Category: Book Review

This isn't one of your romances where everything gets tied up in a neat bow by page three-twenty-two. This is life. This is love. The pages keep going.

Book Review | First Love, Second Draft by Becca Kinzer

Rom-com author Gracie Parker is stuck. Her latest manuscript is a mess, an accident has left her virtually immobile, and her sister has arranged household help in the form of Nate, Gracie’s ex-husband.

Pro baseball player Nate is stuck. His marriage has been over for years and his career looks like it’s coming to an end. His only chance at a future is the unexpected opportunity to reconnect with his ex-wife

Yes, as the title suggests, First Love, Second Draft is a second-chance romance that ticked all my boxes.

I loved the writing, which I found genuinely funny without feeling forced and without any cringy moments. Sometimes rom-coms can read as though the author is trying to hard to make something funny, and that can fall flat. First Love Second Draft felt effortlessly funny (which is probably a testament to the hours that went into writing and revising to give it that effortless feel).

I loved the dual romance plot.

I often find myself resenting a secondary romance, as it can take away from the main characters and their story. In First Love Second Draft, the secondary romance echoed and reinforced Grace and Noah’s story. That was a real strength.

I loved the fact Noah knew he’d messed up and admitted as such. Even though he didn’t know how to fix it, he was willing to try.

Recommended for fans of contemporary romance and rom-com with a subtle Christian message.

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

About First Love, Second Draft

She’s a romance writer burned out on love. He’s her famous baseball star ex-husband. The last man she wants to be forced to work with is the one who broke her heart.

Rom-com writer Gracie Parker hasn’t written a bestseller since she and her husband, a major league baseball star, divorced five years ago. On thin ice with her publisher—and with a looming deadline—Gracie couldn’t have picked a worse time for a painful injury that has her flat on her back. At this point, she’d accept help from anybody . . . except her first love and ex-husband, Noah Parker.

The baseball season has just ended in massive disappointment for Noah. He’s facing the stark reality that he gave up everything for a career that’s let him down and that it might be too late to get back the one person he should’ve held on to. So when Gracie’s nephew calls, saying Gracie’s looking for a tenant for her next-door rental, it feels like it’s meant to be.

All Gracie cares about is turning in her manuscript on time, which is directly at odds with Noah’s attempts to win her back, even if she is slightly charmed by his kindness. But can people ever really change? Then Noah throws a curveball that could give Gracie the extension she needs, but it will mean working directly with Noah, something she’s not sure she can face. With no other choice, and everything on the line, Gracie must decide if it is too late for a second draft of their own love story.

Find First Love, Second Draft online at:

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About Becca Kinzer

Becca KinzerBecca Kinzer lives in Springfield, Illinois where she works as a critical care nurse. When she’s not taking care of sick patients or reminding her husband and two kids that frozen chicken nuggets is a gourmet meal, she enjoys making up lighthearted stories with serious laughs. She is a 2018 ACFW First Impressions Contest winner, a 2019 Genesis Contest winner, 2021 Cascade Award winner, and all-around champion coffee drinker.

Find Becca Kinzer online at:

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Wealth and influence are poor substitutes for true worthiness.

Book Review | The One Who Changed It All by Tara Grace Ericson

Fourteen years ago, a single indiscretion during Spring Break with a guy she’d just met but was The One changed Samantha Brown’s life forever. Now she’s the assistant librarian in Minden, doing her best to give her thirteen-year-old daughter the upbringing she never head. Yes, that one night changed everything.

Fourteen years ago, after a wonderful week with the girl he never forgot, Evan Mercer’s brother died in a nightclub fire. He searched for Sam, even engaged the family private detective, but never found her. Yet here she is in Minden, his new home. And she has a teenage daughter …

Yes, The One Who Changed Everything is a secret baby story.

I know they’re not everyone’s cup of tea, and I can understand why—especially in Christian fiction. First, they rely on a (usually unmarried) couple doing something they shouldn’t. Second, the woman knows she is pregnant and has the baby, but doesn’t tell the father.

A good author can help readers get past the first issue. After all, we are all sinners and God doesn’t put sin in levels the way humans often do. In that respect, sexual sin is no different from any other sin. We are forgiven before we even ask. We simply have to confess and receive God’s forgiveness.

