A Run at Love

About the Book:

Title: A Run at Love
Series: Love in the Spotlight #2
Author: Toni Shiloh
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Release Date: May 7th, 2023
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

A CONTENDER RUNNING FOR THE ROSES

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.

Book Review:

This was so cute! I am loving this new series by Toni Shiloh and I was so excited to read this one. A Run at Love is the second book in Toni Shiloh’s Love in the Spotlight series.

Piper and Tucker had such a fun relationship. They were friends first before they moved to anything else. Their interactions were a lot of fun and I loved how they felt comfortable with each other. The romance was sweet and I liked the progression of their relationship. Both Tucker and Piper had to learn to trust each other as they navigate their relationship and the obstacles that stood before them.

I really liked Piper and I felt like I connected with her. She was trying to just find her place. I really felt for her as she tried to figure out what it looked like to care for her family but still be her own person especially as she navigated her family’s scandal. Tucker was also sweet. He was someone who tried to stick to his plans but had to learn to trust God’s leading.

I really liked Tucker’s relationship with the guys, it was so fun. The friendship relationships were some of the best parts of this book. The romance and the progression of the book was perfect. I didn’t want to put it down.

A Run at Love was a lovely book! I would definitely recommend it! The characters were lovable and the story was intriguing. I am so excited for the next book. A Run at Love is a clean contemporary Christian romance.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

A Provincial Peer

About the Book:

Title: The Unassuming Curator
Series: Georgian Gentlemen #5
Author: Sian Ann Bessey
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: May 7th, 2024
Genre: Historical Romance

Lord Benning is no ordinary nobleman. The heir to an earldom, he feels more at home working on the farm at his country estate than socializing in the ballrooms of London. So when a mysterious, veiled woman mistakes him for a farmhand, he takes the assumption in stride. And though he is not offended, he is intrigued.

Following a devastating outbreak of smallpox, Caroline Granger and her young daughter, Meg, retreat to Caroline’s childhood home in the village of Leyfield in Gloucestershire. Left widowed and weakened by the ravages of the disease, Caroline wears a veil to hide her facial scars and to prevent the inevitable gasps of horror or murmurs of pity others offer in response to her altered appearance.

Caroline is mortified when she learns of her error in addressing Lord Benning—or Benedict, as she called him during their growing-up years—as a farmhand. But shared childhood memories and a precocious four-year-old inevitably draw Benedict and Caroline together, and it’s not long before Caroline realizes that Benedict accepts every part of her—including her scars. With newfound courage and a growing love for Benedict, Caroline feels the first stirrings of hope. But when the disease that took so much from Caroline finds its way to Leyfield, she stands to lose more than she can bear, and Benedict must decide exactly how much he is willing to risk for a chance at love.

Book Review:

This was just the sweetest read. It was low stress and I adored the characters and the story. A Provincial Peer is the 6th book in Sian Ann Bessey’s Georgian Gentlemen series. I have been eagerly awaiting this book and it did not disappoint.

I adored Caroline and Benedict. They were just lovely characters and I connected with them from the beginning. I really liked their growth throughout the book and reading about them falling in love. They were both trying to future out their lives and they weren’t looking for love but it crept up on them.

Caroline was learning what it looked like to start her life again after not only getting sick and losing her husband. She was doing her best to care for her daughter, Meg. But she was still struggling. I liked how she learned to trust herself and see that her scars don’t make her a person.

Benedict was just the sweetest character. He was unlike other lords but he was trying his best to care for those under him. I loved how he connected with both Meg and Caroline. He truly loved Caroline and Meg, and they found a way into his heart.

The romance was perfect. I liked the progression of Caroline and Benedict’s relationship and how they knew each other beforehand. Meg was just lovely. The plot was interesting and I wanted to see how Caroline and Benedict would come together as they worked to help those suffering from sickness and lack of food.

A Provincial Peer was a stunning conclusion to this amazing series! I could not recommend this book enough. It was fun to read as part of a series but it can definitely be read as a standalone. I am sad to see this series end but I am excited to get my hands on whatever Bessey writes next.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.

Cinder Luna

About the Book:

Title: Cinder Luna
Series:Once Upon a RomCom #1
Author: Marie Soleil
Release Date: January 30th, 2024
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Is Luna destined for a happily ever after, or is it “game over” for her love life?

