Tag: Bethany House

I had tried to play the part of God, and He had showed me that no amount of striving, manipulation, or cajoling could alter His plans.

Book Review | Through Each Tomorrow (Timeless #6) by Gabrielle Meyer

Through Each Tomorrow is the sixth book in Gabrielle Meyer’s Timeless series, and reading it drove me to do something I haven’t done in years: re-read the entire series as soon as I’d finished reading it.

The Timeless series is a unique kind of time-travel.

The main characters each have a birthmark that means they live two lives at once until they are adults, at which point they have to choose which timeline to follow for the rest of their lives. The stories introduce us to each character shortly before they have to make that choice, giving the reader the ability to make the choice with them.

In Through Each Tomorrow, we meet Charles and Andrew/Drew, who both live in Queen Elizabeth’s England, and who also both live in Gilded Age America. The story doesn’t say the two are related, but I think they must be. It will be interesting to see if future stories in the series prove me right … or not.

Charles is a nobleman in the Queen’s court in 1563 and feels torn between his timelines: he needs to look after his unmarried stepsister in 1563, but also needs to work to support his widowed mother and sister-in-law in 1883.

In 1883, Drew is the rich son of a shipping magnate who wants to be a doctor but is expected to take over the family business. In 1563, he’s half in love with Cecily, Charles’s stepsister, but he’s only a groom so knows a relationship between them would be impossible. And, to make matters more complicated, the 1883 version of Charles meets and falls for Drew’s sister, Esther … another economically unsuitable match.

It’s not difficult to guess who each man will end up with, but as with any good romance, the fun is in the journey. What twists and turns will lead to the characters making the right decisions? What torture with the author put them through on their way to their happy endings?

Those who have read any of the Timeless series will definitely want to read Through Each Tomorrow.

There are several crossovers to other books in the series (and you’ll work out one as soon as you figure out Charles’s last name). These crossovers are like Easter eggs on DVDs, because it’s gratifying to make the connections no matter how long it takes, and it makes reading the stories much more satisfying. I suspect clarifying those connections was why I spent a happy few days re-reading the entire series.

What impresses me most about this series is the depth and authenticity of the research into each of the different timelines, the deep Christian faith shared by the main characters and the realistic way that is portrayed, and the way Gabrielle Meyer introduces a twist or two into each story to keep them fresh – in this one, having a male narrator.

Recommended for Christian historical romance fans, especially those who like something a little out of the ordinary.

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers 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.

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About Through Each Tomorrow

In 1883, Charles is a poor farmer desperate to secure financial stability for his mother and sister, as he is unsure which of his time-crossing paths he will choose on his twenty-fifth birthday. Posing as the Earl of Norfolk, he enters the opulent circles of Newport’s elite to assist a fellow time-crossing friend, Drew. But suspicions of his identity arise among the upper crust, and his encounters with Drew’s intriguing sister further complicate decisions that could impact a lifetime.

In 1563, Lady Cecily serves Queen Elizabeth while clinging to the hope that her stepbrother Charles will remain with her in this path. As the true Earl of Norfolk, Charles is deeply entangled in the deadly politics of the court. When he brings Drew, a physician in training, to Windsor Castle to help save the ailing monarch, old feelings for Drew rekindle in Cecily’s heart, but her love faces impossible odds under the strict rules of the crown. As their futures hang by a thread, Charles and Cecily race to prevent their web of secrets from unraveling and ensnaring them in an inescapable destiny.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About The Voice We Find

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

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

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

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About Nicole Deese

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

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Books are more than just paper and ink. They’re a portal leading to anywhere you ever wanted to go—heart, mind, or soul.

Book Review | An Overdue Match by Sarah Monzon

Librarian Evangeline Kelly has sworn off love since her fiancé dumped her after she was diagnosed with alopecia—in her case, total and permanent hair loss. She has now moved to a new town where no one knows her or her diagnosis, where she can start again. Evangeline meets Tai in the library after he returns a book full of dog-eared pages. Her librarian heart is appalled, then intrigued with the town bad boy and tattoo artist.

Tai is a fabulous hero.

Sure, his visible tattoos, penchant for wearing black, and constant flirting combine to give off a bad-boy impression, but first impressions aren’t necessarily correct. As the story progresses, we see his insight and his heart, and I loved the way he was able to show Evangeline respect and love in action.