Getting past the second issue can be harder, because there has to be a good reason why the woman didn’t tell the father, especially in this day and age where social media makes it possible to find almost anyone.

The author achieves both these objectives. Both Sam and Evan clearly regret what happened, and Sam has good reasons for not telling Evan–simple fear that Evan’s well-off family would take her baby. Even to his credit, tried to look for Sam, but never found her.

The story has a predictably awkward beginning.

What’s not awkward about seeing the one-night-stand you searched for but never spoke to again? But I was impressed by the responsible way both Sam and Evan took on the responsibility of shared parenthood. I was especially impressed by Sophie, who adapted quickly yet believably to a huge life change.

Of course, the big question is the romance. Does that work? Oh, yes it does. It’s completely believable and I loved it. I loved the fact they were both still interested in the other. I loved the fact that Evan’s first reaction to figuring out he was a father was to embrace fatherhood.

I loved that Sam, despite her reservations, allowed him into their family.

I loved the spiritual thread to the story. Both characters had to let go of something in their past that would cloud their present relationship, and that was done well.

The One Who Changed Everything is the fifth and final book in the Second Chance Fire Station contemporary Christian romance series. I’ve read and enjoyed them all, but I think this is my favourite.

Recommended for fans of small-town contemporary Christian romance.

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

About Tara Grace Ericson

Tara Grace Ericson​Tara Grace Ericson lives in Missouri with her husband and 3 sons. She studied engineering and worked as an engineer for many years before embracing her creative side to become a full-time author.

Her first book, Falling on Main Street, was written mostly from airport waiting areas and bleak hotel rooms as she traveled in her position as a sales engineer. She loves cooking, crocheting, and reading books by the dozen. Her writing partner is usually a good cup of coffee or tea.

Tara unashamedly watches Hallmark movies all winter long, even though they are predictable and cheesy. She loves a good “happily ever after” with an engaging love story. That’s why Tara focuses on writing clean contemporary romance, with an emphasis on Christian faith and living. She wants to encourage her readers with stories of men and women who live out their faith in tough situations.

Find Tara Grace Ericson online at:

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About The One Who Changed Everything

I never expected to see him again.

When I met Evan, he was everything I never thought I could have—steady, kind, the kind of man who made me believe in something more. But one reckless night changed everything. By the time I found out I was pregnant, he was gone, and I had every reason to believe he’d never come back.

For fourteen years, I built a life for my daughter, protecting her, providing for her, never letting myself wonder what if.
Evan was a stranger from my past, a man whose wealthy family could take everything from me if they ever found out. But then he showed up in my small town—stronger, haunted, and completely unaware of the little girl who carried his eyes. And the moment he looks at her, I know the truth will come out.

I wanted to keep my distance. I told myself he only cared because of Sophia, that he’d never really wanted me. But every look, every touch, every moment together makes it harder to deny the truth.

Because Evan Mercer wasn’t just the man I lost. He was The One Who Changed Everything.

Find The One Who Changed Everything online at:

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Instead of searching for a person worth marrying, become a person worth marrying.

Book Review | Northargyle Abbie by Janelle Leonard

Northargyle Abbie is billed as a contemporary retelling of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey (yes, the clue is in the title). It’s been years–perhaps decades–since I read Northanger Abbey, and I can’t remember anything about it beyond the fact that it wasn’t my favourite Austen story. I therefore can’t comment on how accurate the retelling is.

I can say I enjoyed Abbie’s story.

Abbie is a pastor’s daughter, part-time church secretary, and part-time researcher at the local museum in her home town of Westonia, Pennsylvania. On her twenty-fourth birthday, she discovers her grandmother has left her a mystery to solve, and a cottage in Australia. She also discovers a connection to the island kingdom of Northargyle, which is situated between Australia and New Zealand.

As a Kiwi reader who has visited Australia many times, I was intrigued by this choice of imaginary location.

The whole story is told in first person from Abbie’s point of view, although she does interrupt herself to quote from the occasional letter, or her own Notebook of Silly Placards.

I enjoyed the voice, and especially loved the quips and banter.

