Falling for Keeps by Kasey Stockton

 

Falling for Keeps by Kasey Stockton

4 Stars

Thank you to Kasey Stockton for a gifted e-book of this book to honestly read and review. All thoughts are my own.

This one was SO CUTE! I loved the intro of this book the most. It was the best "re-meet-cute" if you will....Emma kisses the guy that is unknowingly living across the street -- OOOOOPPPSSS! Her and Carson had a lot of good chemistry. He's a single Dad, divorced after his wife left, not wanting to be their little girl's mother.....and he is so reluctant to a new relationship, for good reason. Emma is the town's children's librarian and is so passionate about her work. She is the one who cares for the people around her and never puts herself before others. Carson and Emma think they can be "just friends" but it ain't workin' out too well😂❤️

I loved seeing how devoted Carson was to his little girl Penny and how naturally Emma fit into their sweet family. I LOVEEE a single Dad story and Kasey gave us a good one here! A sweet little girl in a book brings so much depth to the story for me and Penny was the best.

If you like:

- Single Dad Trope

- Opposites Attract

- Bookish FMC

- FALL Vibes

- Sweet Little Girl

- Small Towns

- Friendships

- Teenage Crush

- Found Family 

- Clean Romance

Then this is going to be for you. Recommend! 

Romance is clean with kisses only and no language.

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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?

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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.

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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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A K-9 Mountain Promise by Helena Smrcek

A K-9 Mountain Promise by Helena Smrcek
4 stars

This was one of my more favorite love inspired romance reads I have read! This one is centered around Abby, who is divorced with her 6 year old daughter, Charlotte. They go to their family cabin in Colorado to heal after all the things they have been through. Veterinarian Noah Ross broke Abby's teenage heart years ago....she doesn't want anything to do with him but he is in danger of getting evicted from his condo because of his two dogs. Abby allows him and his dogs to spend some time on their property, especially after Charlotte gets really attached to them....Something happens and Noah ends up helping Abby and Charlotte more often, with the past coming to the forefront.

I just really enjoyed the sweetness of this story. A single Mom and a little girl always pulls at my heart strings. Plus, I love dogs in books, especially the Love Inspired reads. Noah was a standout guy who would do anything to help and when they finally work through the things that happened years ago, it was great to finally see him and Abby move on.

Overall, quick, cute read that I recommend, especially for my love inspired fans. Thank you to the author for sending me a paperback of her book to review, I also purchased my own e-book copy. All thoughts are my own. 

*No audiobook as of the writing of this review to link.

Amazon: https://link.amazon/B0c0RpES9
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Dolly All The Time by Annabel Monaghan

 Dolly All The Time by Annabel Monaghan 

3.5 rounding up to 4 Stars

After enjoying Summer Romance, I was excited to pick up Annabel's newest release, and reading it with my friend Theresa made it even more fun.

Dolly is the ultimate caretaker, always managing everyone else's problems. As someone who often feels like the "chaos manager" in my own family, I found her incredibly relatable. At 39, she returns to Rhode Island with her son to help keep her family home from being sold, where she meets Stewart....a wealthy man fresh off a very public breakup. Their fake dating arrangement naturally turns into real feelings, and I appreciated that the fake relationship involved far less deception than most books in the trope.

Stewart took a little while to grow on me, but once his vulnerabilities came through, I really enjoyed him and Dolly together. I also loved seeing Dolly as a devoted mom, especially since her own mother left her and her family. Her growth in standing up for herself and the family dynamics with her father and brother stood out too. The disability representation through her brother added another layer to the story.

My biggest drawback was the romance becoming more detailed than I personally prefer. There is one open-door intimacy scene (Chapter 25, pages 241–249) and another fade-to-black scene (Chapter 31). While not as explicit as many general contemporary romances these days, they were beyond what I typically enjoy or recommend to my clean-romance audience. She also talks about sex in a really convenient and unrealistic way. This is my issue with a lot of romance books though in general sometimes.

