Book Review: Absolutely Not in Love by Jenny Proctor

 

Absolutely Not In Love by Jenny Proctor - 3.5 Stars 

Book 2 in the Appies series and 7 in the Sweater Weather series

This is another book in the Appies/Sweater Weather series and we follow Gracie and Felix's romance. 

Read if you like:

🏒Hockey Romance Books
🏒Forced Proximity Trope
🏒Guys who Read and Love Classical Music
🏒Classical Music
🏒Cute Text Threads
🏒Neighbors to Lovers
🏒Anxiety Rep

I overall enjoyed this book but sitting with it honestly it isn't a favorite rom-com for me. I LOVED Felix's character and how he loved to read and cared for Gracie so much. I did relate to the parental things Gracie kinda went through as well so part of that was relatable. Loved seeing Gracie's Cello playing too. I love Classical music so that was an added bonus for me.

Essentially, Gracie hates hockey players and swears she will never date one after something that happened many years ago with one. Cut to meeting Felix next door and sparks fly between them. She doesn't want to let go of her "no dating hockey players" rule buttttt the more they hang out the more they start to care for one another. The rest is history. 

The romance itself was clean but it does tread the line for me a bit. It wasn't explicit, don't get me wrong, but the make outs were a bit more detailed than I personally wanted to read about and the constant looking at his abs and him in his underwear thing was a bit annoying - I wanted more depth of the relationship versus those things. Also a bit more innuendos than I prefer in a rom-com. I also would have liked a bit more of the side characters involved I think. 

Overall, I still enjoyed the book, as the audio narrators were very engaging and dual narrators. I think this was a perfect read for me during the week of thanksgiving right before I started all my Christmas reads too haha. Ending was sweet.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6597975855
Amazon: https://amzn.to/41cYyjU

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

Book Review: The Queen's Cook by Tessa Afshar

 

The Queen's Cook by Tessa Afshar - 5 Stars 

I have said it before and I will say it again, Tessa is the master of biblical fiction! I loved this story of Roxannah, the daughter of a once-privileged but now impoverished Persian lord, working in Queen Esther's kitchens. In this story, we see her determined to support her mother and repay her father's debts - she seeks out Adin to help her find work. Adin sees the need and secures her a position in the royal kitchens of Queen Esther. 

Guided by Esther's grace and wisdom, she finds herself navigating prejudice and palace politics and deepening her bond with Adin along the way. As Roxanna goes up in the kitchen ranks, she and Adin uncover a plot targeting Amestris, the king's most powerful wife and Queen's archenemy. This sets things in motion from here in the plot. 

This book has a rich historical setting of ancient Persia - very vibrant and immersive. Also, the culinary details in this were - chef's kiss! I loved all the food and cooking details. 

The relationship between Adin and Roxannah was very well developed. I personally loved seeing them on their journey of working together and developing that slow burn romance along the way. Adin was also a great guy inspiring Roxannah's faith journey to trust God. 

Roxannah and Esther's friendship was beautiful to see as well. I loved the glimpses into Esther's POV. 

Overall, highly recommend as another great biblical fiction by Tessa! Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6738000984

Baker Book House (Recommended): https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/579813
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3V5BBeD

 

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

Book Review: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

 Book Review: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon - 5 Stars

I have already filmed my Winter Book Recommendations video, but if I hadn't, this would be the NUMBER 1 REC I HAVE! WOW. This book is a great blend of historical fiction and gripping mystery, shining a light on the remarkable life of Martha Ballard, an 18-century midwife whose diary remains one of the most detailed records of early American life. This story plunges you into the icy, Maine winter of 1789 and explores themes of justice, resilience and the power of a woman's voice in a time when society preferred it silent. 

The story kicks off with a chilling discovery: a man's body encased in the frozen Kennebec River. Martha, whose skills as a midwife and healer extend to forensic observation, is called there to determine the cause of death in her own opinion and skill. From this point, we move into the personal and political narrative as there is a trial to determine what happened to the man in the ice. The man in the ice turns out to be a terrible person who has sexually assaulted a woman locally so things turn into more of a mystery as the story progresses.....

Honestly, the strength of this book is the portrayal of Martha herself. Knowing she is was a real person and how the author wrote her as a strong woman, who is both deeply human and heroic in her role as a midwife. This book makes me want to do a deep dive in to the real Martha Ballard. The story’s tension is heightened as she seeks to prove the man's cause of death and investigating the assaults' made.

The author does not shy away from the brutal realities of this time, particularly the vulnerabilities of women in a male-dominated legal and social system. I found this to honestly be very real to the time from what I have seen depicted. 

