Category: First Line Friday

5 December 2025

First Line Friday #412 | Prelude for a Lord by Camille Elliot

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from Prelude for a Lord by Camille Elliot. This is the first of her Regency romances I’ve read, but I remember enjoying her contemporary romances (written as Camy Tang).

Here’s the first line from Chapter One:

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

About Prelude for a Lord

An awkward young woman. A haunted young man. A forbidden instrument. Can the love of music bring them together . . . or will it tear them apart?

Bath, England—1811

At twenty-eight, Alethea Sutherton is past her prime for courtship; but social mores have never been her forté. She might be a lady, but she is first and foremost a musician.

In Regency England, however, the violin is considered an inappropriate instrument for a lady. Ostracized by society for her passion, Alethea practices in secret and waits for her chance to flee to the Continent, where she can play without scandal.

But when a thief’s interest in her violin endangers her and her family, Alethea is determined to discover the enigmatic origins of her instrument . . . with the help of the dark, brooding Lord Dommick.

Scarred by war, Dommick finds solace only in playing his violin. He is persuaded to help Alethea, and discovers an entirely new yearning in his soul.

Alethea finds her reluctant heart drawn to Dommick in the sweetest of duets . . . just as the thief’s desperation builds to a tragic crescendo . . .

Find Prelude for a Lord online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

28 November 2025

First Line Friday #411 | Risking His Heart by Emily Conrad

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from Risking His Heart by Emily Conrad, another standalone romance in the multi-author Christmas in Redemption Ridge series.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Risking His Heart

Falling for her best friend is not on her (forced, way-too-early, medical) retirement bucket list.

Career-driven cop Neenah Casper is forced by an injury to turn in her badge at age thirty-two. The same day she’s named guardian of an orphaned fifteen-year-old girl. With all her plans in pieces, it’s no wonder she starts feeling more than friendship for her supportive best friend Cody. But life’s taught her nothing lasts forever, and surely these feelings will pass once she finds a new life’s purpose.

Though Neenah friend-zoned him years ago, Officer Cody Adams has never stopped watching her back and hoping for more. Helping with her new ward could be just the opportunity to show her how much more he could be. Meanwhile, he’s also fighting to earn a promotion and impress his unpleasable police chief father by catching a home burglar and a Christmastime prankster. Neenah’s newly minted neighborhood watch might help him save Christmas and earn the job, if only the group didn’t bring complications of its own.

As Neenah and Cody wrangle octogenarian vigilantes, Christmas bandits, and complicated families, the chemistry between them only grows. But if they act on it, they won’t be able to go back. With their friendship and careers on the line, is love worth the risk?

Find Risking His Heart online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

21 November 2025

First Line Friday #410 | Old Town Symphony by Milla Holt

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from Old Town Symphony by Milla Holt, the sequel to Home Town Melody and Small Town Harmony, both of which I loved.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Old Town Symphony

He created stars. She became his universe.

Kezia Blair believes true talent shouldn’t need shortcuts. But after years of singing backup and recording anonymous jingles, her shot at a real music career is slipping away. When a last-ditch audition lands her on Starbound, TV’s biggest reality show, Kezia faces a painful choice: chase stardom on someone else’s terms—or walk away for good.

Zach Falconer created Starbound to launch fresh talent—not get tangled up with it. Burned by a fame-hungry ex, he’s determined to protect his show from scandal and his heart from pain.

But Kezia’s passion, honesty, and refusal to play the game shake his carefully controlled world. And the deeper their connection grows, the harder it becomes to protect the lines between love, loyalty, and career.

In an industry where image is everything, can they hold onto what matters most… or will success cost them the truth—and each other?

A soulful, slow-burn Christian romance about integrity, ambition, and the price of staying true.

Find Old Town Symphony online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

14 November 2025

First Line Friday #409 | It’s Always Been You by Sara Beth Williams

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from the newest novel in the Trinity Lakes Romance series, It’s Always Been You by Sara Beth Williams.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About It’s Always Been You

She’d always been the still mountain beneath his changing skies. He was a fool for thinking he could stay away.

After suffering severe burns, avid outdoorsman Jesse Hernandez faces a long recovery, and the longer it takes, the more he questions his purpose in life. Seeking solace, he returns to the hills above Trinity Lakes to settle his late grandfather’s property, but soon finds himself torn between family pressure to sell and his longing to hold on to the only place that felt like home.

Renee Somers has spent her life fighting to be seen. As a master’s student and after-school program director living with a growth hormone deficiency, she’s used to being underestimated. But she finds rejection stings most when it comes from those she highly respected.