Overall, I still really enjoyed the story and found Dolly to be a relatable, well-written FMC. This story stands out for the family dynamics and real life situations. It was nice to see Dolly even resort to prayer and begging God to help at a really intense moment. I especially appreciated seeing characters in their late 30s and 40s. I don't think this will be a favorite for most of my clean-romance followers, but I enjoyed it for what it was.

The audiobook narrator was great and I'd happily listen to more of her work.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of the ebook to read for review. I purchased a copy but will be unhauling since it wasn't really an all time favorite. All thoughts are my own.

Content: Moderate language (including 4 F-words and several uses of the Lord's name in vain), detailed kissing, one open-door intimacy scene (Chapter 25), one fade-to-black scene (Chapter 31), references to sex, panic attack, parental abandonment

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Not What We Pictured by Becca Kinzer

Not What We Pictured by Becca Kinzer

4.5 Stars

This was so FUNNY! If you are in a mood to read something super funny and full of chaos, YOU GOTTAAAA check this out! 

Nate and McKenna have a funny "meet-cute" if you will....she's trying to set up the perfect proposal for her sister. They run into each other during this, the chaos ensues....the ring goes missing....and a trip to Tennessee brings her to Nate in Tennessee at his family B&B. They get to know each other, searching for the missing ring, planning a community concert, hiking in Tennessee...so much fun!

I really liked the Tennessee setting as my little small town was included in this book, with our bookstore, donut shop and hiking areas inspiring Becca in her writing! Becca has always been a joy to meet in our local indie bookstore in Cookeville, TN!

The enemies to lovers went on for a little longer than I usually like but around 40% I really started to connect with them as a couple. I recommend as a fun time read!

As an audiobook girlie, the narration was 10/10! She did a great job with all the character voices and really made you feel like you were with each scene as a movie. Made me laugh with her tones during the chaotic funny scenes!

It was also nice to have the short statements of faith in the end!  Romance was clean with kisses only.

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for a gifted copy of the audiobook to listen to for review. All thoughts are my own. I purchased a physical copy as well.

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Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh

 Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh
5 Stars

Stay tuned for my reading vlog on this one!

COURTNEY DOES IT AGAIN! WOW! I loved this book so much! Her books just bring me so much joy. I laughed so much. It was giving early 2000s rom-com, I kept picturing Katherine Heigel and James Marsden from 27 Dresses LOL. SO GOOD.

If you want all the joy, read this.

Second chances, funny moments, plenty of depth, clean romance - the best.

I love that the characters are middle age in their 40s. Such a breath of fresh air to see this, especially as I just turned 36 this year and I find myself seeking characters in their 30s and 40s out in books these days.

Claire is recently divorced, as her husband cheated on her after 20 years of marriage.  Claire moves from Colorado to Chicago, a place dear to her heart, as she loved being in rural Illinois growing up. She moves to a new apartment in the city and is ready for a fresh start. Her daughter Minnie is trying to set her up on dates though and makes her a dating profile online. Things get a bit complex when the apartment building owner, Miles, and her have quite the meet cute. Miles is also divorced, isn't seeking getting married again himself...and he starts helping with the matchmaking for Claire. Only you already know....the chemistry is more between Claire and Miles than anyone else they may be trying to date along the way...disastrous dates by the way....little do they know where their own relationship will end up.

But this book was more than just a romance.
This book was about self-discovery after your life turns upside down. It's a reminder to be with someone who supports you in what you enjoy. Lift each other up. I had the best time with this book and would recommend this book to everyone. It's truly one of those books that felt like real life. The epilogue was the best and gave me all the emotions - I teared up it was so beautiful.

The audiobook was also top tier. As an audiobook girlie, I loved the narration. She did a great job and I felt like I was right there with the characters while listening.

Will always recommend a Courtney Walsh read!!