I found the novel started a little slowly, and the pace picked up after the Abbie arrived in Australia. Here she meets Jess, her self-proclaimed new best friend, Jess’s brother Devon, and the handsome if mysterious Colter and his sister, Eliana. She also discovers more about her grandmother’s secret life that leaves her wondering who her grandmother really was …

The Australian scenes captured the country well, from avos to mozzies, from lamingtons to pavlova (and the age-old debate as to whether the dessert is Australian or Kiwi in origin). I wondered if the author was Australian, but the author’s note clarified the unerring accuracy: Australian young adult author Hannah Currie helped with those details. For example:

Welcome to the island of Northargyle. A hidden gem in the Tasman Sea, just north of New Zealand. The island enjoys much of the same wildlife (not as many sheep) and weather as New Zealand (experience the four seasons all in one day).

Yes, that’s accurate.

According to research, everything in Australia wants to kill you, except maybe koalas who sleep twenty-two hours a day.

Also accurate.

I was a little disappointed that Abbie didn’t get to visit New Zealand, but maybe we’ll see that in a future story in the Royally Austen series …

Fans of royalty romance and Jane Austen will enjoy Northargyle Abbie, as will anyone looking for a witty romance with a hint of mystery.

Thanks to WhiteFire Publishing for providing a free ebook for review.

About Janelle Leonard

Janelle LeonardJanelle Leonard is a Jane Austen fangirl with an overactive imagination who creates web-twisty plotlines from her home in Pennsylvania. When she’s not writing, reading, editing, drinking coffee, or working at an elementary school library, she’s finding creative ways to procrastinate. She is passionate about living authentically while serving and encouraging others to see their worth, using writing as a key to unlock worlds of possibility.

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About Northargle Abbie

When Abigail Morgan, a naive pastor’s daughter with an overactive imagination, inherits a cottage in Australia, she never imagines the story it will unlock. Armed with a museum studies degree and a penchant for daydreams, Abigail heads to Hyacinth Cottage to unravel the truth of her grandmother’s past-an unknown world of adventure, deception, and love.

While sifting through letters, photographs, and hidden relics, Abigail meets Colter Wellesley, a charming local who helps her navigate the labyrinth of clues with a blend of wit and charm she struggles to resist. But Colter comes with secrets of his own. As their investigation and romance deepen, Abigail wonders if Colter is more tangled up in her grandmother’s mystery-and that of the princess who vanished more than sixty years ago-than she ever imagined.

In this modern reimagining of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, the line between imagination and reality blurs, and every clue discovered could be the key to unlocking a royal legacy.

Find Northargyle Abbey online at:

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She believes church is the solution to every ailment we face in life, while I tend to believe the church is the reason my parents are dead and my sister is deaf.

Book Review | The Voice We Find (Fog Harbor #3) by Nicole Deese

Music producer August Tate is just keeping his financial head above water after relocating from LA to small-town beachfront Northern California to raise his adopted sister after their parents die in a train crash while on a mission trip.

Actress Sophie Wilder has reluctantly relocated from New York to her childhood home, a vineyard now managed by her older brother, the family golden child. She needs a job that doesn’t involve being onstage, so tries out as a voice actor for audiobooks. The two are brought together by Fog Harbor Books fiction editor Chip Stanton, who hires Sophie to narrate and August to produce audiobooks.

I will admit the first chapter confused me, because I thought the introductory line of “August” was when the story started, not the hero’s first name. It didn’t help that the story is written in first person, so it did take me a while to work out August was the character. Once I did, I was hooked.

The Voice We Find, like other books in the Fog Harbor series, has hidden depths. It’s an emotional story, a story about family and families (good and less good), and even has a small suspense element.

August’s sister is deaf, which allows us to see into the deaf community and experience some of their struggles. It’s great to see such positive and realistic portrayals of people with disabilities.

The story also has a strong faith component which was integral to the plot and character development, which I loved.

But the core of the story, the aspect that lifts it from good to great, is the way the character’s personal histories—especially Sophie’s—are woven together so they can each learn and grow … and find their voices.

I hope this isn’t the last of the Fog Harbor series, because Chip still hasn’t got his happy-ever-after ending …

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

About The Voice We Find

Sophie Wilder returns home to California with nothing more than a failed Broadway career and a geriatric cat. Stuck working at the family winery with her egotistical brother and desperate for a way to revive her acting dreams, she takes a side gig as an audiobook narrator with Fog Harbor Books. But getting mixed up in the life of her reluctant sound engineer was never a part of her plans.

