Category: Book Review

You've been needing a husband for the past year, and you never bothered to mention that to me?

Book Review | Her Inconvenient Wedding Date by Liwen Y Ho

I have been reading quite a few rom-coms recently, many of which use the marriage of convenience (or inconvenience) trope. Few have had any Christian content, and none have been overtly Christian.

Her Inconvenient Wedding Date is overtly Christian from the get-go.

And I loved that. Lily’s mother is looking for a son-in-law who meets the five C’s: Christian, career, condo (or house, cash … and Chinese. The family also has a traditional of the older siblings marrying before the younger, which is an issue for Lily as her five-years-younger sister, Jasmine, has been dating the same guy for years and is ready to get married.

So Lily decides to fake an engagement so her sister can get married. When her first blind date incorporates a PowerPoint presentation and an unexpected proposal, Lily accepts a surprise offer from Hunter, a work colleague who meets four of the five C’s.

If he were Chinese, he’d be perfect.

Hunter has been crushing on Lily since they met a year ago, so proposing marriage–even a short-term fake marriage–seems like a great idea. Who knows. If they’re living together and pretending to be married, maybe something will develop?

This is a romance, so we obviously know the answer. The fun is in the journey, and this journey is a lot of fun.

Each chapter starts with a quote from another author. I’m not usually a fan of epigraphs, but Her Inconvenient Wedding Date is the exception that proves the rule. Quotes like these only improve the book:

If I was serious about having a relationship with someone long-term, the last people I would introduce him to would be my family.

Quotes like these will mean I will remain not being a fan of epigraphs, because that is going to be hard to beat.

You know that tingly little feeling you get when you like someone? That is your common sense leaving your body?

 

Overall, I loved Her Inconvenient Wedding Date.

It’s a fun, quick read, with likeable characters and a believable relationship. Recommended for Christian rom-com fans.

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 Her Inconvenient Wedding Date

I always thought I’d marry for love… not because of a family tradition.

Her Inconvenient Wedding DateAs the eldest daughter, my life’s basically one long checklist of responsibilities—especially when it comes to making sure my younger sister gets her happily ever after. And apparently, that means I need to tie the knot first.

Groan.

I’m an engineer by day, a beauty blogger by night, and a problem-solver 24/7. But even I wasn’t prepared for the solution to my marriage problem to show up in the form of Hunter Payne—my tall, charming, and goofy coworker who just so happened to save me from the world’s most awkward date.

Out of the kindness of his heart, he offers to marry me. For three months only. Just until the family pressure eases up. Totally platonic, totally practical.

Until it’s not.

Because three seconds into our union, a surprise kiss makes some very inconvenient emotions rise to the surface.

How am I going to survive this marriage without falling for the one guy I promised I wouldn’t catch feelings for?

 

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It's tiring to be in a world where every friend is potential competition, and no one is ever telling the truth.

Book Review | Everything’s Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh

The last Courtney Walsh book I read was The Summer of Yes, which is one of the few books I read twice consecutively in recent years. It was always going to be a hard act to follow. Everything’s Coming Up Rosie, unfortunately, did not

Rosie is one of probably thousands of aspiring actors in New York who dreams of making it big but instead lives a subsistence existence, always seeking and never getting their big break. She’s a failure. Even worse, she can’t admit her failure to her family or friends, which makes her feel like a double failure when she visits her hometown, catches up with her school friends, and everyone wants to hear about her fabulous life in New York.

Eventually, we get to the actual start of the story: Rosie arrives at the Sunset Players theater, not realising she’s signed up to manage a production of Cinderella in a retirement community, not assist at the respected Sunset Playhouse.

That all takes the first ten chapters of the book, and I found I had to force myself to keep reading.

I actually stopped twice (completely the opposite of when I read The Summer of Yes), frustrated with Rosie’s attitude and her lack of self-awareness (made more frustrating by the fact the book is written in first person and Rosie is the sole narrator, so there was no break from her.) The only reason I kept reading is because I’ve enjoyed every other Courtney Walsh book I’ve ever read.

