Eighteen years ago, Genevieve was one of five miracle children who survived days trapped in rubble in San Salvador, after an earthquake hits the during their junior high mission trip. Now, she’s an online celebrity, a famous author of Bible studies for women. And she’s hiding a prescription drug addiction that could destroy her career, and wondering what secrets her family is hiding. Because there is definitely something, if the anonymous letter she received is any indication.

But she knows something has to change after she wakes up in a stranger’s house with no memory of how she got there. But she can’t go to rehab. That would mean the end of her career. And there is also the question of how her parents will react, especially her overprotective mother.

Sam Turner is an Australian American who owns his own coffee shop and is a big advocate of healthy eating and healthy lifestyles. (Okay, so the one thing I’m not convinced about is a man who voluntarily eats kale, but there you go.) Anyway, Sam agrees—against his better judgment—to help Genevieve detox.

Stay With Me is a strong romance with excellent characters. It’s strong Christian fiction, because faith is central to both Genevieve and Sam’s lives. But the real strength is the way it deals with Genevieve’s addition, an issue that’s rarely discussed in Christian fiction, and the subtle warning against putting other Christians—especially Christian leaders—on pedestals.

Stay With Me by @BeckyWade is a great start to a new series, a Christian novel that isn't afraid to ask tough questions about faith and life. #BookReview #ChristianRomance Share on X

Stay With Me is a great start to a new series, a Christian novel that isn’t afraid to ask tough questions about faith and life. Recommended.

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

About Becky Wade

Becky is the Carol and Christy award winning author of heartwarming, humorous, and swoon-worthy contemporary inspirational romances.

During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She’s been a fan of all things romantic ever since.

These days, you’ll find Becky in Dallas, Texas failing to keep up with her housework, trying her best in yoga class, carting her three kids around town, watching TV with her Cavalier spaniel on her lap, hunched over her computer writing, or eating chocolate.

You can find Becky Wade online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About Stay With Me

A mysterious letter alluding to a secret in her parents’ past brings Genevieve Woodward back to her Blue Ridge Mountains hometown, but she’s also in need of a break from a high-profile career that has left her dangerously burned out and concealing a powerful secret of her own. When she wakes inside an unfamiliar cottage to find the confused owner staring down at her, she can no longer ignore the fact that she needs help.

Sam Turner has embraced his sorrow and his identity as an outsider. The solitary, disciplined life he lives on his historic farm is the life he’s chosen for himself. The last thing he wants is to rent his cottage to a woman as troubled as she is talkative. Yet, he can’t force himself to turn her away right when she needs him most.

As Genevieve researches her family’s history and her and Sam’s emotions deepen, they will have to let go of the facades and loneliness they’ve clung to and allow light to illuminate every hidden truth.

Find Stay With Me online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

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

First Line Friday | Week 133 | One Thing I Know by Kara Isaac

by Iola Goulton

1 May 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 One Thing I Know by Kara Isaac. Yes, I know I’ve shared this before. But I’m currently re-reading it. Tip: it’s even better the second time around!

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

About One Thing I Know

She has the whole world fooled. But the one man who just may see through her holds not only the key to her success, but also her heart…

Rachel Somers is America’s #1 relationship coach—America just doesn’t know it. Rachel writes the books, but her Aunt Donna plays the face of the operation. Living in fear of their secret being exposed, Rachel has no choice but to keep up the charade or lose the big money required to care for her father. With the deadline for their next book closing in, Rachel finds herself out of inspiration and running out of time. The last thing she needs is her aunt and publicist concocting a harebrained scheme to join forces with some radio star in the hope it will help deliver the elusive next book idea.