August Tate is still reeling from taking guardianship of his teen sister. Determined to find a solution to her degenerative hearing loss and to prevent his private recording studio from going under, he agrees to produce audiobooks part-time. When Sophie breathes new life into his creativity and forms an unexpected bond with his sister, rooted in their common faith, he must confront the reasons he turned away from his own.

Bestselling and award-winning author Nicole Deese weaves an emotionally charged romance rich in the complexities of love and family.

Find The Voice We Find online at:

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About Nicole Deese

Nicole DeeseNicole Deese is an award-winning author who specializes in humorous, heartfelt, and hope-filled novels. When not working on her next contemporary romance, she can usually be found reading one by a window overlooking the inspiring beauty of the Pacific Northwest. She currently resides with her happily-ever-after hubby, two sons, and a princess daughter in Idaho.

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Meet me at the station if you think there's any future for us. And here she was.

Book Review | These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan

Two years ago, when Katie was pregnant, alone and afraid. Jonathan Ables—Jonty—offered to marry her to protect her reputation and so she’d receive his service pension given he was unlikely to survive the war.

(As an aside, I hadn’t realised what horrifically low chances rear-gunners had of surviving the war. That put some aspects of my family history into perspective.)

Despite several near-misses, Jonty survives the war. But his relationship with his wife is non-existent and they are living with her family, which isn’t exactly conducive to having a private conversation, let alone establishing a lasting relationship. Then there are their own personal challenges they have to deal with—Katie and her family, and Jonty and his only surviving relative.

These Long Shadows is a moving story of faith and reconciliation.

Katie and Jonty both have difficult paths to tread before they can reach their happy-ever-after ending. It’s an emotional story, but restrained in a very British way.

These Long Shadows was a wonderful conclusion to the Victory’s Wings series, and those who have read the earlier books in the series will especially enjoy seeing Maggie and Grace again, along with their now-husbands.

Recommended for fans of historical romance.

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

About Jennifer Mistmorgan

Jennifer MistmorganAward-winning Australian author Jennifer Mistmorgan sometimes feels like she was born in the wrong era. So she writes romantic historical fiction set in the 1940s, against the backdrop of WWII and its aftermath. She infuses her sweet romances with wartime drama, gentle faith and a dash of intrigue. She lives in Canberra with her family and a wonky-eared West Highland terrier.

Find Jennifer Mistmorgan online at:

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About These Long Shadows

How do they rebuild a marriage that wasn’t real in the first place? 

London, 1945: Two years ago, Jonty Ables married Katie Baines to save her and her unborn baby from shame. But now the war is all but over, the baby is gone and they must work out where their shaky marriage fits into lives irrevocably changed by war.

Clinging to the memory of a time before all happiness evaporated, Katie works hard during the day as a seamstress. At night she comes home to a tiny terrace on a bomb-scarred street, crammed with her extended family and their problems. Years of estrangement sit between her and her recently demobilised husband. She’s not even sure she loves him. So why is she so crushed that he calls out another woman’s name in his sleep?

Jonty is determined to honor the vows he made no matter how many ghosts plague him. But with such separate lives, his wife is more of a stranger than ever. When Katie’s friend goes missing, Jonty seizes the opportunity to help her find him just so they have reason to talk. But the war casts long shadows over their efforts, and fighting for their future might just be the hardest battle of them all.

Find These Long Shadows online at:

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One week of forced proximity couldn't change years of history and family animosity.

Book Review | The One Who Risked it All by Tara Grace Ericson

Firefighter Elijah Wells has always had a soft spot for middle school teacher Carla, ever since they were in high school. His father forbids him from having anything to do with Carla or her family—and Carla’s father says the same thing.

But when Elijah’s father has a heart attack, Elijah offers to look after his three nephews while his brother and sister-in-law are on vacation. Carla has also offered to help, and Elijah finds all the old feelings coming back as they spend time together.

Will the family feud keep them apart forever?

Yes, The One Who Risked it All is a variation on the Romeo and Juliet story, but with no poison (well, this is a romance, not a tragedy. Readers expect an engagement or wedding, not a funeral.)