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and libro.fm for a gifted ebook and audiobook to read and listen to for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Chasing the Clouds Away by Debbie Macomber

 Chasing the Clouds Away by Debbie Macomber

4.5 rounded up to 5 Stars

I loved this book so much. It's a book all about family, doing unto others, what it means to be kind, and second chances. We follow Chase who is making his way back home to figure out things for his mother's funeral. He's a rich man, rude and in quite the mood when he runs into Maisy on his flight. She has a peace about her that gets him thinking like no one has ever done before. They talk a bit on the plane ride, he expresses his mother passed away and he didn't have a relationship with her due to her leaving the family from being an alcoholic many years ago. He tells her no one will probably be at her funeral anyway.....Maisy is saddened by this. 

After the plane lands, Chase is in an uproar about his delays in travel to get to where he needs to be and Maisy offers him a ride to the funeral home. He begs her to let him pay for her trouble but she says no, this is what people do for each other in kindness. She asks him to pay it forward, a concept that is foreign to Chase. They part ways but Maisy has left quite the impression on him....

They meet back up after he realizes Maisy and her grandmother attended his mother's funeral and the rest go on from here as Chase starts to realize the meaning of family, kindness and love.

This was a "right book, right time" type of read for me. I have never read Debbie's books but this was sweet, wholesome and had a clean romance that I really liked. I love redemption arcs for people in stories and this had it for Chase. Loved Maisy's family, Patrick was the sweetest little boy too. While the conflict in the ending wasn't my 100% fav to see, I can understand and loved how it ended up all the same. 

This book also had some good faith moments that surprised me, mentions of God naturally in the book, how He would provide in times of trouble and how He got many through their sobriety.

Overall, a solid contemporary romance book that I would recommend!

Content/Trigger Warnings: 1 D word but that's all I could remember right off, parental death mention, brief grief shown, past miscarriages mentioned, romance is clean with kisses only

Thank you to the publisher for a ebook copy to read for review, all thoughts are my own but I also purchased a copy of the audiobook and physical book :)

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Beautiful Storm by Mandi Blake

 Beautiful Storm by Mandi Blake
3 Stars 
Book #4 in The Unfailing Love Series

This was a sweet Christian romance and another enjoyable installment in this series. I've been reading through Mandi's backlist with my friend Melissa, and it's been fun to see where her writing journey began. Having read more than 20 of Mandi's books, I appreciate the chance to go back and experience some of her earlier work. While this one wasn't a new favorite, I still found it to be a good read.

Tori's seemingly perfect life falls apart when her doctor husband leaves her for another woman. As she tries to rebuild her future, she receives an unexpected surprise in her divorce settlement.....a cabin in Georgia. When she travels there to sort out her new circumstances, she meets Marcus. Marcus is raising his younger sister and three brothers while dealing with the challenges of a mother who continues to make destructive choices. The connection between Marcus and Tori is immediate, and their relationship develops with a strong love-at-first-sight feel.

I enjoyed the story overall, but it didn't stand out to me as much as some of Mandi's more recent releases. That's a difficult comparison to make since this was part of her first series and she has grown so much as an author over the years. Her new books are almost always 5 star favorites for me. She's really perfected her timelines and being able to make it a very natural progression of what happens in the stories. This was still a charming Christian romance with likable characters and a heartwarming message. I'm not usually a fan of insta-love romances like this with the more cheesy bits, but this one ended up being a solid read rather than a standout favorite for me.

Looking forward to book 5!

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Candy Apple Kisses by Amy Clipston

Candy Apple Kisses by Amy Clipston 

2 Stars

I have enjoyed several of Amy's clean romance reads. This one is a childhood friends-to-lovers romance that sounded cute for fall time. I really liked the orchard and fall vibes, those bits were cozy and had that small town feel. It's like a hallmark movie because there is a struggling family orchard preparing for the towns centennial celebration and they are all working on ways to bring it back to life so I was really interested.... BUT.....Y'ALL.... honestly, this one just didn't work for me.