Courtney Walsh uses her own experience as the owner and director of a youth theatre in bringing Rosie’s directing to life. Once we get to the scenes in the theatre, the book comes alive. We meet Booker, the only male under the age of seventy which clearly establishes him as the love interest. We meet Daisy, Rosie’s peppy roommate, and Dylan, the withdrawn teenage girl spending the summer with her grandparents. And we meet the village residents, including Belinda, who thinks the director job should have been hers, and Arthur, the set man.

By the halfway point, I found it difficult to put the book down.

Rosie has finally looked outside herself and become a likeable character. The community residents are fabulous, and have plenty to teach Rosie … especially Arthur. Booker becomes the romantic hero we all want to see ( the old ladies agree – they spend far too much time ogling him).

In the end, Everything’s Coming Up Rosie becomes a delightful rom-com which addresses some serious questions about self-identity and emotion with a near-perfect ending. But it took a long time to get there, and it’s definitely contemporary romance rather than Christian romance.

Courtney Walsh fans will enjoy Everything’s Coming Up Rosie. If you haven’t read Courtney Walsh before, I suggest starting with The Summer of Yes.

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

About the Author

Courtney WalshCourtney Walsh is a novelist, theatre director, and playwright. She writes small town romance and women’s fiction while juggling the performing arts studio and youth theatre she owns with her husband. She is the author of thirteen novels. Her debut, A Sweethaven Summer, hit the New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller lists and was a Carol Award finalist. Her novel Just Let Go won the Carol in 2019, and three of her novels have also been Christy-award finalists. A creative at heart, Courtney has also written three craft books and several musicals. She lives in Illinois with her husband and three children.

Find Courtney Walsh online at …

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About Everything’s Coming Up Rosie

Sometimes what you think you want and what you actually want turn out to be different things . . .

Rosie Waterman has one dream: to become a working actor. But lately, that hasn’t been working out. When she loses her apartment and her job on the same day, she does what she always does–puts herself out there, ready to find the next big thing. But a trip home makes her realize that while she’s been struggling to make this dream come true, all her friends have become real adults with careers and weddings and babies on the way. Rosie’s been at this for years, and she has nothing to show for it. But how does she simply let go of her dream?

When she’s offered a job as the director of a regional theatre’s production of Cinderella, she jumps at the chance–even though she’s only directed in college and the job is in Door County, Wisconsin, and not in New York. She has no other offers, and at least she’ll be getting paid to do something theatrical. But when she arrives, she quickly realizes that the “regional theatre” is actually in a retirement community, and the “actors” are actually senior citizens with no acting experience whatsoever.

Working on the show presents new challenges, forcing Rosie to learn how to step up and be the leader this fledgling theatre troupe needs. The more time she spends with her new cast, the more she begins to rethink what it means to dream big, especially when that big dream hasn’t turned out to be at all what she thought it would be. It’s not at all what she expected, but could it be exactly what she needs?

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Coffee could not compare to drinking in Scripture at sunrise.

Book Review | The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold

Sara Brunsvold’s debut novel, The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip, won a lot of praise … which meant I started reading The Divine Proverb of Streusel with a little hesitation. Would it be as good? Could it be as good?

In my view, it’s better.

Nikki Warner is broken. Four months ago, her father left her mother for another woman. Their divorce came through a month ago, and he married his mistress last weekend. As a teacher, Nikki has summer off, so she runs away to the Warner family farm, a place she hasn’t visited since she was twelve.

Wes Warner is Nikki’s uncle, a Christian, who has recently returned to the farm after decades in the army. He doesn’t know how to help the hurting Nikki except to make her welcome, give her a place to stay and something to do, and pray for her.

Nikki finds her grandmother’s old recipe books in the old family home. Although she’s no cook, she starts working her way through the traditional German recipes, finding herself again as she finds out more about her family.

The writing is very understated, with the messages coming through as a ripple rather than a roar. But that is what gives the writing power and makes for a compelling read. It’s easy to read, with characters it’s easy to sympathise with and root for.

Recommended for women’s fiction fans looking for something a little out of the ordinary that reminds us of the importance of connection to family and to God.