Lucas Grant is a star of late night radio—though it’s come with an unexpected price of hoards of women who keep calling his sports show to ask him for relationship advice. They make his ratings look great, but they also mean he has to waste hours talking to people like Dr. Donna Somerville about feelings instead of his first love: football. When a big-time producer calls, it looks like his hard work is about to pay off. But the offer comes with a catch—the producer is convinced Dr. Donna is not what she seems and he wants Lucas to discover her secret. To do that, he needs to win over her tight-lipped assistant who holds the key to his success and—he begins to suspect—his heart. Can love find a way through the lies that force them apart?

You can find One Thing I Know online at:

Amazon US | Amazon AU | ChristianBook | 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!

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

Bookish Question #152 | Do you read more ebooks or print books or audiobooks?

by Iola Goulton

28 April 2020

Yes, yes, I know. We don’t “read” audiobooks. We listen to them.

But audiobooks are, first and foremost, written. And listening to an audiobook might not be the same experience as reading a book, but the words are the same. Unlike, say, watching a movie or TV series based on the same book.

Personally, I’m not an audiobook fan, but that’s because it takes longer to listen to the book than it takes me to read it. I am definitely an ebook fan, and there are three main reasons I’ve converted from print books to ebooks over the last decade:

Availability

Ebooks are easy to buy, and appear on my Kindle within seconds.

Price

Ebooks are cheaper than paper books. A new release from my local Christian bookshop costs around USD 20. That same new release costs no more than USD 10 as an ebook. But there are hundreds of great indie authors selling their ebooks of USD 3 to USD 5.

Print Size

It’s a function of age and years in front of a computer, but I now need computer or reading glasses. But the Kindle has the handy ability to increase the print size at the click of a button. I’ve tried using the same technique in paper books, but it doesn’t work …

Also, the Kindle is lighter than a book, so easier to , and easier to fit in even the smallest handbag.

What about you? Do you read more ebooks or print books, or listen to audiobooks?

Book Review | Flight Risk by Cara C Putman

by Iola Goulton

27 April 2020

Attorney Savannah Daniels is working on a legal case for Mnemosyne, a new form of black box for aircraft. Journalist Jeff Glover is working on the piece that might earn him a Pulitzer, an expose of a famous sportsman and his dodgy holidays to Thailand with three other men. Their paths intersect because one of the men Jeff is investigating is Savannah’s ex-husband … and the father of her niece. Savannah finds herself in the middle of the mystery when a plane crashes with the sportsman on board … as well as a Mnemosyne box.

Yes, the plot is more complex than most. There are plenty of twist and turns, and a few red herrings. How did the box get on the aircraft? Is Susannah’s husband the dodgy scum Glover’s article implies? Is there a conspiracy, or is it all a series of odd coincidences? Questions. Lots of questions. Even better, the questions and answers all make sense in the end (unlike some suspense novels where the big reveal is tied to a logical impossibility).

Flight Risk is my favourite kind of romantic suspense novel, one that grabs you from the get-go and doesn't let up. It's one of Cara Putman's best. #BookReview #ChristianFiction Share on X

Flight Risk was my favourite kind of romantic suspense novel, one that grabs you from the get-go and doesn’t let up. I’m usually a fan of character-driven fiction. This was more plot-driven, but in a way that was totally compelling. It’s another must-from a top Christian romantic suspense author—I think it’s one of Cara Putman’s best.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Cara Putman

As a preteen Cara Putman watched lawyers change legislative opinions at an important legislative hearing in Nebraska. At that time, she wondered if she became an attorney if people would give her words the same weight. An honors graduate of the University of Nebraska Lincoln, George Mason University School of Law and Krannert School of Management at Purdue University, Cara has turned her passion for words into award-winning stories that capture readers. Her legal experience makes its way into her stories where strong women confront real challenges.

The award-winning author of more than 25 titles, Cara writes legal thrillers, WWII romances, and romantic suspense because she believes that no matter what happens hope is there, waiting for us to reach for it.

When she’s not writing, Cara is an over-educated attorney who lectures in law and communications at the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University and homeschools her children. She and her family live in Indiana, the land of seasons.

