize it as the Christmas topper she’s been seeking? (Historical, Independently Published)

The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer — During the Great Depression, city-dweller Addie Cowherd dreams of becoming a novelist and offering readers the escape that books had given her during her tragic childhood. When her father loses his job, she is forced to take the only employment she can find—delivering books on horseback to poor coal-mining families in the hills of Kentucky. But turning a new page will be nearly impossible in Boone’s Hollow, where residents are steeped in superstitions and deeply suspicious of outsiders. Even local Emmett Tharp feels the sting of rejection after returning to the tiny mountain hamlet as the first in his family to graduate college. And as the crippled economy leaves many men jobless, he fears his degree won’t be worth much in a place where most men either work the coal mine or run moonshine. As Addie also struggles to find her place, she’ll unearth the truth about a decades-old rivalry. But when someone sets out to sabotage the town’s library program, will the culprit chase Addie away or straight into the arms of the only person who can help her put a broken community back together? (Historical from Waterbrook/Multnomah [Random House])

Under the Tulip Tree by Michelle Shocklee — Sixteen-year-old Lorena Leland’s dreams of a rich and fulfilling life as a writer are dashed when the stock market crashes in 1929. Seven years into the Great Depression, Rena’s banker father has retreated into the bottle, her sister is married to a lazy charlatan and gambler, and Rena is an unemployed newspaper reporter. Eager for any writing job, Rena accepts a position interviewing former slaves for the Federal Writers’ Project. There, she meets Frankie Washington, a 101-year-old woman whose honest yet tragic past captivates Rena. As Frankie recounts her life as a slave, Rena is horrified to learn of all the older woman has endured—especially because Rena’s ancestors owned slaves. While Frankie’s story challenges Rena’s preconceptions about slavery, it also connects the two women whose lives are otherwise separated by age, race, and circumstances. But will this bond of respect, admiration, and friendship be broken by a revelation neither woman sees coming? (Historical from Tyndale House)

The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright — In 1928, the Bonaventure Circus has become a refuge for many, but Pippa Ripley was rejected from its inner circle as a baby and is no longer content to leave the reason for that rejection unquestioned. When she receives mysterious messages from someone called the “Watchman,” she is determined to find him and the connection to her birth. As Pippa’s search leads her to a man seeking justice for his murdered sister and evidence that a serial killer has been haunting the circus train, she must decide if uncovering her roots is worth putting herself directly in the path of the killer. Decades later, an old circus train depot’s future hangs in the balance–it will either be torn down or preserved for historical importance, and its fate rests on Realtor Chandler Faulk’s shoulders. As she dives deep into the depot’s history, she’s also balancing a newly diagnosed disease and the pressures of single motherhood. When she discovers clues to unsolved murders of the past, Chandler is pulled into a story far darker and more haunting than even an abandoned train depot could portend. (Historical from Bethany House [Baker])

Historical Romance

Enduring Dreams by Sandra Ardoin — Claire Kingsley once dared to assert herself into the male world of 1890s architecture. It cost her husband both his life and an heir. Now fear controls her choices and her dreams. When offered a chance to create another design, she fights against the pull, afraid of further disaster. But disturbing news ignites a fierce loyalty to her past love and a powerful attraction to a new one—an attraction she resists…for his sake. Mark Gregory’s first architectural project in town comes with the proviso that he works with a female. He balks, even though Claire stirs his heart like no other woman. Yet, with a loan payment looming, risking his business on someone of unknown talent invites failure, a word he’s struck from his vocabulary. When bigotry and Claire’s fears threaten an important commission, will she summon the courage to help Mark succeed, or will she destroy another man’s dream? (Historical Romance from Corner Room Books)

Light in the Mountain Sky by Misty M. Beller — Determined to prove her worth, Meksem fiercely fought to earn her place among the warriors in her Nez Perce camp. When her half-sister is captured by an enemy tribe, she refuses to trust the rescue to anyone else. But her new friends insist on joining her mission, and she battles between relief and frustration at their presence. Especially the white man who peers at her as if he can see through the face of the warrior she struggles so hard to maintain. Spaniard Adam Vargas thrives on adventure wherever his travels take him. He’s fallen in love with this Rocky Mountain wilderness, as well as the spotted horses the Nez Perce tribe raise. His fascination with this Indian maiden-turned-warrior catches him off guard though, including the way she seems to be fighting for more than her sister’s safe return. The journey proves more perilous than any of the group expects, and the secret Meksem hides becomes impossible to conceal. If they live through this mission, the life they knew will never be the same again. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