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

About Sara Brunsvold

Sara Brunsvold creates stories that speak hope, truth, and life. Influenced by humble women of God who find His fingerprints in the everyday, she does the same in her life and her storytelling. Sara’s recognitions include the 2020 ACFW Genesis Award for Contemporary Fiction. She lives with her family in Kansas City, where she can often be spotted writing at a park or library.

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About The Divine Proverb of Streusel

The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold

Shaken by her parents’ divorce and discouraged by the growing chasm between herself and her serious boyfriend, Nikki Werner seeks solace at her uncle’s farm in a small Missouri hamlet. She’ll spend the summer there, picking up the pieces of her shattered present so she can plan a better future. But what awaits her at the ancestral farm is a past she barely knows.

Among her late grandmother’s belongings, Nikki finds an old notebook filled with handwritten German recipes and wise sayings pulled from the book of Proverbs. With each recipe she makes, she invites locals to the family table to hear their stories about the town’s history, her ancestors–and her estranged father.

What started as a cathartic way to connect to her heritage soon becomes the means through which she learns how the women before her endured–with the help of their cooking prowess. Nikki realizes how delicious streusel with a healthy dollop of faith can serve as a guide to heal wounds of the past.

You can find The Divine Proverb of Streusel online at:

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Is there a location you would like to see in Christian fiction?

Bookish Question #387 | Is there a location you would like to see in Christian fiction?

This is a tough question!

(But not for the reason you might think.)

Most Christian fiction is set in the USA, so it stands to reason that I would look at locations outside the continental USA, or further afield.

So I started running through other places I’d like to see in Christian fiction … but I can actually think of books with those settings.

Let’s list a few:

Italy is the setting for at least some of the story in each of the books in the multi-author A Tuscan Legacy series.

Athens, Greece, is the setting for Athens Ambuscade by Kristen Joy Wilks. (Actually, check out the entire Passport to Romance series.)

Elizabeth Musser has set many of her novels in her adopted country of France, including This Promised Land and the upcoming From the Valley We Rise.

Michael Phillips is an older author, but set his Secret of the Rose in Poland and Germany.

Nadine Brandes set Romanov in pre-Revolution Russia.

Jeanette Windle set several books in South America, including Crossfire (Bolivia) and The DMZ (Colombia).

Kimberly Duffy has a Dreams of India trilogy set during the Raj.

Milla Holt has several international settings, including Uganda (Falling for the Foe) and her Seasons of Faith series, set in Norway.

Going Back Cold by Kelley Rose Waller is set in Antarctica!

And, of course, New Zealand features in Close to You by Kara Isaac.

The only location I can think of that I haven’t already read about is Iceland.

Jenny Erlingsson is from Iceland, so perhaps this is a location she can use as the setting for a future novel.

What about you? What location or locations would you like to read about in Christian fiction?

I am, by nature, a leaver. Once a relationship, job, or any other arrangement requiring commitment gets to be challenging, I fantasize about the next better thing I can dash off to.

Book Review | Here by Lydia Sohn

Part self-help and part memoir, Here is a short but powerful lesson on moving through life and attaining our goals in a traditional but possibly counter-cultural way.

One of the features of reading nonfiction, especially Christian nonfiction, is discovering more about how other people think about faith and God and living the Christian life. Some of the authors are like me; some are not.  Some of their ideas are familiar; some are not. Some of their ideas gel with me; some do not. But there is always something to ponder and learn, even when I thnk I have little in common wiht the writer.

Here by Linda Sohn is one such book. We have some things in common: we are both Christian women, working mothers, wives, and first-generation immigrants. We have differences: she lives in Los Angeles; I live in New Zealand. She is a Methodist minister; I am an evangelical turned Baptist. She describes herself as a leaver; I do not.  Sohn says:

I am, by nature, a leaver. Once a relationship, job, or any other arrangement requiring commitment gets to be challenging, I fantasize about the next better thing.

That alone makes us very different. But it’s in that difference we can learn … and possibly change our beliefs and resulting actions to become more Christlike. Sohn suggest this is because we live in a world that values leaving over staying, pointing out that we have taken journeys to escape the present or move. There is a longstanding belief that leaving one’s hometown is a marker of success and moving up in the world. Sohn points out this restlessness, this desire to leave because of external satisfaction, is not unusual.

