Across the Ages by Gabrielle Meyer

 

Across the Ages by Gabrielle Meyer 
Book 4 in The Timeless Series
5 STARS A FAVORITE OF 2025

Watch my dedicated reading vlog here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9oct9SJ7MA

YOU GUYS. GABRIELLE DID IT AGAIN. It took me long enough to read book 4 that we have books 5 & 6 out but I GOT IT DONE! :) 

This book is a NEW FAV in the series now for me.

This is a Christian Historical Romance Time Travel Series and to me, it is my favorite Christian Fiction series of all time.

In each book of the series, you have someone or multiple people who time travel. The person wakes up each day in a different time and before a specific birthday, they have to stay awake past midnight in that time and they will remain there forever, forsaking the other life and timeline forever. 

This was the first of the series that our main character had no idea how the time travel piece worked. 

We follow Caroline, in 1927 and 1727. She is searching for answers about why she has this ability to exist in both times. She stumbles upon a letter from her mother that hints at her own past....so she goes on the quest to figure out where her mother is. She disguises herself as a cabin boy and joins a ship sailing for the Bahamas, her mother's last known location. There she crosses path with Marcus Zale, a handsome pirate and finds herself caught in lots of secrets. In 1927, she has a lot of family drama as the daughter of a preacher and is trying to keep her family from scandal with all these secrets with her brother and whatnot. She has help from police officer, Lewis Cager, who was her childhood friend. Things go on from here as Lewis also helps in Caroline's quest...

I love how Gabrielle told this story! We were so intertwined in the timelines, you could really feel what was happening with each page. As someone who loves a good Scotsman in the 1700s....this book was for me! Marcus was the best guy. He was a protector and took care of Caroline no matter what. Their romance was CHEF'S KISS!

And Lewis was such a good friend to Caroline to help her. Without him, things would not have progressed as they did. 

Caroline's family in 1927 - I wasn't too sure about them but by the end, my heart, I was crying. I loved so much of what her father said in the end of this book. The faith in that timeline was perfection to me. No matter what, we are not broken. We are in need of a savior. And this book reminds you of that and God's will and plan for your life.

What else can I say? Go watch my spoiler free reading vlog on YouTube and see all the emotions, reactions and thoughts! :) 

Excited for book 5!

Baker Book House:
https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/9780764244209_across-the-ages
Amazon: https://amzn.to/431zzjH

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

The Beatitudes by Charles Spurgeon

The Beatitudes by Charles Spurgeon 
5 Stars 

Once again, a great Spurgeon read! This short but deeply rich work is a gem. Spurgeon takes Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Blessed are the poor in spirit....) and unpacks each verse with depth and conviction. What I love most about his works is how timeless his teaching always is. Even though he spoke/wrote in the Victorian Era, his reflections on humility, mercy, righteousness, and peace speak directly to us today. So much is relatable in our time now. 

Every page reminds you that the Beatitudes are not just poetic lines but calls to live with Christlike character in our world today. 

His words are easy to understand and reading two chapters per week was perfect for the weekly discussions with Tiffany, Chrissie and Deea for our readalong. 

If you are looking for a devotional or bible study companion that goes beyond the surface and gives you deep reflections....read this!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7975876197

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4hBei6z 

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

 

A Wonderful Christmas Crime by Jacqueline Frost

A Wonderful Christmas Crime by Jacqueline Frost
4 Stars 

Book 6 in the Christmas Tree Farm 

 Another cute Christmas cozy mystery in this series! :) We follow Holly White and her husband Sheriff Evan Gray as she is expecting! Holly agrees to take it easy because she has elevated blood pressure. There is an attempted robbery of an antique ornament. The thief manages to escape....but they find their body later.....someone was in town to kill them and now they have another mystery to solve.

I really liked the romance with Holly and Evan continued in this book. It's natural, sweet and clean. The small town and side characters in this book are SO cozy and you just love seeing them try to figure out what happened.

Only a couple of small swear words, no explicit content, making this an overall clean series to get into.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7949483450
Amazon: https://amzn.to/47f2K5z

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earn by items purchased from these links.

