Tag: 2025 Release

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #395 |The Backpack Bride by Dulcie Dameron

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 Backpack Bride, a modern marriage of convenience story by new-to-me author Dulcie Dameron. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Social media is only good for two things.

 

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

 

About The Backpack Bride

Marry a stranger, adopt my nephew. Sounds easy enough…right?

The Backpack BrideRoxy:

After my brother’s untimely death, I’m left brokenhearted and fighting for a teenage nephew who doesn’t seem to care whether he’s out on the streets or tucked into bed at night.

Maybe I’m not the most responsible person to raise Axel, but I’m all he has left. I would do anything, even sacrifice my future, in order to gain permanent custody of him. Which is why I take Christian Price up on his crazy offer.

But I never could have known that agreeing to a marriage of convenience with my hot billionaire boss would also satisfy my year-long crush on the biker boy of my dreams.

Christian:

Aside from my online alter ego, all I’ve ever wanted to do was take over the family business. So why, when that goal is finally within reach, does my dad slap me with some manipulative bogus contract?

No loving father in his right mind would tell his overqualified son that he can’t inherit their family’s legacy until he’s settled down with a wife and gives proof that he’s committed to providing an heir to pass the company on to someday.

Then I find the solution herself crying in the supply room at work, and everything falls into place. There’s just one complication: my contractual marriage to Roxy quickly turns into way more than I bargained for…and something I don’t think I can give up.

Find The Backpack Bride 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!

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:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

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.

Find Lydia Sohn online at:

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First Line Friday

First Line Friday #393 | My Achy Broken Heart by Meredith Resce

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m currently writing my third Trinity Lakes romance, which means I’m reading some of the earlier books to remind myself what the other inhabitants of Trinity Lakes have been up to. It’s called research, right?

Today I’m sharing from My Achy Broken Heart by Meredith Resce, which released this week. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Lucy leaned back and sighed. Could life get any better than this?

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

 

About My Achy Broken Heart

How quickly things can change.

My Achy Broken HeartLast week Lucy was full of joy and hope, having finally met a Christian man who seemed to be crazy about her. One minute, she is full of heady passion and hope that a proposal is imminent—the next she is coming to terms with being alone, pregnant, and not understanding where he’s gone.

Her ‘dream’ man has turned into a nightmare, hiding behind his status as a worship pastor in a large church and his influential parents, denying he’s ever had anything to do with Lucy. And she’s fully aware that she’s stepped way outside her own moral boundaries—a fact that is being ruthlessly thrown in her face from some of the people she’d expect to have supported her. Only her close family are willing to stand by her in this difficult time. But the pressure is so great she decides to fly Downunder to visit her brother in Australia.

Will Phillips has finally found some hope after having lost the family farm and his long-term relationship. The small-town pastor, Caleb Kennedy, is proving himself to be not only a spiritual mentor, but a good mate. And then his sister arrives from the States. She’s attractive and seems nice, but he’s not interested in starting a new relationship—still smarting from the last one.

But she seems sad, and Will’s caring side wonders why, despite himself. When he finds Lucy on the side of the road after an accident, he finds out her secret and all of his intentions to stay distant seem to have disappeared.

A small town, romance that spans to both sides of the globe. Reconnect with Caleb and Alanah, and Matt and Arianne from earlier stories in the Trinity Lakes Romance series.

Find My Achy Broken 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!

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.)

Find What Not to Do on Vacation online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

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

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #392 | The Dating Game by Heather Miekstyn

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 Dating Game by new-to-me author Heather Miekstyn. I’ve just downloaded the sample after seeing it recommended in an author newsletter, and if the rest of the sample is like this opening line, it’s going to be a one-click buy (and devour).

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Whoever said knowledge is power obviously forgot to factor in anxiety.

 

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

 

About The Dating Game

Love does not dishonor others … supposedly.

Whoever said knowledge is power obviously forgot to factor in anxiety.Brooke Garza only made a dating bet in an effort to help her widowed best friend Sydney find love again. All she had to do was prove that she could date the same guy for three months, then bam! Sydney would have to go on three first dates of Brooke’s choosing. But when a karaoke duet with a near stranger gets out of hand, her boyfriend—and the subject of the aforementioned bet—breaks up with her, leaving her at the mercy of Sydney. In a faux display of magnanimity, Sydney offers her a bet redo— on one condition: she gets to pick Brooke’s next boyfriend.

Enter Will Barrett, her karaoke partner. Correction: her very attractive karaoke partner. Dating him for a couple of months might not be so bad…or will it?

Because Will doesn’t seem to be the same magnetic guy she danced and sang with onstage. He’s self-centered, inconsiderate, and sort of a slob. Brooke is no longer sure she can last a week as his girlfriend, let alone three months.

As for Will…well, he might just be playing a dating game of his own. Of course, games for two usually end with both players losing their hearts.

 

Find The Dating Game 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.

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!

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.

Find Kristina Welch online at:

Website | Instagram | Pinterest

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?

Find Anything online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

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

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:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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.

Find Every Hour until Then online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

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

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #390 | If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair

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 If All Else Sails, a grumpy-sunshine hockey rom-com from marketing guru and indie author Emma St. Clair, her first traditionally published book.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

I am standing outside of what could best be described as a quaint little murder cottage, wondering if, instead of going on vacation with my brother, I’m about to die.

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

 

About If All Else Sails

In this enemies-to-lovers romance, school nurse Josie and her brother’s best friend–hockey player Wyatt Jacobs–are tricked into spending a summer together that’s anything but smooth sailing.

When Josie’s brother sends her to a random address for their (sometimes) annual Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza, she finds neither siblings nor extravaganzas. Instead, ends up at a run-down cottage on the Northern Neck of Virginia occupied by a hockey player she knows and loathes.

A hockey player who isn’t just one of her sports agent brother’s clients. He’s also his best friend. And Josie’s sworn enemy.

Oh–and her brother wants Josie to help Wyatt recover from his injury.

Dragging grumpy hockey players to physical therapy is a far cry from bandaging skinned knees, but for the price her brother offers to pay, Josie is willing to try.

Even if it means sharing what she dubs the quaint little murder cottage with Wyatt.

Find If All Else Sails 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!

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:

Website | Facebook

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:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

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

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #389 | Anything by Kristina Welch

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 Anything, from debut author Kristina Welch. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Safe to say a low-drama life of voracious reading didn’t prepare me for the harsh reality that developing curves could lead to terrified sobbing in a gas station bathroom.

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

 

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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