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.

All The Stars by Mandi Blake

 

All The Stars by Mandi Blake
Unfailing Love Book 5

3 Stars

Leah's husband left her to raise their daughter alone and she's trying to get back on her feet. She goes to the hardware store and ends up having a "meet-cute" with the handsome owner, Brian. They keep meeting and he becomes interested in her. However, she has such significant stranger danger because of the trauma of her ex-husband leaving and his deceitfulness. She doesn't want to let anyone in but Brian has never met a stranger, so they are complete opposites in that regard. Leah works through her hesitations and a romance comes together.

I liked this one, just not a favorite. This series has been quick, Christian romance reads that I have enjoyed but just not the same as the newer books Mandi has written. Most of her new releases are 4 and 5 stars for me so as I read her backlist, I get to see where she started to where she is now, which is great. 

Leah was a character I just didn't end up loving. She had too much stranger danger in my opinion that didn't match up with the trauma she went through but I did love Brian and his relationship with her daughter, very sweet.

Overall, glad to read another in this series and looking forward to finishing it.

Romance was clean with kisses only.

Libro.fm audiobook link: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781664948037-all-the-stars

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Amazon series link: https://amzn.to/4fAlUa2

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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!

Libro.fm Audio (Supports Local Indie Book Stores): 
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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

Libro.fm Audio (Supports Local Indie Book Stores):

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Amazon: https://amzn.to/4dho7X0
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Never Say Goodbye by Mandi Blake

Never Say Goodbye by Mandi Blake

Book 2 in the Unfailing Love Series
3 Stars

This was a second chance romance between Lindsey and Dakota. Let me start by saying I have LOVEEDDDD all of the Mandi Blake books I have read - over 20 books now. While this one wasn't 100% my fav, it was still a cute romance read with a redemption thread.

Dakota had a past with alcohol that rears its ugly head and he worked through that in this book. Lindsey and Dakota reconnect on their issues and resolve old wounds. The ending was really good with the added suspense piece, as always I was like whatttt I need to know haha.

Second chance is always a trope that is tricky for me personally as it is. With this one I was looking for a bit more detail between the two as they reconnected, felt like some parts were missing in a way. Either way, I am looking forward to continuing the series and seeing what's next. 

Libro.fm Audio (Supports Local Indie Book Stores):
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Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tGa9Du

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Just as I Am by Mandi Blake

 

Just as I Am by Mandi Blake

Book 1 in the Unfailing Love Series
4 Stars

I am going back and reading Mandi's backlist and really enjoying my time with them. These are always a good time with a fierce protector guy, sweet, clean romance and good faith moments. We follow Adeline and Declan. She goes to her aunt and uncles house in Georgia as she went on the run from her abusive ex-boyfriend and meets Declan. He is newly home from the Army so he is naturally a protector. When he sees Adeline in danger from her ex, he saves her from the situation and they fake date due to the circumstances. Their fake relationship turns to real one really fast. The stakes get high as her ex keeps creeping in and coming after her. The suspense at the end was wild!

I liked the characters and friend group was really good to be introduced to. While the romance is quick, I still had a good time with it. This was Mandi's debut book and I love going back to her backlist and seeing where she started. I have read over 20+ of her books now and I just love the comfort I get, and connection to the characters in her books. They are true comfort reads, even when the suspense elements are added.

Read this with my friend Melissa and we had a good time chatting about it! 

Looking forward to more in the series as I continue her backlist.