A Weather Girl's Guide to Love by Cassandra Joelle

 

A Weather Girl's Guide to Love by Cassandra Joelle
3 Stars

Another buddy read with my friend Melissa! :) 

This book is a Christian romance following Hailey Sinclair. She had her life all planned out. She goes to rural Wyoming after graduation instead of a bigger city to be an on-air meteorologist as she planned. Her mother passed away when she was young and her boyfriend of 3 year's, Jett Dawson, reveals his mother is dying from cancer. So, she changes her plans and goes to follow Jett home because his mother has always felt like her own.

While she is there, things with Jett and her don't feel like they are working out for whatever reason and they take a dating break. He is devastated by his mother's diagnosis and needs space to process. While on the dating break, she meets Colt Wilder, a cameraman at her new job who she connects with more than she did with Jett. She starts to wonder why her and Jett lost their spark in the relationship and if she was just with him because of the close relationship she had with his mother. 

This was a cute premise but I ultimately wanted more from the story. While the premise had potential,   I loved the idea of a Christian rom-com centered around a meteorologist finding her way back to God’s plan, the execution fell short a bit. The writing felt a bit like we were missing some of the details (which I understand, it's meant to be a novella), but there were some details I would have liked to see fleshed out a bit more into a longer story. 

Also, something important to note: the cover and title make this book look like a light, cutesy romantic comedy, but it has a lot of details surrounding on-page parental death from cancer, grief from that loss and mentions of another parent dying from the same illness. There are no trigger warnings for these themes that I noticed, so I want to mention I think readers should be aware of this before going in.

I did appreciate the faith thread and the Wyoming small-town setting and overall it was cute, but wish it was a bit longer. 

Thanks to the author for sending me a copy to read for review. All thoughts are my own. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7701880634
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4nkaQhV

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

The Christmas Ring by Karen Kingsbury

The Christmas Ring by Karen Kingsbury
4 Stars 

I really enjoyed this Christmas read! It was sweet, hope-filled and has small town charm, Christmas magic, emotional depth...all the THINGS! We follow a military widow, Vanessa, carrying her grief and the hope of finding her family's lost heirloom, The Christmas Ring. Her journey is authentic and I loved the relationship with her daughter. With so many books having toxic relationships these days with mothers and daughters, it was such a breath of fresh air that they were best friends together in their adult lives. Really inspiring. 

We see Vanessa finding love again with the antiques dealer, Ben, as they have quite the growing friendship together. 

A little twist with the ring makes things very interesting! 

If you love a sweet, clean, Christian Christmas read, pick this up! Karen always add layered, emotional depth to her stories and I thought this was a very nice family read.

Really excited to see the movie!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing a complimentary copy to read and review. All thoughts are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7956600664
Baker: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/667153
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4onoguf
 

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

Rescued Heart by Angela Hunt

 

 Rescued Heart by Angela Hunt

Book 1 in The Matriarchs Series
2 Stars

Rescued Heart is the first book in Angela Hunt’s new biblical fiction series and this book explored the lives of Abraham and Sarah. The story is well written, rich in historical detail and gives readers an imaginative look at what life in Ur of the Chaldeans, with Sarah and Abraham might have been like.

That said, I personally struggled with some of the creative license taken with the biblical story. The book portrays Sarai and her family as worshipers of false gods before Abram’s call, and Sarai herself is not shown as the woman of strong faith we recognize from Scripture. While I understand some of this is historically accurate for the people in Ur during that time and added depth to Sarah's character in the books, those choices just made it harder for me to connect with the Sarah I know from the Bible.

Additionally, some of the family relationships were not accurate and felt like a creative departure that didn't align for me.

Angela Hunt is undeniably a gifted writer and researcher, and I can appreciate her effort to bring cultural depth to familiar Bible characters. I do not believe it's her intention in any way to be disrespectful by taking these creative liberties as that is what occurs many times in some biblical fiction books, however, readers who prefer stories that stay closer to the biblical text may find these interpretations a little distracting.

For those who enjoy biblical fiction and don’t mind extra creative license, this might still be an engaging read. It's always important when reading biblical fiction to take your heart back to scripture regardless of the creative liberties taken in the fictional work.