Sohn’s premise is than instead of wondering where we should go next when we get restless, we should ask different questions:

What is it within me leading to dissatisfaction?
What can I change within myself that will influence the larger situation?

Here is a statement of the power of staying where we are planted, the self-discipline that requires when all we want to do is leave, and an examination of a range of Christian spiritual disciplines. She also points out that these disciplines will lead to our transformation … so we can change even while remaining here (wherever “here” may be).

Here is a quiet yet compelling book, one that encourages us to explore a range of spiritual practices, including meditation and prayer, spending time in nature, expressing gratitude, spiritual contemplation (reading the Bible), self-reflection, and communal worship.

It’s a book that’s packed full of wisdom. Wisdom Sohn herself has gleaned over the years. Wisdom from spiritual giants of the past. Wisdom from not-so-spiritual giants of today. You won’t agree with everything she says, but it will make you think. And it could inspire you to decide to make a change for good.

Thanks to Convergent Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Here

A Spirituality of Staying in a Culture of Leaving

A contemplative guide to finding satisfaction right where you are, by understanding what it is within us that leads to dissatisfaction and creating long-lasting fulfillment—inspired by the ancient Christian tradition of Benedictine stability.

Here: A Spirituality of Staying in a Culture of Leaving by Lydia SohnLydia Sohn was a serial burn-it-down-and-make-a-fresh-start girl until, when in her late twenties, she encountered the Rule of St. Benedict with its vow of stability, and her world was transformed. Sohn took a pause to consider what she wanted out of life—identity, purpose, community—and had a lightbulb moment: Everything she needed to live the life she desired was already within her reach.

Here pushes back against our age of constant reinvention and the cultural message that we should do whatever it takes to get wherever we want to go. Instead, Sohn’s message is the opposite: stay. Stay and cultivate the immense potential and beauty that currently lies dormant within your circumstances.

Sohn understands the allure of nomadism. A nomadic life would protect us from the stress of relational conflicts that inevitably arise when we’re caught in the intricate web of commitments. But the restlessness, FOMO, and disappointment we’re trying to escape always come along for the journey. That’s because they’re not the result of our circumstances; they reside within us.

Braiding personal narrative and spiritual reflection, Here inspires readers to both embrace and transform their circumstances through commitment and stability—in order that they might find true contentment right where they are.

Find Here online at:

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About Lydia Sohn

Rev. Lydia Sohn is a United Methodist minister, currently serving as senior pastor of Walnut United Methodist Church, and a writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Christian Century, among other venues. She lives in Claremont, California with her husband and three children.

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That's the beauty of traditions. Even if everything else changes, some things stay the same.

Book Review | What Not to do on Vacation by Rachel McGee

What Not to do on Vacation is part romance and part women’s fiction. On the outside, it’s the story of three sisters reuniting for a reenactment of the childhood summer holidays in Sunnyside, Florida.

But nothing goes according to plan …

Cora arrives with no luggage. Bianca and Savannah each arrive with news, although while Bianca is delighted to share that she’s engaged to a man she’s been online dating for five weeks and has never met in real life, Savannah keeps her news a secret.

In what seems perfectly logical in a way only a rom-com can be logical, Bianca persuades the very single Cora to sign up for SoulMate, the AI matchmaker app she used to find Zander, her now-fiance. The app sets Cora up with local hotel chain heir Jax Verona, who isn’t interested in a relationship that goes past two dates except for when a much-wanted promotion is dangled in front of him.

The characters are relatable, if a little cliche: Savannah, the responsible perfectionist oldest sister. Cora, the hardworking middle sister who sometimes resents both her sisters. Bianca, the flighty youngest sister who doesn’t know what she wants from life (and whose sisters don’t believe her when she claims she’s found The Answer).

The book description discloses the plot is partly based on 10 Things I Hate About You (which is based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew), although I felt it was more like How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days (which isn’t officially based on The Taming of the Shrew but has some strong parallels). As with It’s All Relative, the names do give away the underlying plot: Bianca, Jax Verona, and the Padua hotel group.

The story doesn’t have any kind of faith element, which (unfortunately, if you ask me) is becoming more and more common with Thomas Nelson, the flagship imprint of Harper Collins Christian Publishing.