A Joyful Christmas by Cynthia Hickey, Liz Johnson, Vickie McDonough, Liz Tolsma, Carrie Turansky, and Erica Vetsch — A Christmas Collection to Warm the Heart Grab a warm cup of tea and watch as romance is kindled and joy is restored to broken lives during six bygone era Christmas celebrations. (Historical from Barbour Publishing)

Love’s Pure Light by Susanne Dietze, Shannon McNear, Deborah Raney, and Janine Rosche — Be transported to unique time periods as you follow a treasured family nativity set through four generations of the Shepherd family. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Palmer Girl by Dawn Klinge — When insurance tycoon, Cornelius Nordeman, is recruited to work for the Exposition Corporation, the New Yorker brings his family to live at the Palmer House Hotel, far away from any reminders of a recent tragedy. He’s hopeful this move will offer respite from his family’s grief. Elizabeth Nordeman, his daughter, has something to prove, which leads her to seek work as a florist at Marshall Field’s, Chicago’s finest department store. John Lewis knows something is different and intriguing about the new florist he hired. When his boss, Marshall Field, informs him that Elizabeth is the Nordeman heiress, his job suddenly becomes more complicated–especially when he finds himself falling for her. On the eve of the Columbian Exposition of 1893, Chicago prepares to prove that it’s a first-class city, and the brightest minds from around the country will plan the most spectacular fair the world has seen. The World’s Fair will bring change and innovation into a society bound tightly by class and tradition. Elizabeth’s heart longs to push against those boundaries, so what’s holding her back? (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Love at First Flight by Linda Shenton Matchett — Evelyn Reid would rather fly than do anything else, so when war engulfs the U.S., she joins the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron. One of the program’s top pilots, she is tapped for pursuit plane training…the dream of a lifetime until she discovers the instructor is her ex-fiancé, Jasper MacPherson. Collecting enough points to rotate stateside, fighter pilot Jasper MacPherson is assigned to teach the WAFS how to fly the army way. Bad enough to be training women, but things take a turn for the worse when his former fiancée shows up as one of his students. (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

Mystery

The Sleuth’s Surprise by Kimberly Rose Johnson — Mary Daley has been the sheriff of Tipton County for more than two decades, but someone wants her job. When it seems circumstances can’t get more complicated, a murder happens on her watch. Had she been the intended victim? Deputy Chief Lyle Griffin only wants Mary to be happy, but when he asks her if she’d consider retiring, it sets off a string of events and emotions that muddy their friendship. Nancy Daley-Malone can’t believe anyone would run for sheriff against her mom. She is onboard to help run the best campaign Tipton County has ever seen until the sheriff’s opponent is murdered and Nancy’s husband joins the race. On top of that, it appears someone is out to kill her mother as well. Can Nancy, along with the sheriff’s department, find the murderer before it’s too late? Will Lyle and Mary be able to admit their feelings for one another or will the status quo remain? (Mystery from Mountain Brook Ink)

Romantic Suspense

Airborne by DiAnn Mills — A female FBI agent boards an international flight, and two hours into the flight, a deadly virus spreads through the aircraft. (Romantic Suspense from Tyndale House)

Speculative

Forsaken Island by Sharon Hinck — The people of Meriel have long believed their island world floats alone in the vast ocean universe, so they are astonished when another island drifts into view. With resources becoming scarce, Carya and Brantley quickly volunteer to search the new land for supplies. After navigating a barrier of menacing trees, the pair encounter a culture of perpetually happy people who readily share their talents and their possessions. But all is not what it seems. At the core of the island is a horror that threatens everyone, including Brantley and Carya. Freeing the villagers of the bondage they’ve chosen may cost Carya and Brantley more than they could have imagined. Even if the two succeed, they’ll have to find a way to return to Meriel quickly … or be cut off from their home forever. (Speculative from Enclave Publishing)

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

Holiday Hitches at Mustang Pass by Cindy M. Amos, A deputy falls in love with a judge’s daughter while racing to build a new church building in time for his three friends’ weddings. (Historical Romance)

All I Ever Needed by D. L. Lane, He’s the beast lurking within the shadows. She’s the beauty living in the light. (Contemporary Romance)

Sown in Peace by Joy Avery Melville, How much can one wounded soul take? (General Contemporary)

Puppy Ciao by Annette O’Hare, In the small town of Kerrville, Texas, thirteen-year-old Jeannie McKay rescues two purebred Weimaraner puppies found drowning in Johnson Creek and vows to find out who is responsible. (Children’s)

You came, you saw, you insulted. I believe your obligation has been fulfilled.