Move to the adorable town of Brookhaven? Check.

Get bumped to first class on the train and meet the most gorgeous, considerate man of my life? Check.

Find a job in video game animation and a cozy apartment of my own? Not so much.

So maybe things in Brookhaven aren’t quite as idyllic as my friend promised. My one saving grace is playing video games every evening with my best online friend, MidKnight. Plus, helping him create his own video game helps me escape the drudgery of my demanding twin bosses and a dusty, cramped apartment.

It’s not long before our relationship turns from friendly to…a lot more personal.

Things get complicated when I run into the man from the train again. He couldn’t forget about me either, and he’s been searching for me. I can’t deny the intense physical attraction we have, but I feel like my heart is being pulled in two directions. But there are things that both guys don’t know about me.

Being brave isn’t my strong suit, but maybe it’s time to find some courage.

Book Review:

This was such a cute and sweet read. This is the first book that I have read by Marie Soleil but it will not be the last. Cinder Luna is the first book in Marie Solei’s new series, Once Upon a RomCom. It is a fun retelling of Cinderella.

Luna and Henry were just the sweetest characters! I liked getting to know them and reading about them falling in love. I really like the little nods to the original fairytale but how the Soleil also made the story her own.

Okay, so I liked Luna and it was cool to read about her growth throughout the book. She was just trying her best to figure out life and herself. I loved her little quirks and the fact that she was a gamer. That was so cool! I liked Henry, he was so kind. He was struggling to let others in and he had to learn to truly see Luna.

I liked how Luna and Henry got to know each other first. The romance was perfect. I really liked the side characters and I am super excited to see them get their own books. I also enjoyed the fact that both Luna and Henry liked gaming.

Cinder Luna is a sweet contemporary romance inspired by Cinderella. I would totally recommend this book. The characters were fun and I was drawn into the story.

Book Highlights:

Cinderella inspired

Gaming

Graphic designer

Learning to be brave

Sweet romance

Family bonds

Hints of more books

Secret identity

Falling in love

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.

The Last Rose

About the Book:

Title: The Last Rose
Series: Sisters Ever After #4
Author: Leah Bypess
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: December 5th, 2023
Genre: Children’s Fiction

The fourth book in the Sisters Ever After series of fairy tale retellings, this is the wild story of Mera, the only one who can save her beautiful older sister when she is kidnapped by the Beast who viciously rules over their small village.

For as long as Mera can remember, she and her sister Darina have feared the Beast who lurks in the castle above their village. On countless nights they have locked themselves into their home while the Beast led his hounds on the Wild Hunt, preying on anything in his path.

Now Darina has been kidnapped by the Beast, and only Mera can save her. But she soon finds that in the Beast’s eerie, magic-haunted castle, nothing is quite what it seems—including her own sister. Here, Mera will discover the dark secrets that have bound her village to the Beast for so long.

But in order to set them all free, she will have to face the most dangerous secret of all: the truth about herself.

Book Review:

Oh my goodness! This book was fascinating, complicated, and sooo good! I’m a huge lover of fairytales, but I don’t think I’ve ever read a fairytale quite like this one. The characters are all turned on their heads, and the people we thought we knew turned out to be quite different.

Mera has never been the pretty one. She has stood in the shadow of her sister, Darina for years. But when Darina is kidnapped by the Beast, only Mera knows the truth. It should be her stuck in the dark castle. So Mera decides to rescue her sister only to find secrets she could have never imagined waiting for her.

Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairytales! And I love to read retellings of it, but this one was so interesting and different. Mera is a wonderful heroine full of fight and spunk. She is determined to not be controlled by anyone or anything. She’s had to be tougher than her sister, and she’s much more practical as well.

I’m honestly not sure how I felt about most of the other characters in this book. Everyone is full of greys even Darina, the Beauty in the story isn’t the traditional pure heart we hear about. I think it was fascinating to read a retelling where I had no idea what was going to happen next and honestly no idea what I wanted to happen next. Darina and the Beast aren’t the heroes they normally are.

I love the theme of sisterhood though. Mera is fiercely loyal and willing to do everything for her sister. I wish that the idea of love would have been defined a little differently. Love is not a feeling, but it is instead an action. But I do agree that feelings change. However, love should not.