I could see why Evangeline thought Tai was a bad boy, what with his black leather jacket and almost-unforgivable action of folding down the corners of library books. However, An Overdue Match is a lesson in not jumping to conclusions.

I could also see why Evangeline thought he was a flirt—she has such low self-esteem that she figured any man who flirted with her must flirt with every woman he sees. After all, who could possibly find her attractive? Her ex certainly hadn’t.

Evangeline was likeable, admirable, and a little annoying.

A hopeless romantic and rom-com fan, she decides that given she will never experience romance for herself, she will play matchmaker to the patrons of the library where she works. Her first attempted match almost becomes a spectacular failure when Tai tells her the man she is trying to match is already happily engaged. Oops.

An Overdue Match starts in first person point of view. My first thought was that annoys some readers, although I enjoy it. Somewhere close to halfway, I realised that while Evangeline’s scenes are written in first person, the scenes from Tai’s point of view were written in the more normal third person. I usually find the switch between first and third person point of view jarring, so well done to Sarah Monzon for making An Overdue Match such a compelling read that I didn’t even notice!

I also got to that halfway point before I realised that while I thought the story was contemporary Christian romance, there hadn’t been anything to point toward the Christian element of the romance. Sure, there hadn’t been any sex or swearing, but there also hadn’t been any references to church or faith or God. Rest assured, there is a lovely faith arc, although it doesn’t become apparent until well into the second half of the story.

Overall, An Overdue Match is a wonderful romance featuring a heroine with an embarrassing condition, and a hero who works it out and loves her anyway.

Recommended for fans of contemporary Christian romance and rom-coms.

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

About Sarah Monzon

Sarah MonzonA Carol award finalist and Selah award winner, Sarah Monzon is a stay-at-home mom who makes up imaginary friends to have adult conversations with (otherwise known as writing novels). As a navy chaplain’s wife, she resides wherever the military happens to station her family and enjoys exploring the beauty of the world around her.

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About An Overdue Match

Can a librarian’s matchmaking mischief lead to a love that rewrites their stories?

An Overdue Match by Sarah MonzonIf the covers of every romance book ever published didn’t convince librarian Evangeline Kelly that she isn’t heroine material, her fiancé calling off their wedding when she lost her hair to alopecia did. But what’s a girl head over heels for love to do when her feelings are unrequited? Matchmake, that’s what. Armed with library patrons’ check-out histories, she’s determined to make at least one love connection–even if it’s not her own.

Tattoo artist Tai Davis is used to people judging him with a single glance, so it doesn’t surprise him when the town’s quirky new librarian believes his bad-boy reputation without giving him a chance. He can’t help being intrigued by her, though, so when he discovers Evangeline’s secret matchmaking scheme, he’s not above striking a bargain with her. She just has to agree to one date with him for every time she uses his hometown knowledge to set up library patrons on a romantic rendezvous. The deal is made, but in the process, they both might learn you can’t judge a book–or each other–by the cover.

This is a sweet he-falls-first, opposites attract, matchmaker romantic comedy with disability representation. Perfect for fans of books about books and kisses-only romances.

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Book Review | All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes

All the Lost Places is a dual timeline novel made more complex by the fact the past timeline (1807) is partly quotes from a series of children’s books and partly narrative, with a very blurred line between what is part of the fictional stories and what is part of this story.

In the past timeline, baby Sebastien is rescued from the canals of Venice and raised by a ragtag bunch of adults – a lacemaker, a glassblower, a fisherman, and a printer. But Sebastien longs to knjow who he is.

In the more recent timeline (1907), Daniel Goodman knjows exactly who he is: a convicted theif who has served his prison sentence and now wants to make right with all his victims, including his mother. He takes a job as an artist and translator, which sends him to Venice, Italy, to draw the buildings and find and translate the final volume of a series of stories. The reader joins Daniel in his journey to sort fact from fiction as he translates the books and searches for the missing ending.

I loved the setting. The author brings Venice to life, skillfully mixing the story with the city’s history in an ongoing mix of literal and figurative, a literary writing style that felt more lyrical than most novels I read.

Unfortunately, I found the writing style and the complexity of the plot affected my appreciation of the story. I sometimes found myself losing the story and having to flick back a few pages to remind myself of what was supposed to be happening.

I do read fast, so perhaps that’s on me rather than on the book. My conclusion is that All the Lost Places is a book to read slowly and carefully, not one to rush through in an effort to find out whodunit or will the guy get the girl.

