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

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

✨Sign up for Libro.fm Audiobooks here: https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm206402 (Supports Local Indie Bookstores)

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

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 Kimi 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. 

✨Sign up for Libro.fm Audiobooks here: https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm206402 (Supports Local Indie Bookstores)

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

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

✨Sign up for Libro.fm Audiobooks here: https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm206402 (Supports Local Indie Bookstores)

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

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

 

Closely Harbored Secrets by Bree Baker

 Closely Harbored Secrets by Bree Baker
4 Stars (Book #5 in the Seaside Cafe Mystery Series)

This was a fun time at Halloween time in Charm, North Carolina. Enjoyed being back in the series. Love the setting and characters. GRADYYYY. Everly agreed to help the aunts with the haunted walking tour and one of the actors is found dead. As alwaysssss they are right in the middle of this mystery trying to figure it out and escape danger themselves. The mayor election also is part of this and finishes up. While I don't have a ton to say here, this series is just a fun time and always one I enjoy. Clean, no language, no explicit content.

Amazon series link: https://amzn.to/4xfcNlt
Libro.Fm Audio Link: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781705043950-closely-harbored-secrets

✨Sign up for Libro.fm Audiobooks here: https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm206402 (Supports Local Indie Bookstores)

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

The Deep End of Love by Christina Suzann Nelson

The Deep End of Love by Christina Suzann Nelson 
5 Stars

Wow. I loved this book. A true 5 star favorite Christian Fiction read. This is what I need in Christian Fiction books these days. Depth. Grace. Faith. Grief. Redemption in the Lord. 

Thank you to Christina for sending me a gifted copy of this book to read for review. I also borrowed a copy of the ebook and audiobook from Kobo Plus, loved the narration when I listened to a few chapters.

This was such an emotional, grace-filled story. She tackles the tough topics of teen pregnancy but this was such a multi-layered, multi-character story and so much more than just that topic. We followed characters who went through infertility trying to adopt, a mother who lost her son, a young girl who has an unplanned pregnancy, a woman with a tragic secret hidden for many years....many hard situations, but each story intertwines God's grace, love and redemption. 

The multiple points of view worked really well, allowing me to connect with each woman's unique struggles, whether it was grief, regret, fear, or the longing to become a mother. I appreciated that every character felt human and flawed, and I found myself rooting for each of them in different ways.

The Christian message felt authentic and naturally woven into the story, emphasizing forgiveness, healing, and the truth that God can bring beauty from even the hardest circumstances. 

The ending really got me. Unexpected and beauty in the ashes. 

Overall, I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy character-driven Christian fiction with meaningful themes.

*Trigger Warnings:
Teen pregnancy, mentions of past abortion, death of a child, car accident, grief, infertility 

About the Book (Synopsis):

When Izzy's pregnancy comes to light during her junior year of high school, her future sinks like a stone and leaves waves of uncertainty in its wake. And suddenly three women are pulled into the undertow. A mother desperate to protect her child, but battling hurt and fear from her past. A new woman in town with empty arms and a deep longing. And a broken heart trying to survive amid grief.

An unborn baby growing closer to his unknown future remarkably brings together these four women with four completely different stories. Masterfully told in woven points of view, The Deep End of Love explores how one decision exposes shame, fear, and hope—and how grace surfaces in the least expected places.

✨Sign up for Libro.fm Audiobooks here: https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm206402 (Supports Local Indie Bookstores)

Libro.fm Audiobook: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9798895641927-the-deep-end-of-love

Amazon: https://link.amazon/B0jeM9yrV

Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/9780825452574_the-deep-end-of-love

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