Trigger/Content Warnings: Clean Romance, Abusive Ex-Boyfriend, Grief from Parental Loss Mentioned, No Language

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8394399247
Amazon:  https://amzn.to/4skvJwA
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Charmed by the Cowboy by Mandi Blake

 

Charmed by the Cowboy - Mandi Blake

(Book 2 in the Blackwater Ranch Series)

Read if you love:
- Christian Romance
- Cowboys
- Slow-burn 
- Character-driven books
- Lots of redemptive faith moments
- Horses 
- Second Chance Romance
- Childhood Crush

Maddie returns to Blackwater Ranch with a past she would rather keep hidden. She doesn't want to get too attached to anyone because she usually leaves before she gets left....Lucas is steady and patient...the kind of guy who cares about the small, everyday things on the ranch, like mending fences, tending the horses etc. This was a slow, tender story about finding home when you least expect it. Maddie really found trust in Lucas and I loved seeing their romance together. Mandi Blake gives us so many good details on the ranch, with the horses and chores and family small town life. If you want a clean, faith-filled romance with a sweet happy ending and some redemptive arcs, I recommend.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8377401709
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Ov1qEH
Mandi's Site: https://mandiblakeauthor.com/products/charmed-by-the-cowboy-signed-paperback?variant=47469767098643

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Love Undercover by Mandi Blake

5 STARS!

 Love Undercover by Mandi Blake

Book 6 in the Love in Blackwater Series

Christian Romance Series 

WHAT AN ENDING TO AN AWESOME CHRISTIAN FICTION SERIES! FRIENDS! READ. THIS. SERIES! 👏👏👏👏 Mandi brings SOOO much to the table in this series and she ended it so beautifully. 

Read if you love:

- Redemption in Christ in Books
- Clean, Christian Romance
- Suspense, Going Undercover Thread
- Found Family
- Great Friend Group
- Grumpy x Sunshine 
- Opposites Attract 

We follow Zach and Lauren. Zach saved her life years ago, his brother abducted her and he never wanted to be involved in it as far as it went. He saved Lauren and ended up still going to prison for 4 years for his crimes. She visits him in prison over the years, showing him there is hope for him again. When he gets out, she helps him back on his feet and he helps her work through some repairs at her rental place and she gives him a second chance at life to start over. He's a bit grumpy but she isn't going to let that stop her from showing him God's true love.

But when trouble arises...what are they going to do? Go undercover of course....

I loved how Mandi took this in a suspense direction! Anytime she adds that type of storyline to her books, I love it! Zach and Lauren - I loved how Jesus really worked in this situation. Lauren felt that prompting from the Lord in her helping Zach. 

This book kept me on edge, engaged, connected to the characters with the best friend group - all in all, a GREAT Christian Romance series! I highly recommend! Her books are always those feel good reads for me, and when she has some mild heavier topics, she handles them with care and with the redemptive love of Jesus. I appreciate it so much.

OH and I loved the bonus epilogue! We got to see everyone together from the series, it was AMAZING.

Thank you Mandi for sending me a copy to honestly read for review. All thoughts are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8070823310
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MNPopp

Series Link: https://amzn.to/3MIK8mZ
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content: clean romance, kisses only, mention of trafficking victim but brief and handled with care, mild violence, going undercover, brief drinking but shown as bad situation

Playing for Keeps by Mandi Blake

 Playing for Keeps by Mandi Blake
4 Stars 

This was another great Christmas read by Mandi! She always brings the faith and sweet romance that I enjoy in books! This is a second chance romance story between Justin McKinnon and Caroline Taylor. Their families have hated each other for decades and when Caroline asks Justin to pretend to be her boyfriend one day many years ago, their spur of the moment kiss turned into a secret romance...just like Romeo and Juliet with their feuding families. 

Cut to many years later....they still love each other but as things would have it, they went their separate ways unwillingly. Caroline owns the bakery in town but no guy she has dated since Justin has worked out for her. She has been hung up on her first love (Justin) in the back of her mind for so long. Justin is back in town after escaping his abusive father years ago, and is ready to work things out with Caroline, if it be in the Lord's will for them.

Really enjoyed the Christmas elements, family and faith thread in this one. I also loved seeing characters from previous Mandi books from this series. This can be read as a standalone but it's nice knowing characters like Alicia from another book in the series.

We had some great themes of forgiveness and grace and Mandi always points the reader and characters back to Jesus. 