I felt for Elijah and his frustration over his father’s unwillingness to explain the origins of the feud, or to end it. And I felt for Carla and her realisation that she and Elijah can’t have a future until he works out his issues with his father.

I found it a little frustrating that neither Elijah nor Carla disclosed the background behind the feud, until I realised they didn’t actually know.
I loved the will-they-won’t-they tension, and the way they both had to take action to get the ending they both wanted.

The One Who Risked it All is a fun small-town Christian romance, and I’m looking forward to the next story in the series.

Recommended for fans of forced proximity and small-town romances.

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

About Tara Grace Ericson

Tara Grace Ericson

​Tara Grace Ericson lives in Missouri with her husband and 3 sons. She studied engineering and worked as an engineer for many years before embracing her creative side to become a full-time author.

Her first book, Falling on Main Street, was written mostly from airport waiting areas and bleak hotel rooms as she traveled in her position as a sales engineer. She loves cooking, crocheting, and reading books by the dozen. Her writing partner is usually a good cup of coffee or tea.

Tara unashamedly watches Hallmark movies all winter long, even though they are predictable and cheesy. She loves a good “happily ever after” with an engaging love story. That’s why Tara focuses on writing clean contemporary romance, with an emphasis on Christian faith and living. She wants to encourage her readers with stories of men and women who live out their faith in tough situations.

Find Tara Grace Ericson online at:

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About The One Who Risked It All

Two weeks. One house. Zero chance their hearts come out unscathed.

Elijah Woods is trouble. He always has been. The kind of trouble that makes your heart race and your common sense disappear. Just ask all the girls in town throwing themselves at him. He broke my heart once—walked away like what we had meant nothing—and I swore I’d never let him get close enough to do it again.

I should’ve let him go a long time ago. He’s everything my family would hate—wild, reckless, and, worst of all, a Woods. The feud between our families has been going on for decades, and no good could ever come from crossing that line.

But now, thanks to his brother’s honeymoon, I’m stuck sharing a house with Eli for two weeks, chasing after three energetic boys and trying to pretend that old spark between us isn’t still burning. Two weeks of late nights, quiet conversations, and discovering a side of him I never expected.

He’s kind. Protective. He’s making it impossible to forget why I fell for him in the first place, or why I swore I’d never let him break my heart again.

But the way Eli looks at me makes me question everything. If we give in, we could lose everything. And yet, walking away from him this time might just break me for good. I’m just not sure I can be The One Who Risked it All.

Find The One Who Risked It All online at:

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Falling in love and loving someone are very different. I think you will discover that loving is the deeper end of the pool.

Book Review | Lakes Shores Sanctuary by Jennifer Rodewald

I have developed a sudden taste for well-executed modern marriage of convenience stories, and Lake Shore Sanctuary is an excellent example. I’m also developing a real enjoyment of the grumpy-sunshine trope.

Isa Romero was raised in a Christian family but went through a rebellious patch. Her rebellion has landed her in Elk Lake … pregnant to her ex, leader of a violent cartel. When his adult son shows up in town, she is surprised and grateful when gruff Grady steps in and helps.

Grady Briggs is new in town, a forest ranger with a background in law enforcement. He doesn’t expect his two worlds to collide, yet finds himself proposing marriage to Isa to keep her safe from the cartel. I loved the fact that Grady’s gruff and grumpy exterior was at least in part to hide his attraction to Isa.

Isa is definitely the sunshine character.

She decides to make the best of the situation and determines to make Grady fall for her, because marriage is forever and she can’t face the thought of a loveless marriage. But getting Grady to smile turns out to be easier than changing his feelings … because Isa doesn’t know what the reader knows.

Lake Shore Sanctuary is the fifth book in Jennifer Rodewald’s Redemption Shores series. This series is a little out of the ordinary for Christian fiction, for several reasons.

It doesn’t easily fit into a genre.

The stories are definitely small-town contemporary Christian fiction, with an emphasis on the Christian. The stories all have a romantic element, but the romances aren’t tied in a pretty bow by the end of each book. There are a lot of mysteries, and the stories also have elements of suspense.

I loved watching Isa and Grady develop real feelings for each other as they discover they have more in common than they thought, and I also enjoyed catching up with some of the characters from the earlier books in the series.