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7976156930
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3UtLAdl
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/637229

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

The Heart of Bennet Hollow by Joanne Bischof DeWitt

 

The Heart of Bennet Hollow by Joanne Bischof DeWitt
3 Stars 

Alright friends, take me with a grain of salt on this review because SO many of y'all will enjoy this book I think. It's cute, cozy and good for a Jane Austen fan in general. I think it would be perfect for the fall time too, it starts in October.

As someone who adores Pride and Prejudice, I went into this book excited for a heartfelt, Appalachian twist on a classic favorite. As a southern girl who lives in Tennessee, I LOVED the setting. It was lovely and the author truly captures the Appalachian atmosphere beautifully with cozy, fall-ready charm and strong small-town details. That what made the book for me was the Appalachian details and narration. 

All of that said, I do think the story itself felt a little too close to Jane Austen’s original.  Because of that, it lost some of the emotional spark and originality I was hoping for. Some of the personalities of the characters were not how I anticipated too I think.

We follow Lizbeth Bennet and William Drake. Set in New River, Virginia, 1904, Lizbeth wants to preserve her family's farm and secure a future for her and her sisters in the Appalachian coal mining town. William Drake arrives focused on business. Their paths cross and you know the drill. :)

Characters names: William Drake (Mr. Darcy), Lizbeth Bennet (Elizabeth Bennet), Hattie (Charlotte), Westgard (Wickham), Lacey (Lydia), Catherine de Bourgh (same), Jayne (Jane), Callum Brydolf (Bingley)

All of this said, I did appreciate the clean romance and historical elements woven into the cozy, coal-mining town setting. My great grandfather was a coal miner and those bits touched my heart. 

If you’re looking for a sweet, comforting read with Appalachian setting and a large similarity to P&P, this would still be a nice pick. It just didn’t deliver the emotional depth or distinction I expected. I do want to read The Lady and the Lionheart by this author as many of you have recommended it to me as your favorite!

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for a complimentary e-book to read and review. All thoughts are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7754968313
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3UwVHxR
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/638204

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

Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright

 Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright

3.5 - 4 Stars (4 on Goodreads)

I have read so many Jaime Jo Wright books! She is known for her haunting, Gothic dual-timeline mysteries/suspense style with good Christian content, combating the supernatural with the reality of the Christian faith. She usually has a good romantic sub-plot too. This one is set in 1901 and present day for our timelines. 

Jaime Jo weaves together the lives of Effie James and Norah Richman, two women connected by tragedy, secrets, and an eerie house at 322 Predicament Avenue.

I think my favorite timeline was the present day because of the crime podcast stuff. 

My favorite part of this book is honestly the atmosphere and the strong writing I’ve come to expect from Jaime Jo. I do struggle to stay fully invested this time but honestly, I listened to the audio and think I just wasn't as invested because the timelines and mysteries felt a bit too similar at points, and I found myself having to stop and remember which story I was in and who we were talking about. It’s totally a ME thing. I’m also struggling to connect with stories right now for some reason so I probably forced reading when I should have taken a break. 

Even still, this is one that if you love a good gothic mystery, check this out. The ending reallllly surprised me!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7160979239
Amazon: https://amzn.to/42KOmiN
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/9780764241451_night-falls-on-predicament-avenue 

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

Three Blue Hearts by Lynne Kelly

 

Three Blue Hearts by Lynne Kelly
4 Stars

This is a beautiful, heartfelt story about courage, empathy, and helping animals. I loved Song for a Whale and this was another great middle grade book by Lynne.

Max is our main character, a young 12 year old boy you will instantly connect with. He is trying to figure out who he is outside of his father's shadow. People always liked making plans or him when he was standing right there. His Dad wants him to play sports, but he doesn't have any interest in that. He has a lot of pressure put on him from his Dad. His parent split when he was 4 years old. His Mom is a high school history teacher and he goes to spend time with her at the beach during the summer. 

He finds an octopus with a missing arm and in need of help. He takes it upon himself to help it and finds purpose in doing so. 

We see themes of family pressure, friendship and self-discovery here as Max finds what he enjoys and is passionate about. 

If you like middle grade books with a heavy focus on animals, wildlife or the ocean, this is one to read! Would recommend, especially for 4th - 7th graders. No language or explicit content.