Recommended for anyone who loves Christmas Christian Romance books. The romance is clean with no language. Thank you to Mandi for sending me a copy to read and review. All thoughts are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7836925016
Amazon:  https://amzn.to/45GXdTm

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

Remembering the Cowboy by Mandi Blake

Remembering the Cowboy by Mandi Blake
4 Stars 

Book 1 in the Blackwater Ranch Series 

Another Mandi Blake comfort read for MEEEEE! :) I loved Noah and Camille so much! So much sweet romance cheeseeeee I loved it.

We start off with Camille getting in a car accident and Noah being on the scene to help her. They have history as best friends to more growing up as teens but had a falling out....yet Camille can't remember much about their past after the accident. Camille's step father Nathan doesn't want them together because name, status and money mean more to him than anything and Noah being a farmer cowboy guy isn't enough for his daughter....so he threatens Noah to leave and he does....

Cut to 6 months later when Camille is trying to remember who the guy that helped her was and she sees Noah and recognizes him as her hero.... they start to re-connect and little by little memories start to return...the only problem? Her step-dad threatens Noah's family and all they have worked for...

I love the amnesia trope so much and this was very well done! I like how her memories came back little by little as her and Noah interacted. I also like how Noah didn't just come out and spill the beans on everything in the past and allowed her to see what she needed to see naturally.

The ending was sweet with some nice faith moments. I recommend this for a cute, feel good, sweet Christian romance when you need something that makes you smile like a good ol' hallmark movie.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7139056177
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4eIfvri
Mandi's Store: https://mandiblakeauthor.com/products/remembering-the-cowboy-signed-paperback?_pos=1&_sid=31f79053b&_ss=r&variant=47470137377043

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Love on the Run by Mandi Blake

Love on the Run by Mandi Blake
5 Stars
(Book 5 in the Love in Blackwater Series)

OK this makes book 16 I have read by Mandi - how AWESOME is that?! AND NO SURPRISE FRIENDS - ITS A 5 STAR FOR MEEE! I LOVED THIS ONEEE SO MUCH! 

I am so connected with our characters in this series that it just MAKES the story for me to see them all connected as a friend group and truly live life together! 

In this one - we have so many things I love in books!

- Dual POV

- Laugh out Loud Moments 

- MMC Protects and Takes Care of our FMC

- FMC Stands up to her Controlling Parents (Relatable)

- Clean, Christian Romance

- Runaway Bride

- Best Friend's Brother

- Beau and Anna go on her honeymoon after her failed wedding, ANYWAY :)

- Forced Proximity 

- MMC Reading his Bible

- Prayers and Moments of Faith 

- Bookstore Visits

- Coffee & Dinner Dates

- Snowboarding/Snowmobile Activities

- Christmas Town in Freedom, Colorado (tied in from Mandi's other book)

- Christmas Tree Lighting Event

JUST THE BEST! 

In this story, we follow Anna and her upcoming wedding with Dean. Dean is NOT a good guy - it's revealed early on that he cheated on Anna and the wedding is OFF! BUUUTTT not before her best friend Olivia puts her brother Beau up to going with Anna on the honeymoon to the mountains in Colorado she planned anyway! We LOVE a good matchmaking friend ;) 

She runs off on the trip with Beau to get away.... away from her controlling family and job and finds more then she could ever imagine. Beau and her find themselves in some hilarious situations and as things would have it, fall in love. 

It's a beautiful story of love, faith, standing up for yourself, doing what you want in life, and Mandi also shows how important it is for you to be careful in your postings online - as Anna is also a fashion influencer online and has some odd situations with an online friend. 

Thank you Mandi for these great characters, settings and stories. Never stop writing sister! We love them!