This is a clean read with some creepier moments. For example, Mera gets locked up by the Beast. And there are moments where parents can talk about manipulation since the Beast is not portrayed as the hero in this story. There’s some Stockholm Syndrome vibes going on.

This was an incredibly rich story! There is so much in it, and I think middle grade readers will love it.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

Highlights:

Sisterhood!

Strong female heroines!

Wonderful world building!

Couldn’t put it down!

Twists and turns all the way!

Conventional family values!

Rocky Road

About the Book:

Title: Rocky Road
Series: Sons of Scandal
Author: Becky Wade
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Release Date: February 14th, 2024
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Christy Award Hall of Fame Author

FBI Agent Jude Camden handles every aspect of his job with by-the-book professionalism. There’s no reason why his latest assignment—which calls for him to pose as the boyfriend of perfumer Gemma Clare—should be any different.

Except Gemma is different. She’s creative, bold, and feisty. And as soon as she meets Jude, she wants to loosen him up, wrinkle his perfect shirts, and test every ounce of his towering self-control.

The FBI has an iron-clad rule against romances between those working together on operations. Jude’s never met a rule he didn’t respect. But adhering to this one is going to be tough because, as time goes by, he finds Gemma more and more irresistible.

Buckle up! It’s going to be a rocky road.

Book Review:

This was so cute and fun! Rocky Road is the second book in Becky Wade’s Sons of Scandal series. I was super excited to read this one and it did not disappoint! The cover is also really cute!

Jude and Gemma were just the sweetest couple together! They really balanced each other out. Jude was a straight laced kind of person who valued perfection. However Gemma managed to shake up his life in a way that he never expected. Gemma was trying to protect her family and do good. But getting to know Jude was a fun addition to her plans.

Gemma was a breath of fresh air, I loved her from the beginning. She was so fun and I like how she balanced Jude. Gemma was quirky but she was kind. I also adored her relationship with her family, they were so sweet together. Gemma had to learn to let Jude in and be vulnerable with him.

Jude was also so fun. He was such a grumpy person but he genuinely cared for his family and those he brought into his circle. Jude was weary of others but Gemma had a way of breaking down his walls and making him want to be better.

I really enjoyed the banter and chemistry between Jdue and Gemma. There were times when I wanted to laugh after reading about their interaction. The storyline was interesting and I was drawn into the story. I wanted to see how Jude and Gemma were going to make their fake relationship work for the operation. I liked seeing Jeremiah again and seeing hints of the next book.

I would totally recommend Rocky Road! I adored the characters and the story. There was the perfect hint of mystery and romance which was of course missed with the perfect amount of faith and family. This book is a must read and I cannot wait to read the last book. Rocky Road is a clean Christian contemporary romance.

Fake Relationship

Grumpy/sunshine

Sibling/Family relationships

Some mystery

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.

Never Fall Again

About the Book:

Title: Never Fall Again
Series: Gossamer Falls #1
Author: Lynn H Blackburn
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: March 12h, 2024
Genre: Christian Suspense Romance

Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. As the artist-in-residence, and with her pottery prized by The Haven’s guests, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently. She wants to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home to grow up in and hires former Marine Callum Shaw to handle the construction.

Cal grew up in Gossamer Falls and always knew he would someday join his family’s business. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. Landry is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. Landry has a daughter and a past. Cal has been down that road before and barely survived when the woman he loved left, taking her two sons with her. He can’t bear to lose like that again.

Before construction on the house can begin, Landry’s pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It soon becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger–but because of whom? But, after losing one relationship, he is hesitant to try again.

Book Review:

AHHHH! This book was so exciting and amazing. Never Fall Again is the first book in Lynn H Blackburn’s Gossamer Falls series. I will read anything that Blackburn writes so I was beyond excited to read this one!

Landry and Cal were just the perfect couple together. It is always fun to meet new characters and a new setting. I liked seeing Gossamer Falls and reading about the romance between Landry and Cal.

I really liked Landry. She was relatable and just trying her best. She adored her daughter and wanted to keep her safe. She had been hurt before but she was learning to let others in and trust in God’s plan. Cal was also a sweetheart. He was dealing with his own hurts. I loved reading about Cal with his family, it was so fun!

I adored the characters in this book and the suspense had me on the edge of my seat. It was perfect, I didn’t want to put the book down. I wanted to know what was going to happen and how Landry and Cal were going to end up together. I liked the progression of their relationship and how they learned to trust each other first.

The side characters really added to the story, especially the whole Quinn family! Blackburn always writes the most amazing characters. The family aspects of this book were perfect. I also adored Landry’s daughter, Eliza. I am super excited for the next book.

I could not recommend Never Fall Again more! Blackburn is such an amazing writer and this is another winner. The characters, the romance, suspense, and story were lovely. Never Fall Again is a clean Christian romantic suspense.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

The Deep End

About the Book:

Title: The Deep End
Series: The Undercurrents series #3
Author: Traci Hunter Abramson
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Genre: Suspense

Matt’s hands balled in frustration. . . . He couldn’t even acknowledge that he knew the dark-haired beauty down the street — much less that he was married to her. . . . He had walked into this marriage knowing full well that he would be married to a woman in the Witness Protection Program, and that they would have to spend their first year of marriage pretending they didn’t know each other.

But little do CJ and Matt know the extent of the danger and loneliness that will haunt their lives. A world-class swimmer with Olympic aspirations, CJ faces overwhelming odds that threaten to drown all her hopes and dreams. Will the deep end prove to be a dead end for CJ and Matt?

In a story where reality is as tentative as the waters of competition, and happiness is as elusive as the forces of evil that conspire to end all their dreams, CJ and Matt’s race for safety becomes a marathon of fear.

Book Review:

Ahhh! We have finally reached the end of this amazing trilogy. Oh my goodness, all of these books had me hooked. The Deep End is the third and final book in the Undercurrents series written by Traci Hunter Abramson.

CJ and Matt are finally together but there are still many things standing in their way at finally being at peace. I was not sure how CJ and Matt were going to finally end up together. Although they were married, there were so many things that were standing in their way

The suspense was so thrilling and I didn’t know how CJ and Matt would work everything out. The bad guys were still out and it seemed like everything kept on going wrong for CJ. It was sweet to read about CJ and Matt finally able to have some time together. They really fought for each other. I love that CJ was a swimmer and Matt played baseball. These were fun little tidbits about the characters that made them feel more real.

This book had me hooked just as the first two. I would definitely recommend it! The Deep End is a must read. It kept me engaged from the beginning and it was fun to finally reach the end of the story. The Deep End is a clean romantic suspense that has the theme of Latter-Day Saints.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.

Ripple Effect

About the Book:

Title: Ripple Effect
Series: The Undercurrents series #2
Author: Traci Hunter Abramson
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Genre: Suspense

Kylie Ramsey is supposed to be invisible. In fact, to keep her unnoticed, the FBI has changed the world-class swimmer’s identity and moved her twice in the last year. However, there are still a few people who would quickly recognize her. One of them is Matt Whitman, the man Kylie could have easily spent eternity with. The other is Judge Rush — the man who wants Kylie dead.

Now the former rising-star athlete is forced to live a life in the shadows. Worst of all, Kylie believes she will never see Matt again — especially now that she lives two thousand miles from his home. But through a twist of fate, or perhaps a fatal FBI clerical error, they both arrive in the same town, and Kylie now struggles between feelings of elation and dread. What was supposed to be a safe haven could become the most dangerous place on earth.

Book Review:

A wonderful addition! I was drawn into the story from the beginning and ended up reading it in one day! Ripple Effect is the second book in Traci Hunter Abramson’s Undercurrents suspense series

Kylie is once again on the run. Her life has changed again and she didn’t know what she wanted in life anymore. I really liked how Kylie grew from the last book. She learned to stand up for herself. I liked seeing Kylie interact with her friends and with Matt again.

Matt was struggling to recover from losing the love of his life. He never expected to see her again but they were brought together on a chance. It was cool to also see Matt’s character more fleshed out. He was struggling because he had found Kylie again but she seemed different.

I really liked the mix of suspense and romance. Both Matt and Kylie had to get to know each other again. And work out their differences. I wanted to see what would happen next in the book and how it would affect the central storyline. There was so much going on and I was engaged the whole time. I also loved the new characters, they were a lot of fun.

I was on the edge of my seat reading this one! I did not want to put it down. I would definitely recommend Ripple Effect. It is a must read. I do think that these books are best read in order in order to best understand the series. Ripple Effect is a clean romantic suspense book, it does have themes of Latter-Day Saints.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.

Undercurrents

About the Book:

Title: Undercurrents
Series: The Undercurrents series #1
Author: Traci Hunter Abramson
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Genre: Suspense

Shaye Kendall, an Olympic-bound swimmer, has been in the witness protection program ever since she witnessed her boyfriend’s murder. She now has a new name, a new life, and strict orders not to reveal her secret.

But fitting into a community is hard when you can’t tell people anything about yourself. When she learns that one of her new friends, Matt Whitmore, is LDS, she can’t even tell him that she’s a Mormon too. She doesn’t dare get involved. The fact that Matt’s father is a high-profile senator could give her the kind of exposure she doesn’t need. How can you fall in love when you can never reveal who you really are?

But when someone almost takes her life, Shaye recognizes that whoever is after her knows exactly who and where she is. Can she trust Matt to help her? Can she trust his family?

Book Review:

Wow! I did not want to put this book down. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. Undercurrents is the first book in Traci Hunter Abramson’s Undercurrents series. This book was just so good.

Shaye was just trying to survive, she didn’t know what to expect from life but she was struggling. Matt wasn’t looking for anything but when he bumps into Shaye, his whole life starts to change. Shaye and Matt bumped into each other’s life and everything changed.

This was such an exciting book! I did not want to put it down and ended up reading it in one day. I really liked meeting Shaye and Matt. I hadn’t read Undercurrents before so it was cool to finally get to read Shaye and Matt’s story. I liked the blend of romance and suspense. It was the perfect amount of both. I liked how Matt and Shaye were friends first but their relationship started to change. I loved that Shaye was a swimmer and Matt was an artist. There were so many fun little things about this book and these characters. I also loved getting to know the Whitmore family more

Everything was just so engaging and I couldn’t wait to figure out how it would end. Undercurrents is a wonderful book and I would definitely recommend it. Undercurrents is a clean romantic suspense, it does have a lot of Latter-day Saints themes in it though.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.

ASAP

About the Book:

Title: ASAP
Author: Axie Oh
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: February 6th, 2024
Genre: YA

Sori has worked her whole life to become a K-pop idol, until she realizes she doesn’t want a life forever in the spotlight. But that’s not actually up to Sori—she’s caught between her exacting mother’s entertainment company and her father’s presidential aspirations. And as the pressure to keep her flawless public image grows, the last person she should be thinking about is her ex-boyfriend.

Nathaniel is off limits—she knows this. A member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world and forbidden from dating, he isn’t any more of an option now than he was two years ago. Still, she can’t forget that their whirlwind romance was the last time she remembers being really happy. Or that his family welcomed her into their home when she needed it most. . . .

So when Nathaniel finds himself rocked by scandal, Sori offers him a hideaway with her. And back in close quarters, it’s hard to deny their old feelings. But when Sori gets an opportunity to break free from her parent’s expectations, she will have to decide: Is her future worth sacrificing for a second chance at love?

Book Review:

Oh is such an amazing writer and I loved the books that I have read from her. I was so excited for ASAP and it did not disappoint! ASAP is the companion novel to XOXO and it was just soooo good

Sori was a relatable character and I loved getting to read about her. I loved getting to read about Sori as she tried to figure out what she wanted to do with their life and how to help her family. Nathaniel was such a fun character. It was fun to read about him from Sori’s eyes. He grew a lot throughout this book and I loved how steady he was. He was always ready to help Sori.

It was sweet to read about Sori and Nathaniel together. They had history but there were so many different things working against them. I love how this book was more than just romance. Sori and Nathaniel felt like real people who were working through life. The side characters were fun and I loved getting to meet new characters.

I loved the romance and the plot in this book. I was engaged the whole time and I did not want to put it down. The story was interesting and I did not know how Sori and Nathaniel were going to end up together. I am crossing my fingers that she writes about all the band members, I see hints of new books in this one.

ASAP is definitely a must read and I would totally recommend it!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.