Having said that, there was no bad language, no violence, nothing that went against Christian principles, and only a couple of kissing scenes. The characters are best described as wholesome.

Yet there is surprising depth and character growth

… particularly given the story has three viewpoint characters (four, if you count a couple of scenes from Jax’s point of view). Each character has learned something by the end of the story, which makes for a satisfying read.

Recommended for fans of sweet and Christian contemporary romance from authors such as Tara Grace Ericson, Sarah Monzon, Courtney Walsh.

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

About Rachel McGee

Rachel McGeeRachel Magee writes rom-coms and women’s fiction with relatable characters, witty dialogue, and plenty of happily-ever-afters. Her stories are usually set in fun, sunny locations where she doesn’t mind spending lots of time ‘researching’. When she’s not out scouting the setting of her next book, you can find her at home in The Woodlands, Texas with her amazing husband and their two adventurous kids.

Find Rachel McGee online at:

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About What Not to Do on Vacation

Savannah is on a mission to reconnect the Prestly sisters the best way she knows how: reliving their carefree childhood summers at the beach. She’s booked the same beach house, convinced her sisters to take the month off, and even made a bucket list to fit in all their favorite coastal fun. It’s going to be perfect . . . or else. (And if planning this trip has anything to do with a certain secret she’s hiding . . . well, let’s not dwell on that.) Sun, sand, and some sisterly bonding–what could possibly go wrong?

Enter Bianca, the baby of the family, with a huge announcement: she’s getting married! And her sisters’ reactions are . . . not exactly what she hoped for. But Bianca is on a mission to prove that she’s not the mess they think she is. Her grand plan? To find love for Cora, her perpetually single sister, on the same dating app where she found her fiancé. The stakes? A bet that if Cora can’t find her ‘One’ on the app, Bianca will call off her engagement. A challenge Bianca is all too ready to tackle head-on, even if it means a little conniving. Cora’s about to get swept off her feet, whether she likes it or not!

Meanwhile, Cora is rolling her eyes so hard they might get stuck. Love is a fairy tale for other people, not her. As she’s filling out her dating profile, she thinks–nope, she knows–it’ll be easy to show her sisters just how absurd this whole love thing is. So what if this Jax guy Cora just matched with is Hemsworth-brother hot? And, if his messages could be believed, maybe even slightly charming? None of this is real, anyway–love just doesn’t come easily Cora. And she’s getting ready to prove it. She’s got this under control.

(Spoiler alert: nothing is under control.)

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I thought college was supposed to fill my mind with knowledge about the world ... so far it's been more about learning the rules of this alternate universe.

Book Review | Anything (Mayberry University #1) by Kristina Welch

Anything is the story of Kit Talbot and Levi Whitaker, freshman and upperclassman at Mayberry University, a small Christian university in Texas. Kit is determined to stay well away from boys after her last relationship ended badly. Very badly – PTSD badly. But Levi, for some unknown reason, is determined to befriend and pursue her, even after she makes it clear that she’s not looking for a relationship.

Levi is one of the most popular guys on campus, which gives Anything a familiar feel–after all, there is any number of young adult and new adult romances where the popular guy pursues the girl who isn’t interested in him (or the disinterested girl is pursued by the hottest guy in town).

The setting of a Christian university gives the story a different spin.

The beginning was a little confusing as Kit settles into her new environment, learning the names and nicknames of her fellow students and all the unspoken rules of a close-knit college community where everyone seems to live on campus. Kit is a serious Christian, one who continually prays and reads and quotes her Bible, and listens for God’s voice. It isn’t immediatley obvious, but Levi is the same. Even in Christian romance, it’s unusual to read a story where God is this important to the main characters.

The other aspect of anything that lifted it above the norm was the approach to romance. While Levi is clearly interested in Kit from the get-go, Kit’s emotions are more complicated. As a result, their romance is very much based on emotions rather than any physical manifestation, while still having all the romantic tension. I was especially impressed by the way Levi saw the real Kit behind her boundaries and continued to pursue her, all the while remaining within whatever boundaries she set and was comfortable with.