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7572178367
Amazon: https://amzn.to/47vDiss

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

The Stories We Carry by Robin W. Pearson

The Stories We Carry by Robin W. Pearson 

4 Stars

This is a heartfelt, Southern family story. Set in the small town of Gilmore, North Carolina, this Christian fiction is about Glory Pryor, who runs a bookstore in town and newcomer Adelle Simonette, who moves there with her young son. Their paths cross and both women have experience's they never expected. Adelle's is walking through grief from the loss of her husband. Glory is keeping secrets buried as her and her husband Eli are nearing retirement age as they look to moving on from the store to new things. Glory doesn't expect Adelle and her son working on her heart during their time there.

I really enjoyed this book. I have been loving general contemporary women's fiction stories lately and this was another good one to add to my recommendation list going forward. It’s reflective and emotional without feeling too heavy. This is my first book by Robin and she writes with such warmth and depth, especially when exploring themes of family and faith.

I appreciated how both Glory and Adelle’s stories showed their real life struggles. Glory wasn't much of a believer, and didn't want a lot to do with God, but she had the foundation of faith from her life growing up. We see some of her faith come back to her in this book. She was funny and I loved her relationships with others in this book. 

I loved that Glory was over 60 with her sweet husband Eli. Their relationship was real, funny and sweet. Adelle was in her 40's, with her 4 year old son. Middle aged characters in stories really bring the reality of life and depth to the story. Lots of relatability. 

Our characters experience healing and it was beautiful. I wasn't too sure how I felt with the ending when the big secrets were revealed, but it was tied up nicely in the end. 

Overall, this was a beautiful, faith-filled story about community, second chances, forgiveness and the little ways God works through the people around us.

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for an e-book copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7997514495
Amazon: https://amzn.to/45jBPob
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/638198

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

Coffee We Spill by Chelsea Michelle

 Coffee We Spill by Chelsea Michelle
4 Stars 

Ok, this one had the cozy mystery I was looking for! :) This is the 3rd book in the Novella Mini Mystery Series - you need to read their full book though, Transactions We Expose probably before this one, I didn't and I think I can see where I was spoiled a smidge on some things but by the time I get back to the full novel, I will probably have forgotten that info, haha.

But I have had fun with these mini-mystery novellas. This one is my favorite of the 3 I have read. I like how this one really focused on the mystery of someone missing and Michelle being a possible suspect. 

Essentially, Michelle’s coffee shop is doing well but a a new coffee truck competitor rolls into town and then the owner suddenly goes missing. Blood stains are discovered on Michelle’s back door, she becomes the prime suspect, and her sister Chelsea jumps in to help prove her innocence. 

The pacing really worked well, it was fast and engaging and I liked the mystery part the best. Looks like Michelle's love life is hopefully settling down too, we will see about that.

This has good faith and prayer content too with the sister's struggles as they learn to trust the Lord.

Looking forward to more in this series and I will eventually go back to the full length story before this one. :) 

Thank you to the author for a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7832841164
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3W2rPdv

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

Never Miss by Melissa Koslin

Never Miss by Melissa Koslin

4 Stars 

Melissa Koslin 'never misses' (see what I did there, haha) with her Christian Romantic Suspense books! I really enjoyed this one. We have a very intense, high-stakes book that keeps you hooked. We follow Former CIA sniper Kadance and scientist Lyndon. They make a great duo. She has the skills and tragic traumatic past to handle business when trouble comes along and Lyndon has the intellect and faith driven determination to keep going. The romance in this was awesome. FORCED PROXIMITY, and the CHEMISTRY between them was chef's kiss! 

The plot itself delivers on action and suspense. We have a virus-centered storyline - someone wanting weaponize the Ebola virus. I am not always a big fan of virus-centered stories but this worked here for the high-intensity setup.

I do wish some of the faith elements had been a little clearer or more developed. Kadance is not a believer and does start to be open to faith in this book but some of the discussions with Lyndon and her could have been a smidge clearer. They are not primary issues though, more secondary, and even still, I appreciated that faith was woven in naturally in a realistic way for someone who is not a believer. 

The backstory involving Kadance’s family was heartbreaking and gave her character so much depth. You can’t help but root for her.