Recommended for readers looking for novels with international settings, and for fans of Rachel McMillan, Nicole Deese, and other authors who write rich prose in a literary style.

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

About Amanda Dykes

Amanda Dykes is the author of Bespoke: A Tiny Christmas Tale, the critically-acclaimed bicycle story that invited readers together to fund bicycles for missionaries in Asia. A former English teacher, she has a soft spot for classic literature and happy endings. She is a drinker of tea, a dweller of Truth, and a spinner of hope-filled tales, grateful for the grace of a God who loves extravagantly.

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About All the Lost Places

When all of Venice is unmasked, one man’s identity remains a mystery . . .
1807

When a baby is discovered floating in a basket along the quiet canals of Venice, a guild of artisans takes him in and raises him as a son, skilled in each of their trades. Although the boy, Sebastien Trovato, has wrestled with questions of his origins, it isn’t until a woman washes ashore on his lagoon island that answers begin to emerge. In hunting down his story, Sebastien must make a choice that could alter not just his own future, but also that of the beloved floating city.

1904

Daniel Goodman is given a fresh start in life as the century turns. Hoping to redeem a past laden with regrets, he is sent on an assignment from California to Venice to procure and translate a rare book. There, he discovers a city of colliding hope and decay, much like his own life, and a mystery wrapped in the pages of that filigree-covered volume. With the help of Vittoria, a bookshop keeper, Daniel finds himself in a web of shadows, secrets, and discoveries carefully kept within the stones and canals of the ancient city . . . and in the mystery of the man whose story the book does not finish: Sebastien Trovato.

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Book Review | The Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens

The opening of The Burning of Rosemont Abbey hooked me immediately: like many non-twins, I’ve always had a fascination for twins … and for their reputed mysterious connection.

This connection gives the mystery a unique twist.

Louisa Everly knows her brother is dead, which means she knows Inspector Malcolm Sinclar is mistaken in considering Paul to be the major suspect for the arson at the abbey. If Paul wasn’t involved, then who burned the abbey? And who murdered Paul?

Louisa feels she can’t tell anyone that she knows Paul is dead—they’ll simply think she is hysterical and won’t believe her. It’s a clever plot point and executed well.

That original premise gives the story a strong forward motion and kept me turning the virtual pages.

Louisa works alone and—reluctantly—with Inspector Sinclair, Paul’s childhood best friend. To Malcolm’s annoyance, she makes several discoveries that the police couldn’t have made, given they had already identified Paul as their key and only suspect. I liked the way Louisa thought and acted. She made intelligent deductions, in the spirit of Miss Marple and other famous fictional lady detectives.

Unfortunately, the story was marred by Americanisms that didn’t make sense in the context of the setting (England in 1956). For example, what colour are “eyes the color of money”? If you’re American, you might think the answer is obvious: green. But the character is not American (and nor is this reader). British money in 1956 was almost all the colours of the rainbow—red and orange and green and blue and purple and grey (but not yellow). Lines like this brought me out of the story.

I didn’t find the ending entirely satisfying or believable.

Sure, the evildoer has been set up as a character with some … let’s call them personality defects. The story did keep me guessing whodunit, which is essential in a murder good mystery. But I didn’t see the motivation for the crime, which affected the story’s overall credibility.

However, I have often found that I’ve read the end of mystery novels too quickly, which has sometimes meant that I’ve missed key points (like the character’s motivation). I did re-read the last quarter, and while that did make the motivation clearer, it still lacked the depth and sophistication I’d expected.

Overall, the characterisation was excellent, the plot was unique and engaging (except for the big reveal at the end), and the writing was solid, but the Americanisms were distracting and the ending didn’t deliver for me.

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

About Naomi Stephens

Naomi StephensNaomi Stephens is a bookworm turned teacher turned writer. She received a B.A. in English from Concordia University in Ann Arbor and an M.A. in English from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. 

​Her first novel, Shadow among Sheaves, was an Inspy Award shortlist contender and winner of the 2020 Carol Award in Debut Fiction. In bookstores, Naomi gravitates towards 19th-century British novels—the broodier the better (i.e., Jane Eyre)—but she can also be found perusing the young adult, mystery, and fantasy sections. Anything that keeps her turning pages past midnight!​

Though she’s called many places home over the years, she currently lives in New York with her husband, her two children, and a rascal of a dog named Sherlock. When not writing or having adventures with her family, she can be found drinking tea, practicing photography, and pining for London.