The result is an unexpectedly romantic Christian romance that touches on some serious issues. Anything is the first book in The Mayberry University series. I’m intrigued to see where the series goes next.

Recommended for readers looking for a God-centered young adult Christian romance.

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

About Kristina Welch

Kristina Welch

 

When Kristina Welch isn’t adventuring around the world with her husband and three little blondies, she’s home near Denver, Colorado. She thrives on date nights, forest hikes, and peanut butter cookies. Her days include half-homeschooling her kids, thrifting for treasures, regretting DIY home projects, and babbling to Jesus wherever she is.

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About Anything

Two guarded hearts. He’s breaking down walls and she’s building them higher–
A match made in Heaven, or a blueprint for disaster?

After the fiery downward spiral of senior year, Kit Talbot crash-lands on a quirky college campus where traditions rule and dorm floors act more like family. It’s just weird enough to keep her mind off the wreckage she’s leaving behind.

Enter Levi Whitaker, known as the swooniest guy on campus. Magnetic, confident, and far too much like the ex who sent her life into that PTSD-tainted nosedive. Levi seems to be everywhere, focused on her like she’s the only girl in the world–even indulging her sugar addiction with delivered treats. But Kit’s self-preservation instincts are sharper than ever, and she deflects him like Wonder Woman blocking bullets.

That is, until Levi’s quiet faith and humble apology start to break down Kit’s defenses. He loves Jesus in the dreamiest way, looks like wow, and … somehow triggers the flashbacks she fights so hard to avoid. Every minute with him is a risk she isn’t sure she should take. Should she protect them both from the chaos of her life or learn a bravery that feels irresponsible?

As Kit fights to keep her life safe and manageable, she leans into her faith, clinging to the Bible verses God whispers to her heart. Clearly, he’s up to something, but the healing she prays for isn’t happening the way she wants.

Why is God silent on the prayer she needs most?

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Book Review | Every Hour until Then (Timeless #5) by Gabrielle Meyer

Every Hour Until Then is the fifth book in the Timeless series, in which the narrator lives in two different time periods at once … but will soon reach an age where she has to choose which time to live in permanently.

In 1888, Kathryn Kelly is the oldest daughter of an esteemed London surgeon. In 1938, she is a historian working on a display featuring the crimes of Jack the Ripper … and has recently learned her sister in 1888 will become the Ripper’s last victim.

The beginning of the story had a couple of instances of stating the obvious, but once I got into the story I couldn’t put it down. Kathryn was trying to solve the same mystery in two timelines and it made for compelling reading.

The mystery of Jack the Ripper has never been solved. His killing spree stopped as suddenly as it started, and history has yet to workout why. This, of course, means we’re never quite sure if Kathryn will succeed in her quest in either timeline.

Meyer does an excellent job of developing an imaginative yet believable solution.

Kathryn meets many of the key figures of the day in the 1938 portion of the story, and they represent the disparate views of the growth of Hitler’s Third Reich. One of the benefits of historical fiction is the ability to use the events of yesteryear to speak into the events of today, and Every Hour Until Then draws some subtle yet strong parallels between the rise of Hitler and modern politics.

(I also have The Collector of Burned Books by Roseanna M White on my to-read pile, which I expect to show more parallels. Let’s not forget the old saying about burning books and burning people. As Christians, this should bother us. It should bother us a lot, because destroying books is about destroying ideas and the right to think and live and worship in the way we want.)

I don’t think appeasing Hitler is the answer. He’s a bully, and nothing is ever good enough for bullies. They take and take until someone stops them.

While this is a Christian romance, the Christian element isn’t as strong as in some of the earlier books because Kathryn likes to be the one in control. Yes, that means she has a lesson to learn …

Recommended for fans of the Timeless series and historical Christian romance.

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

About Gabrielle Meyer

Gabrielle Meyer

Gabrielle lives on the banks of the Upper Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing historical and contemporary novels inspired by real people, places, and events. The river is a constant source of inspiration for Gabrielle, and if you look closely, you will find a river in each of her stories.

When Gabrielle is not writing, you might find her homeschooling her children, cheering them on at sporting and theatrical events, or hosting a gathering at her home with family and friends.