I love that the author showed us a beautiful marriage between Martha and her husband. He was such a great character and seeing everything they went through personally was heartbreaking but also inspiring to how they handled things together. 

Martha's diary entries woven into the story add authenticity and depth, making Martha’s voice feel very compelling. I really enjoyed the details about Martha as a midwife - it was very interesting to learn about during that time what it would have been like and all the women and children she saved in her time. Also, as an Autism Mama I loved seeing the portrayal of her mute son - how she loved him and supported him no matter what - beautiful.

The Frozen River is more than just a historical mystery, I think this is truly a tribute to such an extraordinary woman whose contributions to history have often been overlooked. 

Highly recommend. ** Please see content / trigger warnings below. **

Trigger Warnings: Sexual assault is a major focus in the story. A woman goes on trial and explains what happened to her, there are multiple birth scenes (with difficult births presented too), murder, physical altercations, miscarriage, etc. However, I feel like the author handled these topics with grace and did not go to far. Sexual content was not explicit - the married couple of Martha and her husbands had some romantic bits, but it wasn't detailed to bother me. Language was minimal.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6251729098
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CU2KuO

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

Book Review: 12 Days of Mistletoe by Jen Atkinson

12 Days of Mistletoe by Jen Atkinson 

4 Stars 

A Super Cute Christmas Rom-Com!

Read if you love:
❄️Fake Dating

❄️Cute Clean Christmas Romances

❄️Lots of Holiday Spirit

❄️Dogs

❄️Apartment Neighbors

❄️Enemies to Lovers - Done Right!

❄️Anxiety and Service Animals Represented

❄️An Awesome Meddling Grandmother

This one was super cute yall! A new fav Christmas rom-com for me! My first Jen Atkinson book and looking forward to reading more by her. I really liked this twist on Fake Dating, haven't seen this done before. 

In this book, Bonnie struggles with anxiety, managed with medication and her sweet service dog, Noel. She lives in an apartment complex and life is pretty good. All until Elliot, the landlord's grandson, decides to send her several unsolicited notes threatening to turn her in for keeping a dog when she shouldn't have one. When push comes to shove, Bonnie decides to go talk to Elliot at his apartment, getting thrown in the middle of his family festivities. Elliot persuades Bonnie to pretend to be his girlfriend in front of his family but his grandmother isn't buying it. She meddles in the situation and Bonnie and Elliot end up dating for the next 12 days....the rest is history!

I loved these characters so much, seeing the anxiety rep with Bonnie and the passion she has for service animals, working in her non-profit, she was just a solid FMC. I loved seeing Elliot grow to understand Bonnie for who she was and how he truly supported her. His gran was also such a great character, one of my favs! Loved her sass! And you can't forget her precious dog Noel! She steals the show :)

Overall, a great Christmas read that shines light on mental health, also makes you laugh and has all the great spirit of the holidays you want in a book! :)

*Romance was clean with kisses only.

Thank you to the author for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6943501506
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4hUzep6

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

Book Review: The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright

Book Review: The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright 4 Stars 

This one was very spooky, gothic and eerie, as usual for Jaime Jo! It took me a bit to get invested in this one as the audio wasn't the best option. But around chapter 10 I was invested in the story and the house on Foster Hill itself. Jaime just has a great way of making these settings come to life and be a character in itself in a way. Duel Timeline in Jaime Jo fashion, we follow two ladies, Kaine Prescott and Ivy Thorpe. Both women are separated by nearly a century, whose lives are intricately tied to the mysterious Foster Hill house. Ivy is in 1906 drawn into a murder mystery when a woman's body is found near the house and Kaine is a modern day widow seeking refuge and answers after her husband's suspicious death. Kaine purchased Foster Hill hoping for a fresh start, but instead finds herself entangled in this history....

I really enjoyed the story overall, Jaime always keeps you guessing and interested. I feel like I was a bit confused at first in the timelines but that could have been because of the narrator on the audiobook. The faith content stood out well as always in her books. Light in the darkness thread. So glad I read this because the ending was great!

This would be good for people who like Christian Suspense or Gothic Mysteries. 

Content warnings: I tried to see what other reviewers shared regarding the content warnings because I didn't want to miss anything. I agree with this: As another reviewer, Daniella, stated from her review here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4524772608 -- "I do believe it’s worth noting that this novel does deal with intense and possibly triggering topics like trauma, sex trafficking, rape, murder, assault, abuse, ptsd, depression, anxiety, and stalking. However, none of these issues are spelled out in graphic detail nor romanticized/glorified. They are dealt with in, what I believe to be, a godly manner."