Book Review | Love and a Little White Lie by Tammy L Gray

January Saunders has just been hired as an administrative assistant at Grace Community Church, a job she desperately needs. So desperately that she’s willing to work in a church, despite not believing in God or any other higher power. The work isn’t difficult, but working in a new environment does have challenges.

She’s assisting an overworked pastor who covers a broad range of ministries.

She soon finds he has more challenges than a lack of ability to organise hundreds of prayer request cards (her first task). Jen also finds herself working with Cameron, the handsome young worship leader who wants a career in music. Cameron is friendly and outgoing, and Jen finds herself spending a lot of time with him.

Jen is staying in a cottage on at her aunt’s wedding ranch, where she meets Dillon, the contractor installing a new gazebo and undertaking other repairs around the ranch. He’s always there, but he’s not the guy Cameron is. For one thing, Dillon is too blunt for Jen’s taste, especially when he calls her on her “little white lie” around her lack of faith.

Love and a Little White Lie is written in first person point of view.

I like first person—it does a great job of bringing the reader (me) into the character’s head. I know some people don’t like first person, which is why I mention it. However, I do think it was the right choice for this novel, because it left the reader guessing which guy Jan was going to end up with.

Tammy L Gray consistently writes excellent Christian fiction.

This is a bit of a change from her previous novels—a little more comedic, but also deeper in terms of the faith questions. Jen isn’t a Christian, and (as Christian readers) we know the story isn’t going to end with her being unequally yoked, so there is a definite faith journey that isn’t present in a lot of Christian fiction. That was good to read.

Tammy L Gray consistently writes excellent Christian fiction, and Love and a Little White Lie is no exception. A great contemporary #ChristianRomance #BookReview Share on X

Overall, Love and a Little White Lie is a great contemporary Christian romance. Recommended for fans of Courtney Walsh and Kara Isaac.

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

About the Author

Author Photo Tammy L GrayTammy L. Gray lives in the Dallas area with her family, and they love all things Texas, even the erratic weather patterns. She writes modern Christian romance with true-to-life characters and culturally-relevant plot lines. She believes hope and healing can be found through high quality fiction that inspires and provokes change.

Tammy is often lauded for her unique writing style within the inspirational genre, preferring to use analogies verses heavy-handed spiritual content. Her characters are real, relatable and deep, earning her a 2017 RITA award nomination in the Romance with Religious and Spiritual Elements category.

When not chasing after her three amazing kids, Tammy can be spotted with her head in a book. Writing has given her a platform to combine her passion with her ministry.

Tammy L. Gray has lots of projects going on.

You can find Tammy Gray online at:

Website Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter Goodreads

About Love and a Little White Lie

January Sanders grew up believing karma was more reliable than an imaginary higher power, but after suffering her worst heartbreak in 29 years, she’s open to just about anything, including taking a temporary position at her aunt’s church. Keeping her lack of faith a secret, January is determined to use her photographic memory to help Grace Community’s overworked staff, all while scraping herself off rock bottom.

What she doesn’t count on is meeting the church’s handsome and charming guitarist, who not only is a strong believer, but has also dedicated his life to Christian music. It’s a match set for disaster, and yet January has no ability to stay away, even if it means pretending to have faith in a God she doesn’t believe in.

Only this time, keeping secrets isn’t as easy as she thought it would be. Especially when she’s constantly running into her aunt’s landscape architect, who seems to know everything about her past and present sins and makes no apologies about pushing her to deal with feelings she’d rather keep buried.

Torn between two worlds incapable of coexisting, can January find the healing that’s eluded her or will her resistance to the truth ruin any chance of happiness?

Find Love and a Little White Lie online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

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