When a sudden blizzard traps Renee and her friends on a lonely mountain road. She never expects her rescuer to be the childhood friend who once promised he’d always look out for her. As they reconnect and unexpected attraction surfaces, both must confront past wounds and buried secrets that threaten to pull them apart.

With family tensions rising and harbored secrets revealed, Jesse must decide whether to cling to the past, or embrace the future God has been preparing all along.

Find It’s Always Been You online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

7 November 2025

First Line Friday #408 | The Rules of Falling for You by Mollie Rushmeyer

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from The Rules of Falling for You by Mollie Rushmeyer, a new-to-me author with what looks like a fun contemporary romance with Pride and Prejudice vibes.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About The Rules of Falling for You

She thought she knew the rules of love. Turns out, love makes its own.

The perfect match can’t be far–certainly not at a Regency-themed singles’ retreat–or so podcaster Zoe Dufour believes. After years of creating content for her relationship podcast inspired by Regency etiquette and era-appropriate rules for romance, she knows her listeners have anticipated this retreat. But she also attends with expectations of her own: finding the ideal modern-day gentleman who can meet every one of the non-negotiables on her checklist.

Harrison Lundquist, Zoe’s podcast producer and best friend’s brother, reluctantly agrees to tag along on the retreat to capture footage while seeking a career-advancing promotion. He views the retreat as ridiculous. And Zoe’s methods for finding her real-life Mr. Darcy? Downright absurd!

But as he films her whirlwind dates, his growing feelings for her are sidelined by suitors vying for her attention. When Zoe realizes her checklist for the man of her dreams might be holding her back, she must decide if she’s willing to rewrite her rules and take a chance on the person who has been there all along.

Find The Rules of Falling for You online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

24 October 2025

First Line Friday #407 | Hearts in Circulation (Checking out Love #2) by Sarah Monzon

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. My pick is Hearts in Circulation by Sarah Monzon.

I loved An Overdue Match, the first book in Sarah Monzon’s Hearts in Circulation series, so I’m looking forward to getting into Hearts in Circulation.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

(And yes, dubiety is a real word.)

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

About Hearts in Circulation

Can a rundown bookmobile be the vehicle that brings two unlikely hearts together?

Little Creek’s bookmobile is more of a death trap on wheels than a vehicle of literary delights, and circulation librarian Hayley Holt is afraid it’s going to careen down a mountainside with her in it. Yet she sees it as a way to serve her community and be worthy of the liver transplant that saved her life as a child. However, her fears come true when the bookmobile breaks down and a rockslide traps her in the small hollow of Turkey Grove.

Reclusive mechanic Levi Redding lives in tiny Turkey Grove to get away from people. He can handle getting the bookmobile running again, but the endless chatter and unsettling touches from the vibrant librarian leave him overstimulated. When forced proximity leads to a misunderstanding, a note of apology begins an epistolary friendship, proving that sometimes the happiest of endings aren’t contained within the bindings of a book.

Find Hearts in Circulation online at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

17 October 2025

First Line Friday #406 | Don’t Blink: 12 Inspirational Suspense Thrillers

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line.

I have been a Doctor Who fan for as long as I can remember, and one of the episodes that stays in my memory is Blink (the episode with Sally Sparrow and the Weeping Angels). Anyone who watches Doctor Who will know what I’m talking about, and will therefore understand why I knew I had to buy an anthology of Christian thrillers titled “Don’t Blink.”

I’m sharing the first line from the first story in the anthology, Love to Die For by Terry Toler:

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

About Don’t Blink

Get ready for twelve intense, edge-of-your-seat suspense thrillers in this collection from bestselling and award-winning Christian authors. From murder in a mansion to deadly chases in remote locations, each tale offers high-stakes action and heart-pounding drama, proving that hope and faith shine through even in the darkest moments.

Love to Die For by Critically Acclaimed Award-Winning Author Terry Toler

Paige Wells joined the hit reality dating show Love Only hoping to find romance. But when a fellow contestant is found dead in the mansion, Paige must uncover the truth before she’s sent home for good — not with a broken heart, but in handcuffs.

Silent Retribution by New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Cynthia Hickey

When a former student’s parent begins targeting third-grade teacher Heather Richardson, dark secrets from her past resurface, threatening her safety and the lives of those around her as she confronts a deadly pursuit fueled by blurred perceptions.

Queen Bee by Daphne du Maurier Award-Winning Author Heather Day Gilbert

When a violent windstorm traps Twila and her teen daughter at a remote mountain retreat, they’ll have to outwit an unhinged killer in order to survive.

Abandoned Into Darkness by Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author Jordyn Redwood

Blinded from an attack and abandoned in the Black Canyon by search and rescue, Isla Thorne must still flee a serial killer.