The romance is between Jake and Emily. They are childhood friends but Jake has been with his girlfriend Claire a super long time, I think they said 14 years? Or he at least knew her for 14 years I think.

Claire is wanting Jake to leave town and go with her to Nashville and spend his life with her but he isn't feeling the relationship anymore, doesn't want to move to Nashville and breaks up with her, asking for time apart and to see other people. 

It's been a month apart at least and Claire is not giving up. She continues to pursue Jake but Jake starts to realize he never really had that love for Claire, he's always deep down loved Emily.

I was so frustrated with the Claire storyline. So much of it was unrealistic. First of all, he's almost 30 and they still ain't married? Nah, that wouldn't happen. And then Emily loved Jake this whole time and she been waitin around...listen...I ain't waitin around y'all LOL

This gets the petty pen for the ending alone with the crazy stuff Claire was doing to try and not let Jake break up with her.

This miscommunication, non-communication and 3rd act breakup added to my frustrations. 

I've liked some of Amy's books but this storyline just wasn't it for me. I would have liked less of the Claire stuff and more of the family, Orchard details, fall vibes and Jake and Emily together without Claire's intrusions.

Content/Trigger Warnings: No language, clean romance, mild grief from past parental loss, parental health emergency

Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary audiobook to listen to review. All thoughts are my own.

A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham

 A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham 

5 Stars

Clean, funny and full of charm! No surprise for Pepper's books :) A British pub owner + small-town cafe girl = a grumpy-sunshine romance with emotional depth! I loved this one!

What I loved:

✨So many funny southern references - set in North Carolina

✨The BANTER

✨Coffee, Tea and Sweets

✨Disability Rep

✨Single Dad Trope

✨No Third Act Breakup

✨Rivals to Lovers 

✨ALL THE FOOD

✨Found Family

✨Community Helping Each Other

✨Sweet & Funny Granny D

✨ALL THE LAUGHS

As always, a fun time with Pepper's rom-com books. Lots of laughs, yet emotional depth all included in one. I love the single Dad trope and Finn and his daughter Lucy were the sweetest. Finn was just a great guy too, once he opened up. I loved their rivals dynamic. Also really enjoyed Daphne's personality and love for Jane Austen, tea, books, etc. 

Lucy's speech disability represented was done beautifully, especially from my own son's speech issues, I appreciate this being included.  

What can I say? I just felt like this was exactly the book I needed during a hard season! 

The small town, community coming together in the unexpected hardship in the end was also beautiful. Pepper's inspiration from real life events that happened in her town came across and you could feel the emotion from those scenes. She reminded people that even in the hardest seasons, there is hope in God, in community, in family, in life.

About the Book:
Daphne is the owner of an English tearoom in the North Carolina mountains, whose carefully ordered life is disrupted when Finn, a messy and unconventional English restaurant owner, moves in next door. They are forced to work together to cater a British-themed wedding, leading to plenty of sparks, humor, and growing attraction. As Daphne helps Finn and his young daughter settle into the community, both begin to heal from past losses and disappointments.

Thank you to the publisher for a gifted e-book and audiobook to review. I purchased a copy of the physical book. All thoughts are my own.

Content Details: Natural disaster and loss from the disaster, Mentions of divorce and loss of parent/grandparent, grief explained, romance was clean, kisses only, no language 

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Living Hope by Mandi Blake

 

Living Hope by Mandi Blake 
Book #3 in the Unfailing Love Series
3.5 to 4 Stars
Rounding up to 4 Stars on Goodreads

This was an emotional read that explores grief, healing and the power of hope in the Lord during life's hardest seasons. Mandi pulled you in from the beginning on this with Natalie being held by gunpoint at work and Jake saving the day...

Natalie is exhausted, lonely and determined to care for her sick mother. You feel the weight she is carrying from the beginning and it makes her struggles real. Watching her navigate the overwhelming grief after her mother's death added an emotional depth to the book.