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6925876252

Baker Book House (Recommended): https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/38481
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YFVQlq

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

 

Book Review: Deadly Revenge by Patricia Bradley

Deadly Revenge by Patricia Bradley - 4.5 Stars

Book 3 in the Pearl River Series

What a great conclusion to the Pearl River Series! Set in Tennessee near Chattanooga in the fictional town of Pearl River, Russell County Deputy Jenna Hart and TBI Agent Maxwell Anderson work together to protect a former mayor who is running for the US Senate office. Max is also Jenna's old boss so they are familiar with each other. I loved learning more about Jenna's story and seeing her with Max was great. We see bits and pieces of her past when she was shot and is dealing with PTSD from those events, so when she is back in town, she is questioning everything -even the fact that someone could possibly be out to get her and sneaking around her home looking for some old incriminating photos she took from the past of some criminals. 

I really liked the small town feel, as usual in Pat's books. As a Tennessee girl, I love her books so much for the settings and familiar towns and areas I know of, or can easily picture. The details about the dam were very interesting as I know about a lot of dams from East Tennessee where I grew up and could easily picture the issues going on there. 

The romance between Max and Jenna was a slow burn, but nice because he really wanted to keep her safe, and I liked that. I did want a bit more in the romance but still a great romantic suspense overall. Fans of Christian romantic suspense will enjoy this series! The suspense element stands out for me in this one. While we knew who the bad guys were early, it was interesting to see their POV sometimes and kind of know what was going to happen next in a way as our main characters tried to figure everything out for themselves. Highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher Revell for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6737995641
Baker Book House (Recommended): https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/579825

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ZdXds5

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

 

Book Review: Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson

 

Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson - 3.5 to 4 Stars

I really enjoyed this one and gave it 4 stars but upon sitting with it, it is more of a 3.5-4 star rating for me. I found much of what he said relatable, even though I am not much of a music person and he explained more of his life and music career. While this wasn't as engaging as many other Christian Non Fiction books I have read, I still really enjoyed the audiobook because it had signing and he narrated it himself. It was really like a memoir more than anything. I am a very creative person too, so much of his thoughts on creativity, discipline and faith were relatable. I would have liked a bit more on community I think but really liked learning about his own experiences. Personally, the chapter on discernment was the most impactful for me. Overall, an encouraging read!

Favorite quotes:

"Love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor, too, by making worlds and works of beauty that blanket the earth like flowers. Let your homesickness keep you always from spiritual slumber."

"Maybe the song you're writing is for one specific heart-broken soul who won't be born for another four hundred years." (Relatable for YouTube Videos/Bookstagram/Book Reviews etc)

Book Review: The Heir by Keira Cass

 

The Heir by Kiera Cass

Book 4 in the Selection Series

Basic review, just don't feel like writing a full review on this one honestly, soooo these were my thoughts at the time from Goodreads.

Missed the mark for me here. Didn’t connect with the main girl. She was just so self absorbed and I didn’t care about what was going on in this one like I did books 1-3. I was more invested there. Ending we don’t find out who she ends up with and I just don’t care to continue at this point 🤣🤭BUT if you wanna continue after book 3 in the selection series and see what happened with the couple who got together’s daughter, check this out. Will write a full review later. Just wasn’t my fav. Content was fine, no explicit scenes, clean romance with very mild language - maybe 1-5 words max but I only remember a few small words.

Book Review: Rescued by The Hero by Mandi Blake

 

Rescued by the Hero - Mandi Blake

4 Stars 

Book 1 in the Heroes of Freedom Ridge Series

Super cute and quick Christian Christmas read! Really enjoyed buddy reading with my friend Melissa this one. 

Read if you like: 

Clean Christian Romance
Brother's Best Friend Trope

Fake Dating 

A Touch of Suspense
A Mountain Resort Vacation Setting
Dual POV

While its hard to measure up to her newest Christmas book, Healing the Cowboy, this one was still super cute and brings all the hallmark, Christmas cheese vibes you want during the holiday season. Our main couple is Aiden Clark and Joanna Drake. Joanna escapes to Freedom Ridge for the Holidays in Colorado. She runs into her brother's best friend at the ski resort and they instantly hit it off. Trouble arrives though in Freedom Ridge when Joanna's crazy, stalker co-worker - Keith - follows her to town. He has been interested in her for a while and she's been denying his advances. Because of all of the unwanted attention from Keith, Joanna asks Aiden to pretend to be her boyfriend and the fake dating turns into real feelings really fast. :) Unfortunately, Joanna's brother Zach isn't too keen on a real relationship between Aiden and her so they have to keep their feelings under wraps until the time is right.....The story kicks off here.