One of Us is Guilty by Illumination Christian Book Awards’ Silver Medalist Author Urcelia Teixeira

In the Florida Keys, a book club’s “perfect” murder plot becomes a deadly reality when one of their mutual enemies is found dead.

Gavin (A Durham Private Security Novella) by USA Today Bestselling Author Melanie D. Snitker

Ivy’s search for her missing brother leads her to Gavin, a former Army comrade, and a sinister plot that puts them both in danger.

Bento and Betrayal by USA Today Bestselling Author Camy Tang

Disgraced bodyguard September Wong is forced to team up with security consultant Isaac Noguchi in pursuit of the same criminals who ruined her career.

Unauthorized by Critically Acclaimed Bestselling Author Sherri Wilson Johnson

A budget analyst and an IT auditor must work together to save their Nashville organization from the clutches of an embezzler before both their lives are ruined.

Murder by Accident (A Miss Finch Prequel) by Critically Acclaimed Award-Winning Author Vikki Kestell

Miss Finch teaches a course at UCLA called The Forensics of a Traffic Accident. As it turns out, not all her case studies are the mishaps they’ve been labeled.

Guarded by Reader’s Favorite Award-Winning Author C.D. Gill

She doesn’t want a babysitter. He’ll do anything to get back to SWAT. Both are puppets in a bigger game.

Going Once, Going Twice by USA Today Bestselling Author Jan Thompson

When her four-year-old son is kidnapped, a stay-at-home mother reactivates her hidden skills to mount a rescue operation.

Deadly Pursuit by Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author Lynn Shannon

When a mysterious note links Texas Ranger Vikki Rodriguez to a young woman’s murder, she’s pulled into a perilous case that may cost her everything–including her life.

Find Don’t Blink online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

11 October 2025

First Line Friday #405 | When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer

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 (again) from When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer, the first novel in her Timeless series which is on sale for 99c on Kindle right now … so check it out if you haven’t read it!

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About When the Day Comes

How will she choose, knowing all she must sacrifice?

Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she’s the same person at her core in both times, she’s leading two vastly different lives.

In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives–and any hope of love–are put in jeopardy.

Libby’s life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about–women’s suffrage–is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters.

But Libby knows she’s not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other–but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?

Find When the Day Comes online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

22 August 2025

First Line Friday #404 | Dear Henry, Love Edith

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m sharing from Dear Henry, Love Edith, the debut novel from Becca Kinzer, which I found in my local library.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Dear Henry, Love Edith

He thinks she’s an elderly widow. She’s convinced he’s a grumpy old man. Neither could be further from the truth.

After a short and difficult marriage, recently widowed Edith Sherman has learned her lesson. Forget love. Forget marriage. She plans to fill her thirties with adventure. As she awaits the final paperwork for a humanitarian trip to South Africa, she accepts a short-term nursing position in a small Midwestern town. The last thing she needs is a handsome local catching her eye. How inconvenient is that?

Henry Hobbes isn’t exactly thrilled to have Edith, who he assumes is an elderly widow, dumped on him as a houseguest for the summer. But he’d do almost anything for his niece, who is practically like a sister to him given how close they are in age. Especially since Edith will be working nights and Henry works most days. When he and Edith keep missing each other in person, they begin exchanging notes―short messages at first, then longer letters, sharing increasingly personal parts of their lives.

By the time Henry realizes his mistake―that Edith is actually the brown-eyed beauty he keeps bumping into around town―their hearts are so intertwined he hopes they never unravel. But with her departure date rapidly approaching, and Henry’s roots firmly planted at home, Edith must ultimately decide if the adventure of her dreams is the one right in front of her.

Find Dear Henry, Love Edith online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

8 August 2025

First Line Friday #403 | It Shouldn’t Be You by Jessica Wakefield

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m sharing from It Shouldn’t Be You, the new release from Australian author Jessica Wakefield.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About It Shouldn’t Be You

To revive his stalled career, jaded journalist Declan Collins is assigned to cover the Hamiltons’ extravagant Christmas party—the same Hamiltons who are demolishing the community centre where Declan spent some of the best moments of his childhood.

Addey Bennet, the event planner behind the party, needs everything to go perfectly. Her business is on the line, and so is her chance to mend a strained relationship with her powerful parents—the ones footing the bill.

Neither of them expects the spark between them.

Addey never planned to fall for the man who resents everything her family stands for. Declan never imagined he’d be drawn to the Hamiltons’ daughter. But as tensions rise and emotions deepen, their unexpected connection could cost them everything they’ve worked for—and maybe even a shot at love.

Find It Shouldn’t Be You online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.