Overall, this is an action-packed romantic suspense with a great romance I think a lot of y'all will enjoy.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/46KWMJs
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/9780800738396_never-miss

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

 

Chaos We Unravel by Chelsea Michelle

Chaos We Unravel by Chelsea Michelle 
Book 2 in A Watson Twins Mini Mystery Series
3 Stars

Like the first novella, we have a light, faith centered mystery that can be read in one sitting. This one centers around the 4th of July celebration in Maple Springs with a mysterious fire that turns the picnic into a lot of chaos. The sisters Michelle and Chelsea work together to try and figure out what's going on in their amateur sleuthing. I like this doesn't have any murder in it, just them trying to figure out the happenings in the town. 

The cozy mystery element here is fun because it has the small-town charm, family moments, and that wholesome “faith and family” tone that makes the series generally easy to enjoy. Novella length makes this easy to read quickly and just enjoy it for what happens. 

Where the book is starting to lose me a bit was the ongoing romantic subplot with Michelle. After breaking up with her boyfriend of two years for seemingly no clear reason other than she isn't sure what she wants or if she still loves him anymore, she really needs to make up her mind for me. She is entertaining attention from another guy after her break up with Kyle, and Kyle is still hanging out as friends all the time with her and she still has these mixed thoughts throughout so it's just she now seems a little inconsistent or frustrating. With the aftermath of that potential relationship, I found myself wanting her to either take time to reflect or make up her mind or something. It’s hard to root for her romantically when she feels so directionless in that area. I know that's realistic but still a bit frustrating. I am hoping book 3 clears some things up :)

Overall, this one was a quick Christian cozy mystery with a fun summer setting and family-driven plot. While the mystery side holds up, I’m hoping the next one bring more clarity and maturity to Michelle’s romantic storyline.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7982939926
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4hh3c6D

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

 

Hours We Regret by Chelsea Michelle

 

Hours We Regret - Chelsea Michelle
Book 1 in the Watson Twins Mini Mystery Series
3.5 Stars 

So I have an advanced copy of book 3 in this series, so I figured, when the books were on sale for .99, I would pick the series up to read before I review book 3! This is an author duo under the name Chelsea Michelle. It is a Christian Cozy Mystery Mini Series, meaning the books are short novellas. This one is meant to be a very fast, prequel introduction to the series and characters. While it's short, we are introduced to Chelsea and Michelle, twin sisters in this small town and danger arises when one of them goes missing and they have been discussing the serial killer on the loose so the stress arises when one of them went missing. There is a bit of romance drama too with one of the sisters throughout.

I liked the overall setup, especially the way the story explores fear versus faith and the close twin sister relationship. The pacing kept me engaged and I certainly wanted to keep reading to figure out what happened. But because it's a novella/shorter story, you do want to keep going and wish it had a more closed ending, but it's meant for you to move on to the next one I suppose, haha.

That said, it’s clear this story is meant to introduce readers to the series and characters, so I’m curious to see how things develop in the next installments.

If you enjoy small-town Christian cozies with light suspense, family themes, and nice faith moments with prayer, this is a nice, easy read to kick off the series.

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7982896989

Amazon: https://amzn.to/474wKQi

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

The Rancher's Reason by Rachel Blanchard

The Rancher's Reason by Rachel Blanchard 

4 Stars 

Rachel Blanchard is a new-to-me indie author who reached out and offered a free audiobook of The Rancher’s Reason in exchange for my honest review and I’m so glad she did because I am impressed with her storytelling. 

This novella may be short, but it’s packed with emotion, faith, and a sweet second-chance romance. Rachel managed to weave together a full and engaging story with depth, even in the shorter format. I really liked the narrator too, a professional sounding voice that brought it to life.

Willow and Ace’s story felt genuine and heartfelt. I loved the dynamic of a single mom trying to protect her heart while returning to the place (and person) she never thought she’d face again. Her reason's for not telling him the secrets were a little frustrating due to the circumstances but I understand the story of it all. 

The ranch setting in Missouri added a lovely small-town country backdrop that I liked.

As with any novella, I usually want the story to be a bit longer. The characters were strong enough to easily fill a full-length novel, and I would have enjoyed more time with them. I loved the moments of faith too.