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About The Burning of Rosemont Abbey

The Burning of Rosemont AbbeyEveryone in Wilbeth Green has something to hide, but she’s about to uncover their secrets.

1956: In a quiet English village, the smoldering ruins of Rosemont Abbey have set the residents’ tongues wagging, and everyone is quick to accuse troublemaker Paul Everly of the crime of arson. Paul has vanished without a trace, leaving only his plucky twin sister, Louisa, certain of his innocence. Fueling her conviction is an inexplicable connection–she felt her twin’s death an hour before the abbey went up in flames.

Armed with nothing but her wit and her keen sense of intuition, Louisa embarks on her own investigation, challenging the dubious townspeople and the disdain of her aunt and uncle. Even Inspector Malcolm Sinclair, once Paul’s closest friend, warns Louisa to abandon her pursuit. But Louisa is determined to solve a murder no one else believes was committed, even if it means unraveling secrets that could shake Wilbeth Green to its core.

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Being adopted was a gift I'd never take for granted. But I was tired of letting it keep me from living life.

Book Review | A Run at Love (Love in the Spotlight #2) by Toni Shiloh

A Run At Love is another winner from Toni Shiloh.

At twenty-eight years old, Piper McKinney has finally gained her independence from her somewhat overprotective adoptive parents, and bought her own farm … and her own racehorse. She’s hired Tucker Hale, her best friend and secret crush, as her trainer, hoping to take Dream to the Kentucky Derby.

A Run At Love has all the things I most love in contemporary Christian romance.

Friends-to-more plot? Check.

It’s one of my favourite tropes, and A Run At Love is the perfect illustration of why I love it so much.

Christian romance where the characters live their faith? Check.

It’s a strength of Toni Shiloh’s writing in general, and I loved the way Piper and Tucker both had spiritual lessons to learn.

Unique characters? Check.

Piper is an orphan adopted from Oloro Ile (a nod to Toni Shiloh’s In Search of A Prince), and has spent a lifetime navigating being the only African American in white-dominated spaces.

Unique plotline? Check.

There are a lot of Christian novels about cowboys and ranchers and their horses, but this is the first novel I recall reading about the Kentucky Derby, horseracing in general, and the issues in the industry.

And, of course, romance.

The friends-to-more plotline is obvious from the opening chapter and Toni Shiloh does a great job of bringing Piper and Tucker together late enough to build tension, but early enough to make for happy readers.

Recommended for fans of contemporary Christian romance, especially from BIPOC authors or with BIPOC characters.

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

About Toni Shiloh

tonishiloh_highresToni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace of the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior.

She writes soulfully romantic novels to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.

Before pursuing her dream as a writer, Toni served in the United States Air Force. It was there she met her husband. After countless moves, they ended up in Virginia, where they are raising their two boys.

When she’s not typing in imagination land, Toni enjoys reading, playing video games, ​making jewelry, and spending time with ​her family.

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About A Run at Love

A CONTENDER RUNNING FOR THE ROSES

A Run at Love

As a Black woman in a field with little diversity, Piper McKinney is determined to make her mark on the horse-racing world. Raised on a Thoroughbred farm in Kentucky, Piper’s dream is for her horse to win the prestigious Kentucky Derby. With the help of her best friend and trainer, Tucker Hale, she gains national attention but must grapple with the complications that arise when a journalist delves into her past as a transracial adoptee.

A BEST FRIEND RACING FOR LOVE

In an effort to win Piper’s heart, Tucker formulates a plan to train Piper’s horse to victory, hoping to prove himself to her, her parents, and his own self-doubts. Then a shocking scandal hits the media, implicating both Piper and her parents, and she and Tucker will have to survive the onslaught to find their way to the winner’s circle–and each other.

A ROMANCE WORTH THE CHALLENGE

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First Line Friday

First Line Friday #324 | While the City Sleeps by Elizabeth Camden

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I am a big fan of Elizabeth Camden’s novels—I love the way she can weave real-life history and a solid Christian arc into her stories and make them unputdownable. While the City Sleeps is the first in her new Women of Midtown series, set in 1913 New York. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

People were rarely in a good mood while in a dentist’s chair, but Dr. Katherine Schneider’s patient was singing.

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

 

About While the City Sleeps

Cover image - While the City Sleeps by Elizabeth CamdenAmid the hushed city, two hearts must navigate danger and deception, bound by a love that outshines the stars.