I enjoyed this one. I really liked how Jake showed up for Natalie and walked with her through the grief she was dealing with. 

This one is one I think will be most memorable out of the series so far because of the depth Mandi added and I really see her progression in her writing journey throughout this series.

Good faith, going to church, seeing the Lord give peace, sweet romance, a good Christian romance!

Content/Trigger Warnings: Death of a parent shown from cancer, grief explored

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Summer State of Mind - Kristy Woodson Harvey

Summer State of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey
5 Stars

What a great book! This book will stay with me! My first Kristy book and now I need to read them ALL!

This is a secular, contemporary romance/women's southern fiction read and I am impressed!

Kristy tells a beautiful family story, a journey of love, friendship, reconciliation, healing...I loved it.

We follow Mason, a high school baseball coach, who finds an abandoned baby and then Daisy who is a NICU Nurse that helps take care of the baby. Mason and Daisy get close, form a deep connection, romance and bond over the baby throughout the book. Daisy has her own old wounds she is trying to heal from, with her mother leaving her many years ago, that ties in with her need to protect this little girl. Then, we follow Mason's batty Aunt Tilley....who is hiding her long-buried family secret as well....looking for a fresh start.

What I loved about this book was the family, the characters, the realness of it all. It just connected so well. I love all the southern bits too since it's set in Cape Carolina in North Carolina. So many great details.

Even when I didn't agree with the characters choices or motivations, I empathized with them. I found some parts of the romance relatable for when Blake and I first met. It was just a real look at life. Her character depth was so well needed too. We even had characters going to easter service at church and it felt like a look at the family times I had back in the day, when you better have new clothes for easter Sunday haha.

I even teared up in the end....so much emotion and healing that needed to happen. 

Mason and Daisy, really liked them. They were in the mid to late 30s and felt relatable to Blake and myself in some way. Daisy was very complex, I could see the desperation she had with the little girl and the reasoning behind it...seeing her journey to heal in her own issues, wow, it was just great.

The characters were not perfect, they made messy choices, carried old wounds and worked through believable emotions. That authenticity made their journeys resonate in a deeper way for me. Especially as someone who values stories that reflect real life rather than a polished story sometimes. 

Thank you to the publisher for an ebook copy to read for review. I did purchase a physical copy and audiobook too, the audiobook was fantastic. Now I have a copy for my shelves too, since I loved it so much. All thoughts are always my own.

Content/Trigger Warnings: Mild to moderate language (9 Sh*t, 17 D*mn, 1 B*tch, No F words or GD/JC that I saw), Fade to Black/Closed Door Sex Scene - it was not explicit or gratuitous in my eyes, mentions of parental abandonment, miscarriage, loss of a child in NICU situation in the past discussed (side character briefly discussed from Daisy's past work situation), baby abandoned storyline, Aunt Tilley has some mental health things working through, adoption thread things to think about 

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More Than Friends by Denise Hunter

 

More than Friends by Denise Hunter
3 Stars

Denise's books - I have enjoyed several but sometimes they don't always work out for me either. More Than Friends has the set up of a cozy, small‑town best‑friends‑to‑lovers romance with wild ponies, a loyal firefighter hero, and a mother‑with‑a‑mysterious‑boyfriend subplot. And while I enjoyed the setting and the heart behind it, I struggled to fully connect with the romance and characters this time.

Jenna and Tyson’s lifelong friendship turned romance was just something I didn't connect with but I think it could be a good option for my friends who like clean romance. I didn't love the third act breakup in this one and some of the romantic parts came across as awkward or slightly cringe rather than swoony, which made it harder to root for them as a couple. (ex: "their lips mated in a sensuous dance" lol)

The side mystery involving Jenna’s mom’s new boyfriend adds to the book and I liked how that ended up, she realized what she needed to.

Overall, while it wasn't a favorite, I think many would enjoy. The narration by Kim Churchill is always great!