It’s more of a serial than a series.

While each book focuses on a couple of main characters, they also follow the characters from the earlier books: the prickly Hazel, her brother Hunter, his one-time girlfriend Janie, his best friend Bennett, and Bennett’s half-siblings.

Yes, you could read Lake Shore Sanctuary as a standalone title and you would probably enjoy it. But you’ll enjoy it all the more if you read the series in order, starting with Lake Shore Wandering.

Recommended for readers looking for Christian fiction with less of a romance focus, and more spiritual depth.

About Jennifer Rodewald

Author Photograph: Jennifer RodewaldJennifer Rodewald is passionate about the Word of God and the powerful vehicle of story. Four kids and her own personal superman make her home in southwestern Nebraska delightfully chaotic.

Born in Colorado, she experienced both the seclusion of rugged mountain living and the busy streets of a Denver suburb during her growing up years. Somewhere in the middle of college, she married a Husker and found her way back to the quiet lifestyle of a rural area, which suits just fine.

Blessed with a robust curiosity, Jen loves to research. Whether she’s investigating the history of a given area, the biography of a Christian icon, or how nature declares the glory of God, her daily goal is to learn something new. Aiming to live with boundless enthusiasm, her creed is vision, pursuit, and excellence.

Jen lives and writes in a lovely speck of a town where she watches with amazement while her children grow up way too fast, gardens, and marvels at God’s mighty hand in everyday life.

You can find Jennifer Rodewald online at:

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About Lake Shore Sanctuary

Winning her husband’s heart might be the adventure–if not the achievement–of her life. If she can pull it off.

Lake Shore Sanctuary by Jennifer RodewaldGrady Briggs is quiet and dependable and wants a life that looks nothing like his years spent working as a criminal investigator. But when a known member of the cartel comes searching for Isa Romero, that calm, predictable life he’d hoped to find in Luna goes up in flames. Things get complicated when Grady discovers why the crime boss is after Isa.

Though the flirty, vivacious young woman has rubbed him wrong since day one, Grady is willing to go to any length to protect her–even if that means marrying her.

Isa wanted a life full of romance and adventure, but her search for it has landed her in a whole lot of trouble. Grady’s offer of protection is the smart choice, but a lifeless, loveless marriage isn’t something she can live with. Her best option? Win her husband’s heart—which might be the adventure, if not the achievement—of her life, if she can pull it off.

Their marriage is supposed to be her refuge, but the danger only gets worse …

Just when they discover that they might have a chance at a real future together, their secret is exposed. When the danger becomes life-threatening, will Grady be able to protect his wife like he promised?

Find Lake Shore Sanctuary online at:

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You’re kinder and more loyal. You’re also more self-sacrificing, which is an attribute I’m appreciating less each mile.

Book Review | Empowereds by Janette Rallison

I read the first line of the book description for Empowereds and was immediately intrigued:

She’s hiding her family’s deadly secret. He’s hunting for the truth—and her.

Empowereds is a New Adult romantic thriller set in a dystopian future version of the USA, after World War III. I’m a big fan of dystopian fiction and have been since I was a teenager.

My one reservation based on reading the book description was how the author was going to manage to bring in a romance between Charity and Enzo, given he is trying to find the Empowered in their small group.

I needn’t have feared.

The marriage set-up was great. Charity knows from the get-go that she and Enzo will end up married, but Enzo doesn’t know that. In fact, he’s been warned away from Charity by her older brothers (who also know Charity and Enzo will end up married … but can’t help themselves. Typical older brothers!).

I loved the whole story, especially the relationship between Charity and Enzo, and between Charity, Enzo and the rest of Charity’s family. I loved their banter, the witty one-liners. I loved the worldbuilding, with the added extras such as the truth serum adding suspense to an already fast-paced plot.

Empowereds isn’t classified as Christian fiction, but the characters do attend a weekly service, and while there is no on-the-page swearing or sex, it has more kissing than the typical Christian romance.

This is Janette Rallison’s first venture into what she describes as adult post-apocalyptic dystopian romantic suspense, and I hope it’s not her last (not least because I really want to know what happens next for Charity and Enzo).

Recommended for fans of dystopian thrillers from authors such as Kristen Young.