You can find Cara Putman online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

About Flight Risk

Savannah Daniels has worked hard to build her law practice, to surround herself with good friends, and to be the loyal aunt her troubled niece can always count on. But since her ex-husband’s betrayal, she has trouble trusting anyone.

Jett Glover’s father committed suicide over a false newspaper report that ruined his reputation. Now a fierce champion of truth, Jett is writing the story of his journalism career—an international sex-trafficking exposé that will bring down a celebrity baseball player and the men closest to him, including Savannah’s ex-husband.

When Jett’s story breaks, tragedy ensues. Then a commercial airline crashes, and one of Savannah’s clients is implicated in the crash. Men connected to the scandal, including her ex, begin to die amid mysterious circumstances, and Savannah’s niece becomes an unwitting target.

Against their better instincts, Jett and Savannah join ranks to sort the facts from fiction. But can Savannah trust the reporter who threw her life into chaos? And can Jett face the possibility that he’s made the biggest mistake of his life?

You can find Flight Risk online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Read the introduction to Flight Risk below:

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

First Line Friday | Week 132 | The Happy Camper by Melody Carlson

by Iola Goulton

24 April 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 The Happy Camper by Melody Carlson, as Revell were kind enough to send me a paperback review copy. Yay for #Bookmail in the middle of a lockdown!

Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

I love the cover! They are such happy colours—something that’s good to look at as New Zealand heads into winter.

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

About The Happy Camper

Home is the place to heal, right? At least, that’s what Dillon Michaels is hoping as she leaves her disappointing career and nonstarter love life behind to help her grieving and aging grandfather on his small Oregon farm. The only problem? Her eccentric mother beat her there and has taken over Dillon’s old room. After a few nights sleeping on a sagging sofa, Dillon is ready to give up, until she receives an unlikely gift–her grandfather’s run-down vintage camp trailer, which she quickly resolves to restore with the help of Jordan Atwood, the handsome owner of the local hardware store.

But just when things are finally beginning to run smoothly, Dillon’s noncommittal ex-boyfriend shows up with roses . . . and a ring.

Full of quirky characters, family drama, and sweet romance, The Happy Camper will have you scouring Craigslist for your own diamond-in-the-rough camper to restore and haunting your local hardware store for a handy guy to help your dreams come true.

You can find The Happy Camper 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!

Bookish Question #151 | Do you read widely or mainly stick to favourite book genre/categories?

by Iola Goulton

21 April 2020

It depends …

When my first child was small, I read a book or magazine article that said small children will naturally eat a balanced diet if they are offered a wide choice of foods and given the freedom to choose what they want to eat. They might not eat a balanced diet on any given day, but they will eat a balanced diet over a couple of weeks.

I’m often like that with my reading.

I tend to read several books by a single author or in a single genre at once, then I’ll switch genres. Romance, historical fiction, comedy, nonfiction. Sometimes I’ll read something from my to-review pile, and other times I’ll choose something from my to-read pile. I’m also trying to read new books as I buy them, mostly to avoid my to-read pile getting bigger.

What I choose to read often depends on my mood.

In the first week of lockdown, I wanted to avoid anything serious, so I binge-read romantic comedy novels—anything that didn’t remind me of what was happening in real life (and I’m sure that some people chose to binge-read pandemic or contagion novels for exactly the same reason). I think I’ll move onto historical fiction next.

I do mostly read Christian fiction, and there are some genres I avoid—horror, for one. I’m also not a big nonfiction reader, although I do make occasional exceptions. I will step outside my normal genres … and sometimes that confirms why I like my favourite genres, and sometimes it opens up a new favourite genre.

What about you? Do you read widely, or do you prefer to stick to your favourite genres?