Content: Romance is clean with kisses only, just some more odd statements as mentioned above about lips mating and being like magnets haha.

Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary e-book and audiobook to read for review. All thoughts are my own.

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The Rare Jewel of Everleigh Wheaton - Susan L. Tuttle

The Rare Jewel of Everleigh Wheaton - Susan L. Tuttle

4 Stars

Book 1 in the Treasures of Halstead Manor Series

This was my first Susan Tuttle read and I had a lot of fun with it! We have friendship, mystery, and romance!

You root for Everleigh from page 1. She is somewhat of an introvert but when she gets fired from her job after a situation with her old patient's son after her mother's money happens...she gets a random note from the mystery man...Casper. Through this process, she meets 2 other ladies, Natalie and Brooke and several others along the way. They all have to work together to search for a missing Diamond. Through this process, she works with Niles also who is a Private Investigator...and feelings develop.

Everleigh is a very private person, she isolates herself and doesn't open easily to others. It makes it quite the journey as she works with everyone and builds those relationships, especially with the girls and a sweet friendship grows. 

The girls were all vulnerable in their friendships and it grew and it was so sweet!  I love a good female friendship in books. We also have sooo many good laughs in this one from characters like Aunt Gertie - she cracked me up! And the banter between Niles and Everleigh was chef's kiss!

I think the mystery itself is engaging without overshadowing the heart of the story. The author blends real historical threads with contemporary stakes, adding in a good treasure hunting plot that feels fun, whimsical and entertaining! :) The faith aspect was a nice added touch also.

Content/Trigger Warnings: Clean romance, no language, Death/Grief Mentioned, ALS, Nothing explicit or worrisome to me 

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Claire Holloway is Winging It - Angela Ruth Strong

Claire Holloway is Winging It - Angela Ruth Strong

4.5 Stars (Rounding Up to 5)

I really enjoyed this book! She really handled this in a realistic way. 

I really enjoyed this lighthearted Christian rom-com, my first read by Angela. Claire Holloway, a former ballerina turned flight attendant, meets Nathan at work, a pilot healing from heartbreak, while she’s still in a relationship with Wyatt. You think it's a love triangle, but it's not in the traditional sense.

While this trope isn’t usually my favorite, Angela handled it realistically and thoughtfully. If I had to read a book with a significant other story plot, this is how you do it gracefully. 

The story emphasizes honesty, boundaries, and trusting God’s timing and plan. Nathan was sweet, supportive, and clearly a good Christian man, maintaining healthy boundaries despite his attraction to Claire. He knew what the right thing to do was and took necessary steps to ensure he was respectful.

I appreciated seeing Claire grow in faith and discern God’s direction for her life. Her journey from a people-pleaser to someone learning to trust God was beautifully done. I am a people-pleaser myself, so I found some of that relatable. 

The book also highlights healthy vs. unhealthy relationships, friendship before romance, and the importance of waiting for marriage from a biblical perspective. 

While I do wish Claire had ended things with Wyatt sooner, I appreciated seeing her grow and that makes sense for the pacing of the story. We really see, especially in the end, how she grows in faith and realizes her worth is in God and not a boyfriend. That in itself was beautiful. 

Overall, Claire Holloway Is Winging It was a fun, heartfelt romance with a unique setting and likeable cast of characters. I enjoyed the humor, airline world and the journey the characters made realistically. 

Content: Clean romance, FMC in relationship while thoughts of MMC but handled as well as it could be realistic way, brief mention of possible drug deal happening nearby, jokes about plane issues while flying, romance is kisses only, MMC walking through hard time after his ex cheated on him, cheating side characters mentioned, mention of church hurt in the past, mentions of past affairs. [Note: To be clear, we do not see much of her relationship with Wyatt on page outside of phone calls and texts until toward the end, and by then, it's obvious to the reader that they won't really work out and are not going to continue at some point.]

Thank you to the publisher, Kregel, for a complimentary copy of the book to honestly read and review. All thoughts are my own.

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