About Janette Rallison

Janette RallisonUSA Today, bestselling author, Janette Rallison/ CJ Hill writes books because writing is much more fun than cleaning bathrooms. Her avoidance of housework has led her to write 30 novels that have sold over 1,000,000 print copies and have been on many reading and state lists. Her books are fantasy, sci-fi, and romantic comedy because hey, there is enough angst in real life, but there’s a drastic shortage of humor, romance and hot guys who fight dragons. She lives in Chandler, Arizona with her husband, kids, and enough cats to classify her as eccentric.

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About Empowereds

She’s hiding her family’s deadly secret. He’s hunting for the truth—and her.

Twenty-one-year-old Charity Huntington has spent her life in hiding, dodging a government that hunts down Empowereds—those with forbidden abilities. Her father is one of the last remaining psychics, and their family lives as harvesters, working in isolation to avoid the authorities.

She knows the rules: keep their family secret, trust no one, and never draw attention.

Charity especially ought to be wary of the new hire, Enzo. The man is tall, dark, and a bit too cocky. He also has a mysterious past and some serious gun skills that don’t match his story.

Of course, knowing the rules and following them are two different things when a guy looks as good as Enzo. She’s in danger in more ways than one.

Enzo Valdez is a government officer tasked with a deadly mission: go undercover, locate the psychic hiding among the harvesters, and eliminate them with extreme prejudice.

But when he meets Charity—captivating, kind, and everything he didn’t expect—his loyalty begins to waver.

Falling for her could mean betraying everything he’s sworn to uphold…but resisting her may be impossible.

This post apocalyptic romance has page-turning action, sweet romance, and lots of witty banter. If you’ve ever wanted to read a dystopian adult romance or love dystopian sci fi romance, this book is for you. (Because hey, it’s not just the seventeen-year-olds who get to fall in love in the future…)

Find Empowereds online at:

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There was no world in which a man like him could ever be good enough for a woman like Bekah.

Book Review | Assisting the Athlete by Liwen Y Ho

Sebastian “Bash” Watts is a professional ice hockey player who earned a bad reputation after he lost his family ten years ago. But he’s turned himself around, largely due to the influence of Bekah, and now he’s staying off the drink and away from the girls. Especially Bekah.

Bekah Kendall is a long-time friend who is now one of the physiotherapists supporting his ice hockey team. Sure, he helped her get her foot in the door, but her success is all her own. If only her family acknowledged that.

Bash knows exactly how innocent Bekah is, so when he sees one of his teammates making a move on her, he shuts it down and lets his teammate assume Bash and Bekah are an item. Bekah is shocked when she finds out but plays along … and soon they are both wondering if their fake relationship could become real.

One of the strengths of Assisting the Athlete was the way Liwen Y Ho wove in Bekah’s strong Christian faith. Bekah is a Christian who isn’t afraid to talk about her faith, even to people she shows don’t believe – like Bash.

Assisting the Athlete ticks a bunch of fun boxes.

It’s got sports romance, fake relationship, workplace romance, and friends-to-more (which is one of my favourite tropes). It’s a well-executed and entertaining short read.

Assisting the Athlete is the third book in the Kendall family series, with the first two dealing with Bekah’s over-achieving and overbearing twin older brothers-Devin and Jace. I read and enjoyed Devin’s story (Saving the CEO), and Jace’s story (Rescuing the Rock Star), but that was months ago. I can therefore assure you the stories are each standalone romances, and you don’t have to read or remember the earlier stories to enjoy Assisting the Athlete.

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

About Liwen Y Ho

Author Photo: Liwen HoLiwen Y. Ho works as a chauffeur and referee by day (AKA being a stay at home mom) and an author by night. She writes sweet and inspirational contemporary romance infused with heart, humor, and a taste of home (her Asian roots).

In her pre-author life, she received a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Western Seminary, and she loves makeovers of all kinds, especially those of the heart and mind. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her techie husband and their two children, and blogs about her adventures as a recovering perfectionist

You can find Liwen Y Ho online at:

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About Assisting the Athlete

She’s the only one who can melt this hockey player’s heart …

Assisting the Athlete by Liwen Y HoBekah Kendall has always been under the protective care of her older brothers, but now she’s finally living life on her own terms. She has a new degree, her own place, and a coveted spot on the sports medicine staff for a top hockey team. This job is everything she’s hoped for, except for the excessive attention she gets from the players. But there’s no way she can quit, not when she needs to prove to her family that she can make it on her own.