Book Review | Border Breach by Darlene L Turner

by Iola Goulton

20 April 2020

Kaylin Poirier is a border patrol officer on the US/Canadian border with a particular passion to stop the import of illegal drugs after her brother died. Kaylin knows something is off when she stops a suspicious-looking van on the border and finds the driver has a photograph of her. But she doesn’t expect to become a target after the van crosses the border illegally …

Hudson Steeves is a police constable assigned to work with Kaylin to find the missing van, which belonged to a local florist. He’s attracted to her, but she’s not a Christian. And some of the things she says and people she knows point to an unexpected history.

This is Darlene L Turner’s debut novel, from Love Inspired Suspense.

LIS books tend to be plot-driven and fast-paced, and Border Breach is no exception. It’s a fast read with plenty of action that barely gives the reader a chance to draw a breath as Kaylin and Hudson overcome their initial animosity and agree to work together to find the person behind the drugs entering the country and circulating through the schools (I did guess the evildoer’s identity early on, but my logic turned out to be 100% wrong!).

The one problem with such a fast-paced approach is that it can sometimes feel like the character development is lacking. Kaylin and Hudson have plenty of personal history as individuals and together. There’s almost too much history for such a short novel—but I’d much rather read a book and wish it could have been longer than the opposite!

I particularly enjoyed the fact the novel was set in Canada, as that provided a new perspective on the war against drugs.

A solid debut, recommended for romantic suspense fans.

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

About Darlene L Turner

Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message.

Find Darlene L Turner online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About Border Breach

When drugs are smuggled across the border …

It’s their duty to stop the culprits … at any cost.

Forming a joint task force, Canada border officer Kaylin Poirier and police constable Hudson Steeves have one objective: take down a drug-smuggling ring trying to sell a new lethal product. But when the smugglers come after Kaylin and Hudson, this mission becomes more than just a job. Can they live long enough to solve the case?

Find Border Breach online at:

Amazon | Goodreads | Kobo

First Line Friday | Week 131 | Carolina Breeze by Denise Hunter

by Iola Goulton

17 April 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 Carolina Breeze by Denise Hunter. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

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

About Carolina Breeze

A jilted bride. A struggling innkeeper. And a romantic mountain getaway that changes everything.

Rising Hollywood star Mia Emerson is looking for a safe place to land in the wake of a public breakup and celebrity scandal, and she finds it in the lake town of Bluebell, North Carolina—the location of her canceled honeymoon. She wants nothing more than to hide and wait for the tabloids to die down.

Soon after her arrival at the Bluebell Inn, Mia meets Levi Bennett, who runs the inn along with his two younger sisters. Drawn to one another from the start, Mia trusts Levi to keep her location from the press, and Levi confides in Mia about the precarious financial state of the inn—a secret he’s been keeping from his sisters.

When Mia and Levi discover an old journal that hints at a rare diamond necklace hidden in the inn, they set off on a treasure hunt to find the long-lost heirloom. What they don’t expect to surface are feelings they thought were safely locked away. Mia and Levi must decide if falling in love again is too big a risk—or if it will uncover a treasure of its own instead.

You can find Carolina Breeze 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!

Bookish Question #150 | What’s your favorite classic Christian novel?

by Iola Goulton

14 April 2020

I’m never entirely sure what qualifies a novel to be called a classic.

It’s partly age—no one would argue that Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, or Dickens are anything but classic. But Christian fiction, as a genre, isn’t that old.

Yes, there are older novels written that are explicitly Christian e.g. the novels of George McDonald. There were novels written by Christians with Christian themes from authors such as CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien. There were more overtly Christian novels from authors like Grace Livingston Hill or Taylor Caldwell, but they never caught my interest. There were no doubt others that haven’t stood the test of time.

So I guess that’s what makes a classic: a combination of time and popularity.

On that basis, my first favourite classic Christian novel was Christy by Catherine Marshall. It is considered one of the earliest success stories in modern Christian fiction, and it’s the inspiration for the annual Christy Awards, which celebrate the finest in Christian fiction.

