Category: First Line Friday

26 November 2021

First Line Friday | Week #213 | Healing Skye by Janet W Ferguson

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Healing Skye by Janet W Ferguson, the latest in her Coastal Hearts series (don’t worry: it’s a standalone so you don’t have to read the earlier novels first).

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Healing Skye

People can’t be trusted.

Animals always made more sense than humans did to marine biologist Skye Youngblood. After her mother’s suicide, she left Alabama and never looked back. These days, she pours her heart into protecting nature’s sea creatures. When she returns to Dauphin Island, Alabama, for a temporary manatee migration study, her dark past is much too close. She can’t let her guard down. But how can she keep her heart hidden when a kind man with a genuine smile makes her want a fresh start?

Charter fishing pays the bills for widower Pete Thompson and his little girl, but like his father, a pastor, Pete can’t help but fish for men. Only, after growing up under constant scrutiny as a preacher’s kid, Pete’s ways are a bit more unconventional. And the bulk of his life revolves around raising his precious daughter.

When he witnesses the car wreck of a new marine biologist on the island, it doesn’t take a genius to see that more than just her physical pain needs tending. Pete feels called to help Skye find true healing, but he’s navigating dangerous waters. And he’s not at all sure he’ll walk away unscathed.

You can find Told You So online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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!

19 November 2021

First Line Friday | Week 212 | Every Word Unsaid by Kimberly Duffy

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Every Word Unsaid by Kimberly Duffy, which is mostly set in India. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

I’ve read both Kimberly Duffy’s previous books and they were excellent. I’m looking forward to reading Every Word Unsaid and “visiting” India.

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

About Every Word Unsaid

Augusta Travers has spent the last three years avoiding the stifling expectations of New York society and her family’s constant disappointment. As the nation’s most fearless–and reviled–columnist, Gussie travels the country with her Kodak camera and spins stories for women unable to leave hearth and home. But when her adventurous nature lands her in the middle of a scandal, an opportunity to leave America offers the perfect escape.

Arriving in India, she expects only a nice visit with childhood friends, siblings Catherine and Gabriel, and escapades that will further her career. Instead, she finds herself facing a plague epidemic, confusion over Gabriel’s sudden appeal, and the realization that what she wants from life is changing. But slowing down means facing all the hurts of her past that she’s long been trying to outrun. And that may be an undertaking too great even for her.

You can find Every Word Unsaid online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

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

12 November 2021

First Line Friday #211 | A Promise to Remember by Kathryn Cushman

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from A Promise to Remember by Kathryn Cushman, another new-to-me author. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About A Promise to Remember

When a car accident kills two teens from opposite sides of the tracks, the aftermath threatens to tear a community apart. On one side, Melanie Johnston–a grieving single mother–is convinced her son will be forgotten. On the other is Andie Phelps, a reserved woman who retreats even further into herself with grief.

Readers’ emotions are torn between these two sympathetic characters as each fights her way through grief and pain–sometimes wisely and sometimes with choices that have the power to divide family, church, and even their small, sea-side town.

You can find A Promise to Remember online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

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

5 November 2021

First Line Friday #210 | A Flicker of Light by Katie Powner

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from A Flicker of Light by Katie Powner, a family saga from a new-to-me Christian author. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Doesn’t that make you want to keep reading?

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

About A Flicker of Light

For generations, the Jensens have raised their families in the small Montana town of Moose Creek, where gossip spreads faster than the wind. Yet some secrets need to be told.

When twenty-one-year-old Bea discovers she’s pregnant on the heels of her husband losing his job, she’s forced to admit she needs help and asks her dad for a place to stay. But past resentments keep her from telling him all that’s going on.

Mitch Jensen is thrilled to have a full house again, though he’s unimpressed with Bea’s decisions: dropping out of college, marrying so young–and to an idealistic city kid, of all things. Mitch hopes to convince Bea to return to the path he’s always envisioned for her, but she’s changed since her mom died. And he refuses to admit how much he’s changed, too, especially now that he might be losing his mother as well.

Grandma June is good at spinning stories, but there’s one she’s never told. Now that her mind is starting to fade, her time to tell it is running out. But if she reveals the truth before her memories are gone forever, the Jensen family will never be the same.

You can find A Flicker of Light online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

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

29 October 2021

First Line Friday #209 | Tacos for Two by Betsy St Amant

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Tacos for Two by Betsy St Amant, which looks like a fun Christian rom-com. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About Tacos for Two

Rory Perez, a food truck owner who can’t cook, is struggling to keep the business she inherited from her aunt out of the red–and an upcoming contest during Modest’s annual food truck festival seems the best way to do it. The prize money could finally give her a solid financial footing and keep her cousin with special needs paid up at her beloved assisted living home. Then maybe Rory will have enough time to meet the man she’s been talking to via an anonymous online dating site.

Jude Strong is tired of being a puppet at his manipulative father’s law firm, and the food truck festival seems like the perfect opportunity to dive into his passion for cooking and finally call his life his own. But if he loses the contest, he’s back at the law firm for good. Failure is not an option.

Complications arise when Rory’s chef gets mono and she realizes she has to cook after all. Then Jude discovers that his stiffest competition is the same woman he’s been falling for online the past month.

Will these unlikely chefs sacrifice it all for the sake of love? Or will there only ever be tacos for one?