Find Gabrielle Meyer online at:

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About Every Hour until Then

Every Hour until ThenGifted with the ability to time-cross between Victorian-era London and World War II Washington, DC, Kathryn faces two lives fraught with danger. In 1938 amid the looming shadow of war, Kathryn is invited to the London Museum as a guest curator to create a groundbreaking exhibit on Jack the Ripper and his reign of terror. As she delves into her grim research, she uncovers a chilling truth: Her own sister is destined to become the Ripper’s final victim decades earlier.

In 1888, in a race against fate, Kathryn is assisted by her handsome childhood friend in hunting down history’s most elusive killer. As they unravel the threads of mystery woven through time, Kathryn must decide if she’ll unmask the murderer history has chosen to hide, forfeiting a life with the man she loves to save her sister.

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Her husband may have been the Golden Child, but Josh was the unsung hero.

Book Review | Summer of You and Me by Denise Hunter

It’s coming up to the fifth anniversary of Ethan’s death and his widow, Maggie, is finally past the grief.

At least, until she sees Ethan’s dead ringer at the carnival …

Ethan’s younger brother, Josh, has been in love with Maggie since they met as teens, although he’s never told her (oh, I love a good unrequited romance, especially when he fell first). They’ve remained good friends, so Josh is the first person Maggie tells about Ethan’s doppelganger, and the two work together to find him.

Because what if the Army was wrong, and Ethan didn’t die?

It’s a great setup, and there were a few unexpected twists in the story, which were excellent. We read romance for the predictable ending, but I always love it when the story is able to surprise me – and The Summer of You and Me certainly achieved that element of surprise.

I also loved Maggie’s journey as a character. her father left when she was a child (and having met her mother, this is exactly zero surprise). Her husband died (through no fault of his own).

But both losses have left her scarred and afraid to love again.

What she doesn’t realise (and which is evident to the reader from early on) is that Josh has always loved her, and his endless super-short-term relationships were his attempts to get over her. (Why do men think like that? Women would buy a dog, or a cat.)

My one possible complaint is that The Summer of You and Me is yet another example of Thomas Nelson’s slow but subtle shift from Christian fiction publisher with an emphasis on Christian, to fiction that barely mentions God (although also avoiding any other content that a Christian might find objectionable). The only mentions of God could have been prayers, but they could also have been nonChristians taking the Lord’s name in vain.

Despite that, it’s an excellent and well-written story that engaged me from the start. Recommended for contemporary romance fans.

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

About Denise Hunter

Denise HunterDenise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 30 books, including “The Convenient Groom” and “A December Bride” which have been made into Hallmark movies. She has appeared on the The 700 club and won awards such as The Holt Medallion Award, The Carol Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist.

Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories. Her readers enjoy the vicarious thrill of falling in love and the promise of a happily-ever-after sigh as they savor the final pages of her books.

In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she’s been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking good coffee, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband raised three boys and are currently enjoying an empty nest.

Find Denise Hunter online at:

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About The Summer of You and Me

Maggie Reynolds is finally ready for love again—until the past shows up in the form of someone who may or may not be the late husband she thought she’d lost.

Five years after her husband’s death, Maggie is finally ready to let go of him and the dreams she had for their future. A summer at Seabrook, where she and Ethan first became childhood sweethearts, seems the perfect time and place to find closure. Plus, she gets to spend time with his family, the Reynoldses, whom she loves like her own.

Unbeknownst to Maggie, her brother-in-law, Josh Reynolds, has been in love with her since they first met all those years ago. But his brother ultimately won Maggie’s heart, and Josh’s unrequited love has ruined all his relationships. If Maggie is ready to move on, then Josh is ready to lay it all on the line and come clean about his true feelings for her.

But his plans soon get put on hold when, shortly after Maggie returns to Seabrook, she runs into a man who could pass for Ethan’s twin. But he disappears into the amusement park crowd before she can confront him.

The event rattles Maggie, stirs up impossible questions, and sends Josh and her on a quest to discover the man’s true identity. But their search ends up raising more questions than answers—and soon Maggie isn’t sure she wants those answers after all.

Find The Summer of You and Me online at:

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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.

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