Watching out for his sister’s best friend comes naturally for Sebastian Watts, so he does everything possible to help Bekah get a job with the Gilroy Gladiators. However, when he realizes his teammates have their eyes set on her, he feels responsible and comes up with a plan to keep her safe from their unwanted advances. As long as the guys believe she’s his girlfriend, they’ll keep their distance. But the longer he and Bekah play pretend, the harder it is to guard his own heart around her.

With all the time spent on the road together for away games, Bekah and Sebastian are forced to face their growing feelings for each other. But will their love withstand the interference of others and a secret from the past

Assisting the Athlete is a fake relationship, workplace romance full of sizzling chemistry, satisfying kisses, and a sweet ending that will have you celebrating romance.

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Was she ready to turn her world upside down for Christ? She knew that's what believing would require.

Book Review | What Makes a Home by Jaycee Weaver

This is an older title that I picked up as a free download in the Valentine’s Day Stuff Your Kindle promotion. I’m glad I did!

What Makes a Home is a romance featuring party-girl artist Jobie (short for Jobanna) and beige computer programmer Caleb. Caleb decides it’s time to adult up so he buys a do-up house, which happens to be just down the street from his old friend Jenna and Jobie, her hot roommate.

There were three things I loved about What Makes a Home.

First, Jenna’s natural faith.

Jenna and Jobie have been roomates for at least three years by the time the story starts. Although it’s clear from Chapter One that Jobie is not a Christian, it’s equally clear that Jenna has overtly judged her for her lack of faith. That opened th door for my second point:

Second, I loved Jobie’s conversion to Christianity.

Okay, so this could be considered a spoiler except that What Makes a Home is categorised as Christian romance, and good Christian romances do not have couples who are unequally yoked. I loved the natural way Jenna shared her faith with Jobie. And I loved the way Jobie took that on board and reflected it back to Jenna in her time of need.

And third, Caleb was a wonderful hero.

Sure, he has been  accusing of being vanilla (and his taste in decor does tend to beige). but he has a good heart an is a perfect gentleman … even if he is a little slow to pick up on the fact Jobie is interested in him.

The other thing I liked about What Makes a Home was the realistic portrayal of physical attraction. No, there was nothing inappropriate (although it is clear Jobie has a history), but it was good to see both Caleb and Jobie acknowledging the temptation of physical attraction.

Overall, What Makes a Home is a wonderful example of a realistic Christian romance that focuses on friendship first. Recommended.

About Jaycee Weaver

When New Mexico resident and USA Today bestselling author Jaycee Weaver isn’t reading or writing, she enjoys dates with her brainiac hubby, crafting, pretending she’s a nature photographer, and making her daughters cringe.

She considers herself a recovering perfectionist and regularly battles the ADHD squirrels. Jaycee appreciates humorous books with banter, characters facing adversity, and guaranteed happy endings, so that’s what she writes. She does her best to live her faith in action, being open, honest, and authentic; letting God be Lord over the good, the bad, and the ugly even when it’s hard.

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About What Makes a Home

An artist looking for love in the wrong places. A bored engineer searching for purpose. Can a fixer upper teach these opposites What Makes a Home?

Jobie Everett has built her life around teaching art to senior citizens, living green(ish), social media trends, and wild pursuits that inspire her muse. When her roommate introduces her to a God who personifies a love she’s never known, she discovers how full life truly can be.

Surely there’s more for Caleb March’s lackluster life than work and computer games. Desperate for change, he buys a run-down house near an old friend and her pretty roommate. Ready for more than “just friends,” Caleb will first have to reconnect with a God he’s been ignoring for far too long.

As Caleb and Jobie bond over renovations, a new development forever changes her and pulls the rug out from under him. Jobie needs a godly man who will support and pursue her. Can Caleb become the man she needs in order to finally give her heart a home?

The Everyday Love Series is a clean, inspirational contemporary romance series set in Albuquerque, featuring ordinary people in lifelike stories that inspire, uplift, and share hope. Stories in which a very real God shows Himself in everyday ways to carry His people through any circumstance.

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