Overall, this was a sweet, well-written second-chance romance that I would recommend. I think if you like books by Mandi Blake from the Wolf Creek Ranch series, this would be one cute novella to check out too.

🎧 Thank you to the author for the gifted audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7964088880
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Wwo3Js

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

 

Finding Freedom in Christ by Portia Collins - An 8 Week Bible Study

 

Finding Freedom in Christ by Portia Collins 
5 Stars 
A Great Bible Study on Galatians 

I have a full dedicated YouTube review video with more in depth thoughts coming on Monday, October 13th but wanted to write out a short review here also. When it's up, I will update the review with the link.

This is an 8 week study and I really enjoyed my time with this. This is a very thoughtful and well-rounded study to walking through the book of Galatians. The in-depth questions really help you slow down and reflect on the Scripture and I appreciated how each week was paired with corresponding passages that deepened my understanding. I am not always someone who always loves a ton of questions in studies, but these questions were very well done and made sense with the study itself. 

One of my favorite parts was the included access to Portia Collins’s teaching videos. There was no need for an extra purchase, which made the study feel complete and accessible. I also really enjoyed the balance of personal reflection and group discussion availability. Whether you’re studying alone or with others, it encourages honest discussions surrounding God's word.

Portia really deep dived into the true meaning behind Galatians, reminding us of the fruits of the spirit, the important of salvation in Christ and not based on our works. This is a great study for anyone, no matter where they are in their faith walk or journey. It’s biblically rich and practical - would definitely recommend!

Thank you to Crossway for a complimentary copy of this book to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7836854130
Crossway: https://www.crossway.org/books/finding-freedom-in-christ-tpb/
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4ohKCxD

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

Sense and Suitability by Pepper Basham

Book Review: Sense and Suitability by Pepper Basham 

4 Stars 

Perfect for fans of:

• Clean romance
• Themes of forgiveness and second chances
• Clean alternative to Bridgerton 
• Witty banter 
• Enemies to lovers
• Regency rom-coms
• Jane Austen 

This was another great book by Pepper! Emmeline is independent and determined never to lose her heart again, especially not after Simon broke it years ago. She is unique by secretly writing novels under a fake name and she is easily someone we root for in this book.

Simon adds depth and emotional baggage....he was once a charming bachelor but now humbled and forced to rebuild his estate and reputation. 

I loved seeing him and Emme navigate their shared past together while trying (and failing LOL) to keep things as friends only! The CHEMISTRY is off the charts in this one!

As always, Pepper brings the LAUGHS to the table. Witty banter, lots of adorable chaos...mischievous situations and yet, still the lighthearted moments bring so much to this book. 

My Jane Austen, Regency romance fans who want a clean read, pick this one up. 

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for a complimentary copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

4/5 Stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7931036156
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3HAbIAe
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/640509

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

The Nature of Love by Toni Shiloh

The Nature of Love by Toni Shiloh
Book 3 in the Love in the Spotlight Series

4.5/5 Stars 

This is book 3 concluding Toni's Love in the Spotlight Series and I really enjoyed it! We follow Dr. Erykah Kennedy, an orthopedic surgeon. Something tragic happens and her world is turned upside down. We see Christian Gamble, a wildlife conservationist, who we have seen from part of the guy friend group throughout the series. His friendship with Erykah grows into a beautiful romance as he helps her through the tragic situation, with the Lord right in the midst of it all. 

This book surprised me with its emotional depth. Toni really portrays grief and faith with such authenticity. It was a realistic look at how tragedy can lead to spiritual awakening because Erykah's faith journey was moving. We watched her go from uncertainty to belief and it felt very genuine. Chris shines as a steady, Christ centered hero in the book filled with compassion. 

I want to be clear though that readers should be aware that the story does involve the death of a close family member and the process of grieving that follows, but it’s handled with grace and hope in Christ throughout.

The return of the guy friend group from earlier books was great to see, especially their group text threads that highlight fellowship and prayer in everyday life.

Overall, I would recommend this series for readers who love faith filled Christian romance books!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7836831807
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3IQhjmH 
Baker Book House:  https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/598765

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