Katherine Schneider’s life as a dentist in 1913 New York is upended when a patient reveals details of a deadly plot while under the influence of laughing gas. As she is plunged into danger, she seeks help from the dashing Lieutenant Jonathan Birch, a police officer she has long admired from afar.

Jonathan has harbored powerful feelings toward Katherine for years but never acted on them, knowing his dark history is something she could never abide. Now, with her safety on the line, he works alongside her through the nights as they unravel the criminal conspiracy that threatens her . . . even as he keeps his deepest secrets hidden at all costs.

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

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The summer of '77 still defined her. Maybe because the summer of '77 had broken her.

Book Review | The Best Summer of Our Lives by Rachel Hauck

High school graduates Spring Duval, Summer Wilde, Margaret “Snow” Snowden, and Autumn Child are the Four Seasons, best friends from kindergarten who are now spending the summer of 1977 together as camp counsellors in Tumbleweed, Oklahoma.

It’s going to be the best summer of their lives.

But The Best Summer of Our Lives is a dual timeline novel, and 1977 is the past timeline. In the more recent 1997 timeline, Summer has just arrived back in Tumbleweed for the first time since the summer that broke their “forever” friendship.

The Best Summer of our Lives moves between both timelines to show the story of the summer of 1977 from the perspectives of each of the four teenage girls, then moving to 1997 to show where they are now, and how the secrets of 1977 moulded them into their 1997 selves.

I did find the story a little hard to get into because we were moving between four points of view and two timelines, which felt like eight different characters to keep track of mentally (and I imagine it would be even harder with an audiobook).

But I persevered, and the results were worth the effort.

There were hints of secrets and withheld information from the get-go. Spring’s secret was relatively easy to figure out, as was part of the underlying conflict between the friends. Other information was harder to figure out, perhaps because it was more important to the teenager characters than to the reader. (Although that still felt realistic, given teenage girls and our/their habit of misinterpreting motive and over-dramatizing events.)

But there were times when I mixed up the characters, forgetting their histories, and that did mean the Big Reveal of one secret fell flat, because I’d lost track of the character. There were also times when I wasn’t sure who the main character was, or even if there was supposed to be a main character.

There is: Summer Wilde.

In 1977, Summer is an opinionated and impetuous teenager with father issues. In 1997, Summer is a wannabe country music composer and singer who has never achieved the success she dreamed of (and who still has father issues). The beginning of the story belonged to Summer, and the end did as well. But, like Summer, it kind of got lost in the middle.

Despite the hormones of four teenage girls, The Best Summer of Our Lives in Christian women’s fiction rather than romance. The Christian element grows as the novel progresses … which potentially makes this a good novel to loan to non-Christian friends who are seeking God in the midst of their hurts, past and present.

The Four Seasons are excellent characters, and will remind many readers of the friendships and insecurities of their own teenage years (I’ll leave it to you to decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing).

The Best Summer of Our Lives by Rachel Hauck is a strong coming-of-age story that builds in some of the wisdom that only comes with the passing of time. #BookReview #WomensFiction Share on X

Overall, The Best Summer of Our Lives is a strong coming-of-age story that builds in some of the wisdom that only comes with the passing of time.

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

About Rachel Hauck

Author Photo Rachel HauckRachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times. She is a double RITA finalist, a Christy and Carol Award Winner.

Rachel sits on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers, and is the comical sidekick to Susan May Warren at the amazing My Book Therapy. She is a worship leader and speaker.

A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, Rachel is a devoted Ohio State football fan. She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.

Find Rachel Hauck online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About The Best Summer of Our Lives

Twenty years ago, the summer of ’77 was supposed to be the best summer of Summer Wilde’s life. She and her best friends, Spring, Autumn, and Snow–the Four Seasons–had big plans.

But those plans never had a chance. After a teenage prank gone awry, the Seasons found themselves on a bus to Tumbleweed, “Nowhere,” Oklahoma, to spend eight weeks as camp counselors. All four of them arrived with hidden secrets and buried fears, and the events that unfolded in those two months forever altered their friendships, their lives, and their futures.

Now, thirtysomething, Summer is at a crossroads. When her latest girl band leaves her in a motel outside Tulsa, she is forced to face the shadows of her past. Returning to the place where everything changed, she soon learns Tumbleweed is more than a town she never wanted to see again. It’s a place for healing, for reconciling the past with the present, and for finally listening to love’s voice.

Find The Best Summer of Our Lives online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

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