This was super cute like I said - just what you want in a cute Christian Christmas cheese-y romance book for this time of year. Even though it's a quick romance, I was still here for it! The only things I wasn't crazy about was how Joanna's brother was so against them together but he didn't take the issues with Keith as serious as I hoped he would have, but other than that, it was a solid 4 star read for me! Highly recommend!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YByuMG

Series Link: https://amzn.to/3YD4RL1

Mandi's Books in this Series: https://mandiblakeauthor.com/collections/heroes-of-freedom-ridge-signed-paperbacks

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

Book Review: Hope Like Wildflowers by Pepper Basham

 

Hope Like Wildflowers by Pepper Basham 
Book 3 in the My Heart Belongs in The Blue Ridge Series

What a beautiful story by Pepper! Thank you to her for sharing Kizzie's story with us, it was well worth the wait! We learned about Kizzie in Laurel's Dream, book 1, who is Laurel's sister who has been sent away from their family due to her mistakes made. Oh but the LORD perused and protected this woman with all His power, what a beautiful journey Kizzie had to redemption, forgiveness and freedom!

Set in the early 1900s in Appalachia, Kizzie is essentially disowned by her father due to a pregnancy she didn't plan on. After being on her own, with no food or shelter for a while, she meets a local family, Nella and her husband, who offer her refuge and help, no matter what she's done. They love her unconditionally and help her as such. They did the work of the Lord in these moments and helped a girl in need. I absolutely loved their characters. We see Kizzie struggle with her relationship with Charles, the man she thought she loved and was supposed to marry, now pregnant with his child. Charles is of a rich status in life and unable to marry Kizzie due to their societal differences. He strings her along and we all know as the reader that Charles is a snake in the grass. Cut to the second portion of the story when Kizzie and her son Charlie go on their own in search for a new home and life, where she meets Noah....a wonderful man who loves her and her son Charlie unconditionally as well. The story moves on from here as Kizzie gets a fresh start....

The faith in this book stands out among the crowd. We see Kizzie go from feeling rejected and unloved to being fully known and loved by the Lord. She realizes how no matter her mistakes made, that the Lord can take it all from her and she can be a new creation in Jesus. That nothing is too far gone for God. I loved how Nella encouraged her to go to church and trust in the Lord. She held on to that throughout the story and became a very strong willed woman. Her relationship with Noah was so beautiful too. Chapter 24 made me cry as it showed us how great a man Noah really was in those moments with Kizzie. Chapter 25 made me cry when Kizzie realized the true names the Lord gave her. And the epilogue, wow. SO many happy tears. WHAT AN ENDING! All the STARS! 

Overall, such a great wrap up to Kizzie's story. I highly recommend this book and series!

P.S. You have to read the author's note. Love that this was part of a true story for her family and the heart she put into this story.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6712037827
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/566509
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3UB2hDM

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on item purchased from these links.

Book Review: The Curse of Misty Wayfair by Jaime Jo Wright

 The Curse of Misty Wayfair by Jaime Jo Wright  3.5 Stars

Another atmospheric Jaime Jo read. Jaime blends gothic mystery, historical fiction and psychological suspense in this one. If you love a good haunting story with depth and emotion, check this out! I enjoyed it overall. The only downside to this one for me was I was a bit confused keeping the timelines apart and I don't think I still understand the genealogy stuff at the end, but this could be due to me only reading this by listening to the audio. 

This is a dual timeline story following Thea Reed in 1908 and Heidi Lane in present day. Both timelines are in the town of Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin. In 1908, Thea is a traveling post-mortem photographer, who comes to town searching for clues about her birth mother. Her journey leads her to the asylum on the outskirts of town, where she gets wrapped up in the ghostly tale of "Misty Wayfair". In present day, we see Heidi Lane, struggling with anxiety and mental health issues, drawn to the same town by a mysterious letter from her mother. She starts to unearth family secrets and gets involved in a mystery she can't ignore. The story kicks off here as we follow both timelines in each character's journey. 

I loved seeing the mental health and autism representation shown in this book too. As an Autism Mama, I love that in books and it always stands out to me. The greatest strength in this book is character development as I feel like they were beautifully fleshed out, each on their own quest for identity and understanding. 

I think this is a good read for the fall spooky season and perfect for fans of gothic fiction or psychological thrillers. An eerie read but also hopeful as Jaime always has that layer of faith added to explain the situations. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6867500938
Amazon:  https://amzn.to/4f7T2n7
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/38483

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