My other old favourite is An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers. It’s the middle book in her Mark of the Lion series, and it’s always been my favourite of the three. In fact, I think it’s the only trilogy where the middle book is my favourite.

What about you? What’s your favourite classic Christian novel?

Book Review | The Joy of Falling by Lindsay Harrel

by Iola Goulton

13 April 2020

Eva Jamison lost her husband eighteen months ago.

He and his brother drowned while diving. She was a talented florist, but hasn’t worked since Brent died. Instead, she volunteers at his favourite, lives off the proceeds from the fitness centres he co-founded, and mourns. When a chance telephone call offers the opportunity to raise money for Brent’s favourite charity, Eva is keen to help. But that requires help …

Angela Jamison hasn’t had time or energy to mourn her husband.

Instead, she works two jobs to support their three children, and tries to cope with her moody teenage daughter. She doesn’t have the time or energy to think or grieve, let alone train for an ultramarathon or travel halfway around the world to New Zealand’s South Island. And there’s the money … money she doesn’t have.

Two sisters in law, united by a common grief, and brought together by a unique opportunity—to run an ultramarathon in beautiful New Zealand. The Joy of Falling by Lindsay Harrel #BookReview #JoyofFalling Share on X

Two sisters in law, united by a common grief, and brought together by a unique opportunity.

It’s a great premise, and while it did not motivate me to run any distance, the characters somehow managed to confince me that running an ultramarathon for 155 miles around the South Island was a great idea. (Hint: it’s a noble objective, and the scenery is fantastic, but I prefer to tour via a car, thank you very much.

I’ve visited many of the New Zealand settings from The Joy of Falling, and I definitely enjoyed those parts of the book. It’s great to read about a familiar setting, and especially to see it through the fresh eyes of visitors. Being in a new country gave the women (and the children) a chance to rediscover themselves.

The writing was excellent.

The story is a sensitive examination of grief from different perspectives. It’s also a story of discovery and making choices and finding the blessings in life, even in the hard times. It’s not an overtly Christian story, but the underlying themes and values are definitely Christian, and the overall tone is straight out of the Bible: be joyful always … even when it’s hard.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Lindsay Harrel

Lindsay Harrel is a lifelong book nerd with a B.A. in journalism and M.A. in English. She lives in Arizona with her young family and two golden retrievers in serious need of training. Lindsay has held a variety of jobs, including curriculum editor for two universities, medical and business writer, and copywriter for a digital marketing agency. Now she juggles stay-at-home mommyhood with working freelance jobs, teaching college English courses online, and—of course—writing novels.

When she actually has time to do other things, she loves to sing, read, and sip passion iced teas from Starbucks. She loves to watch God work in ordinary lives to create something extraordinary, and she writes to bring hope to those who may have lost it along the way.

You can find Lindsay Harrel online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About The Joy of Falling

Eva and Angela must learn to live again. One step at a time.

It has been fifteen months since Eva and Angela lost their thrill-seeking husbands in a scuba diving accident. Both women are trying to navigate their way through the grief, but neither one is making much progress. Angela is barely making ends meet, angry at her husband for leaving her to raise three children on her own. Meanwhile, Eva is stuck, unable to move forward after losing the love of her life and her source of inspiration.

But then Eva gets a life-changing phone call. Before Brent and Wes died, they had signed up for a race of a lifetime—an ultra-marathon in beautiful New Zealand. Eva begs Angela to run the race with her in their husbands’ place, and Angela finally agrees, hoping to finally understand her husband’s choices.

Training is exhausting, and the race is even more demanding. Their journey grows more complicated by the presence of two men—Marc is Brent’s best friend who is running the race with Eva and Angela, and Simon King is a writer who is covering their inspiring story. With every step, Eva and Angela must ask themselves questions that they haven’t had the courage to ask before. As the women literally put one foot in front of the other, they wonder: Is it possible to find their way forward in hope?

You can find The Joy of Falling online at

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong