The Roman Holiday Rule by Andra Loy

The Roman Holiday Rule by Andra Loy
4 Stars

Thank you to Haven for a gifted copy of this book to honestly read for review. All thoughts are my own.

This was such a cute travel story to Italy with so much depth! Lexi processing her grief after losing her Mom was beautifully depicted as she travels to Italy with 4 sealed letters from her to open at Rome's most romantic places and presenting her mother's final painting at the art festival she is organizing. The touch of magical realism/serendipity was a nice light hearted element too. 

I love a book with a good meet-cute on an airplane and that's how this starts out! Mark and Lexi had immediate chemistry so seeing them continuing to meet up along their trip was chef's kiss!

I really loved the letters Lexi was following along the city from her late mother...added such depth to the story as she worked through her grief and continued to meet up with Mark and they got closer and closer. I also love they got to know each other really well and based their relationship on that versus only a physical attraction piece.

Overall, the book had cute banter, competitiveness and an awesome setting where you felt like you were there with the characters eating gelato and having a good time. 

Content - kisses only, grief from loss of a parent 

✨Synopsis:✨

Lexi Walker has finally committed to the Italian adventure that she and her late mother dreamed of for years—complete with a meticulously crafted itinerary, four sealed letters to open at Rome's most romantic sites, and her mother's final painting to present at the art festival Lexi is helping organize. She's ready for the perfect Roman getaway. What she doesn't expect is for her mother's artwork to start manifesting in real life, turning her carefully planned trip into something unpredictable.

Italian-American architect Mark Russo has sworn off American tourists after having his heart broken, and he's certainly not about to let another one distract him from winning the restoration bid that could reunite his estranged father with his grandfather. But when the captivating woman next to him on the flight to Rome proposes a photography challenge—whoever captures the heart of Italy in five days wins—Mark can't resist the bet and her charm.

As Lexi follows the letters from her mother around the city, she encounters Mark everywhere she goes. Their competitive banter turns to undeniable chemistry, but they both know the cardinal rule of holiday romances: You can't fall in love with someone who lives somewhere else and expect a happily-ever-after. Will a little magic—and a lot of mishaps—break the Roman Holiday Rule?

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4ciXDTZ
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/9780764245954_the-roman-holiday-rule
Libro.FM Audiobook (great narration): https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9798899748684-the-roman-holiday-rule

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Making Peace with What I Can't Control by Lysa Terkeurst

 

Making Peace with What I Can’t Control by Lysa TerKerust
5 Stars

Thank you to Libro.fm and the publisher for a gifted copy of the audiobook to listen to for review. All thoughts are my own.

Wow, this was such a timely and relatable read. Lysa TerKeurst does an excellent job of putting words to something so many of us struggle with.....overthinking, trying to fix situations we can't fix, and carrying burdens that were never ours to carry. 

I am such a people pleaser. An overthinker. A worrier. A fixer. I struggle so much with so many situations I can't control that I just have to let the Lord handle and I really appreciated how honest and compassionate this book felt. It doesn't simply tell you to “let go and trust God,” but digs into why we struggle to surrender control in the first place, especially when we're afraid of what might happen or frustrated by circumstances God hasn't changed....

There were so many reminders throughout this book about the difference between taking healthy responsibility and trying to control people, outcomes, and situations out of fear. I also appreciated the emphasis on wrestling honestly with God when we don't understand what He is doing. Difficult questions that Lysa doesn't shy away from...

This was an encouraging and thought-provoking book that reminded me that I don't have to figure everything out, fix everything, or carry everything. Sometimes faith looks like releasing what I can't control and trusting God with it. Sometimes its crying out to Him in those moments when you don't know what the answer is... And that's ok.

There are people in my life when I may want them to make a decision differently. I may not agree with what they are doing. But I can only control my reactions and not their decisions. I can trust that the Lord will take care of everything. I can put my faith in Him. I can rest in HIM. I know it's easier said then done, but Lysa sharing some of her testimonies and her life experiences, she gave the empathy, relatability and understanding so many of us need.

I also loved the emphasis on boundaries at the end and the extra bonus pieces in the audiobook at the end of each chapter. I need to read her boundaries book next honestly, as that's something I am still working through.

If you struggle with overthinking or constantly feeling like everything depends on you, I think this is a book that could really speak to you. It was a beautiful listen for me and I would love to get the physical to mark up someday.

Libro.FM Audio Link: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781400230730-making-peace-with-what-i-can-t-control

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Amazon hardcover link: https://amzn.to/4cFaGPH
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What if I Loved You by Mandi Blake

 What if I Loved You by Mandi Blake
Book #6 in the Unfailing Love Series
3.5 Stars 

Yay for finishing a series! I liked the premise of this one. A witness protection type of situation, as our FMC gets a new identity for a situation with her Dad and leaves everything behind, including Ian...cut to 12 years later and Ian and Liz...or "Sara" meet again in town. Ian was devastated when she left so long ago and seeing her again brings all the old feelings back to the forefront, as he learns why she left all those years ago. They reconnect, romance ensues, a dash of suspense added, and we see the characters from the rest of the books throughout and how their lives end up by the end.

While I enjoyed the premise, it was a bit too rushed by the mid-point. Mandi's new series definitely are longer and more developed so this series was good but not my favorite. I am still glad I read it and got to chat about all the characters with my friend Melissa each time we read one together. 

I also always struggle with big time gaps in romance stories, such as the 12 years apart and then they come back together and back in love so fast, it just moves too fast for me personally. 

Overall, I enjoyed the series as a whole and loved the faith moments throughout. 

My favorite Mandi books are the Wolf Creek Ranch Series and Love in Blackwater, highly recommend starting there! :)

Amazon Series Link on KU: https://amzn.to/4wKctdx
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Autumn on my Mind by Gracie Ruth Mitchell

Autumn on my Mind by Gracie Ruth Mitchell 
5 Stars

Y'ALL THIS WAS THE BOOK I NEEDED! Thank you to Gracie Ruth for a gifted copy of the e-book to read for review, all thoughts are my own.

Read if you enjoy:

- Fall romances
- Lots of laughs

- Second chances 

- Forced proximity

- Small towns

- Reverse parent trap trope

- Ex-college sweet hearts

- Cozy fall vibes

- HILARIOUS shenanigans 

- Friendships

- Clean romance books 

So Reese and Dominic used to date. Now they find out their parents are dating. A "reverse parent trap" situation happens and Reese and Dominic try to sabotage their dates....SO MANY LAUGHS y'all! 

This brought me so much joy in a hard season with all the fall vibes, laughs and sweet romance! I love Reese and Dom - they went together so well and amid all of the lighthearted bits...the story had DEPTH! There was hard things the characters had been through or were going through and they went through so much growth together. I have somewhat of a rocky relationship with my mom, so I really appreciate the way Gracie showed the mother/daughter relationship and Reese's growth. I cheered her on the whole time and the ending was SO good.

Loved the little nods to the song Dom was playing at the beginning of each chapter also.

This book is addictive to read, so much fun and has me SOOO READY FOR FALL! This book is book 2 in a multi-author series set in Autumn Ridge, Vermont, but can easily be read as a standalone.

READ IT! 

Content Notes: Mention of past loss of loved one, strained parent/child relationship, kisses only.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4x5Fgdz

Libro.fm Audio: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9798349145025-autumn-on-my-mind

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The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant

The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant
5 Stars 

MAN. WHAT A BOOK! This one TOOK ME OUT! I read this as an impromptu buddy read with my friend Keisha and we loved it!

Read if you love:
- Suspense / Mystery Books

- Great writing

- Wilderness settings

- A best friend is missing plot

- Secrets of the past...

- Twists and turns 

This was my first book by Kimi and I can't wait to read These Silent Woods in the winter! So many good nature descriptions and wilderness details, really great storytelling and brings you right in the setting. The way she brings in RIGHT IN the story too, that is so good! I was IMMEDIATLEY drawn in and in that "need to know" status. 

Emlyn, a wilderness guide, teams up with the man who ruined her life so many years ago to find her friend who goes missing. Tyler, who was the love of her life and left her for dead on the side of the road 3 years ago, is the one person she doesn't want to see again and the one person she doesn't trust. Yet he's the one who has to help her find her friend Janessa. Janessa is a social media influencer documenting her #vanlife adventures with her boyfriend but no one has seen her lately so Tyler and Emlyn set out to find her.....what will they find?

My favorite part of this book was the surprise themes of faith and hope. One of the side characters, Rev, shared some biblical reference and I really liked that. You could also see Emlyn knew of the hope deep down that God brings and was fighting it. I could see God in this story seeking her. I have loved finding the Lord in secular fiction lately and this is another example!

One unique piece of this was she has a word for each person she met in the book, loved that. Also the flashbacks added a lot of good layers to the story as we got to figure everything out along the way. 

Highly recommend!

Content: no language that I recall, no sexual content, some suspenseful moments, animals being trapped and the details of that shown, drugs and substance abuse/addiction themes

P.s. the audiobook is great! I read the e-book some but also listened when I had time.

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/45D9RmF

Libro.fm Audiobook: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781250347749-the-nature-of-disappearing

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased 

from these links. 

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Short Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

 

Short Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer 
5 Stars 

Meredith overhears a plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch and a 12 year old debt compels her to take the risk....Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser he met once before...she is injured and her reputation is in shambles.....4 brothers, 4 straws, 1 bride....

Karen does it again, a favorite backlist book, let's goooo! Love the Archer brothers!

What I loved most about Short‑Straw Bride is how it tackles a topic Christian Fiction often avoids: intimacy inside marriage - with no explicit details whatsoever, just open honest discussions and it was honorable. We rarely talk about what healthy intimacy looks like in marriage, especially when both spouses are inexperienced, nervous, or carrying emotional gaps from childhood. This was beautiful.

I think if you like marriage of convenience books, this is one to check out. 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4zrKemj
Libro.Fm Audio: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781464048821-short-straw-bride

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A Farmhouse in France by Rachael Lucas

A Farmhouse in France by Rachael Lucas

3.5 rounding up to 4 stars

Thank you to UpLit reads and the author, Rachael Lucas, for a gifted copy of the book to read for review, all thoughts are my own.

This book was my first book by the author and I enjoyed it. A good travel read with an inheritance plot, and I always love that in books.

Daisy gets a letter from France and discovers the faither she never knew recently passed away and left her money with a farmhouse in the French countryside. She isn't sure what to do...but she makes the trip with her dog, sister and niece to figure everything out. 

She finds more than she expects. The farmhouse is full of new beginnings and she meets a handsome neighbor named Patrick. Daisy learns about the secrets about her father and more about who she is. Definitely one of those self-discovery stories.

While I did not always connect to the romance as much as I hoped, I still enjoyed my time in this book. My favorite parts were the family elements and Daisy's self discovery. It's part of a trilogy and I am definitely interested to continue. 

Content: No explicit sexual content, I do not remember any language

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4wDSXQ0

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