You can find Tacos for Two online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

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

22 October 2021

First Line Friday #208 | The Billionaire’s Secret by Meghann Whistler

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from The Billionaire’s Secret by Meghann Whistler, a new-to-me author. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About The Billionaire’s Secret

He’s a billionaire hiding a devastating diagnosis. She’ll do whatever it takes to help her sick, matchmaking mom. A freak accident throws them together, but will his big secret tear them apart?

When Ryan Lawson’s business partners force him to go on a wilderness retreat to come to terms with a shocking diagnosis, the last thing on Ryan’s mind is romance. But when he’s stranded in the woods with a sweet young event planner, all thoughts of business take a back seat to her girl-next-door appeal.

Fresh off a bad breakup, Zara Georgopoulos comes to Vermont to help her terminally ill mom work through her bucket list—not fall in love with a man who’s the exact opposite of her usual type. But when Ryan starts working his way into her heart with his kindness and generosity, she needs to make a decision: Trust the biotech billionaire not to walk all over her, or go back to guarding her heart.

Stuck in the wilds of Vermont, they forge a tenuous connection. When Ryan finally shares the truth about his illness, will it bring them closer together . . . or shatter Zara’s trust in him for good?

You can find Told You So online at

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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!

15 October 2021

First Line Friday | Week 207 | The Heart of Christmas from The Mosaic Collective

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Caught in the Act by Lisa Renee, a Christmas novella that’s just been released as part of The Heart of Christmas novella collection from the Mosaic Collective. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About The Heart of Christmas

“At Christmas, we always…”

And thus a tradition is born. The rituals stay the same, but if betrayal, illness, unfaithfulness, or tragedy strike, can cherished traditions survive?

When unexpected twists throw life out of kilter for the people in these stories, will beloved, time-honored customs lead them back to the heart of Christmas?

The Heart of Christmas: A Mosaic Christmas Anthology III

♥ Brenda S. Anderson

♥ Eleanor Bertin

♥ Sara Davison

♥ Chautona Havig

♥ Lisa Renée

♥ Lorna Seilstad

You can find The Heart of Christmas online at

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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 October 2021

First Line Friday | Week 206 | The Crystal Crypt by Fiona Veitch Smith

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from The Crystal Crypt, the sixth novel in the Poppy Denby Investigates series from British author Fiona Veitch Smith. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

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

About The Crystal Crypt

The 1920s most stylish sleuth returns in The Crystal Crypt for another thrilling murder mystery!

“But accidents can still happen… Perhaps there was something out of her control, something she couldn’t have foreseen…”
“Like someone plotting to kill her?”

In the city of dreaming spires, Poppy Denby is asked to investigate the mysterious death of an up-and-coming female scientist. But was it an accident or is something more sinister lurking in the shadows? And is Poppy the next target…

You can find The Crystal Crypt online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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!

1 October 2021

First Line Friday | Week 205 | Head Over Stilettos by Liwen Y Ho (from Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever After)

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Head Over Stilettos by Liwen Y Ho, another novella from the Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever After collection. Here’s the first line from Chapter One:

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

About Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever After

This sweet romcom collection contains 20 original humorous novellas from best-selling authors that are heartwarming, feel-good, and laugh out loud funny.

Between the pages, you’ll find tropes such as enemies to lovers, second chance romance, high school sweethearts, opposites attract, friends to lovers, fake dating, and more.

Your pre-order purchase of this anthology will benefit Pets for the Elderly with 100% pre-order profits donated to this amazing cause, connecting shelter animals with seniors.

Don’t miss this limited edition box set, featuring some of your favorite authors, that will leave you reeling with laughter:

Ellie Hall – An Unwanted Love Story | Summer Dowell – Her Plus One | Liwen Y. Ho – Head Over Stilettos

Meg Easton – Looking for Love | Rachael Eliker – Lassoed into Love | Sophie-Leigh Robbins – Take a Hike

Rachel John – Worst Neighbor Ever | Jennifer Griffith – Elevator Pitch | Cami Checketts – The Sassy One

Sarah Gay – Once Upon a Midnight Swim | Jennifer Youngblood – Cold Feet | Kimberly Krey – Five Days With My (Super Hot) Ex

Ellen Jacobson – Smitten with Candy Canes | Cindy Roland Anderson – Breaking All the Rules | Taylor Hart – Secret Wedding Date

Carina Taylor – Jude and the Matchmaking Llama | Gigi Blume – Baby You Can Drive My Car | Amy Sparling – Julie and the Fixer-Upper

Johanna Evelyn – I Think Maybe I Lied | Melanie Jacobson – The Backup Plan

You can find Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever After online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

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

24 September 2021

First Line Friday | Week 204 | Straight Up by Lisa Samson

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Straight Up by Lisa Samson, a book that’s been on my physical to-read pile for a while. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Well, that’s going to keep me reading!

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

About Straight Up

They are living lives they were never meant to live.

Georgia Bishop, a could-be jazz great, has thrown away her life, her marriage, and her talent for her drinking habit. Her cousin, Fairly Godfrey, is living the good life in New York but wonders if deeper meaning exists beyond the superficial world in which she finds herself.

It takes a Congo refugee, a soul food chef, a persistent husband, and one desperate night on the brink of freedom for Georgia and Fairly to realize how far they have come from their God-given purposes. When they face the most difficult choices of their lives, only the power of grace can bring them to true healing.

You can find Straight Up online at:

This was originally published in 2011, so you’re probably not going to be able to find a paper copy unless you’re in a second-hand bookstore or visiting a charity book sale (which is where I found my paper copy).

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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