I read a complimentary copy of this book - thank you to the author. All thoughts are my own! :)

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7354049714
Amazon: https://amzn.to/44khM7w
Mandi's Store: https://mandiblakeauthor.com/collections/love-in-blackwater-series-signed-paperbacks

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

 

Love and Memories by Mandi Blake

Love and Memories by Mandi Blake 
5 BIG Stars! 
Book 4 in the Love in Blackwater Series

YALLLLL MANDI DID IT AGAIN! These books just keep getting better and better! WOOOOWW! I was SO invested in this one. We have a Paramedic MMC, FMC who loses her memories, HIGH STAKES with TWISTS and TURNS, beautiful faith elements!! ALL. THE. THINGS!

Simba in this picture here explains my SHOCK at the TWISTS in this! This is not like anything Mandi has done from what I have read so far and I just loveeeed it so much.

OK now that I am done GUSHING --- let's get into what this is about:

Paramedic Travis Monroe helps save our girl Isabella Young from a tragic accident. We know from the beginning of the book she was running away from a situation. She's injured and Travis doesn't want to leave her side, even after she goes to the hospital. He feels the Lord telling him to check on her and they start talking through things. She doesn't remember much about herself, other than her name and a few small things. She definitely doesn't remember why she is in Blackwater or events leading up to her accident that brought her and Travis together. As Travis is helping her get on her feet, they start to have feelings for one another - yet TWISTS and TURNS ensue and we are left with QUITE THE STORY! 

This book had me in a chokehold - I had to know ALL  the things yall! I loved it so much. Seeing Isabella process through her trauma and stand in her faith was beautiful. Seeing her also take a stand was important. I always love the faith content in Mandi's books and this brought it in such a beautiful way. Travis was such a cinnamon roll who I loved too!

Highly recommended this series you guys! Thank you Mandi for sending me this book to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7258955766
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Qvpl4z

Mandi's Store: https://mandiblakeauthor.com/products/love-and-memories-signed-paperbook

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

 

Hope for the Hero by Mandi Blake

 

Book Review: Hope for the Hero by Mandi Blake - 3 Stars

This one is part of the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series. I have loved all of the Mandi Blake books I have read so far, but this one wasn't quite my fav. I just didn't connect to the couple as much and wished their enemies to lovers was a bit less of them fussin with each other for so long. 

We have Tessa and Adam - Tessa wants to get a job at her brother's security company and when she gets the job, her and Adam are working together and he is so grumpy lol. His boss says he needs an assistant to help him since he works a lot but they do not get along whatsoever. They eventually come to care for one another but it just wasn't a fav. While I liked the faith portions with Adam as he tried to figure out his beliefs as he worked through the emotions of his mother passing away years ago and his Dad not being around, I wanted more from the romance itself. I also wish Tessa was a bit more compassionate about what Adam was going through.

Overall, while this one isn't a fav and it was an average Christmas read for me, I still LOVE and support Mandi in her writing - her newest Healing the Cowboy knocked it out of the park for me, so it's hard to compare and beat that one for me. I will say I also didnt love the narrator in this one so that mayyyyy have caused some issues for the enjoyment for me too.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6926060564

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/3BJORzi

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

Guarded by the Hero by Mandi Blake

 

Guarded by the Hero - Mandi Blake

4 Stars 

Cute, quick Christmas read from Mandi! We are in Freedom Ridge with Heath Mitchell, who served in the Marines but now spends time as the head of security for the Freedom Ridge Resort. He meets a friend of his sister and she becomes a client who needs protection as he is the bodyguard like figure. Claire has some things from the past that resurfaces and he has to help protect her. They grow close together and the rest is history.

Enjoyed this one pretty well. As usual, Mandi has good faith elements and sweet clean romance.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6926059884

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3BzhfnQ

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

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.

Healing the Cowboy by Mandi Blake

 

Healing the Cowboy by Mandi Blake 
5 Stars

OK MANDI GOT ME AGAIN WITH ANOTHER 5 STAR BOOK YALL! Healing the Cowboy is her newest release and its SO good! PERFECT to read this Christmas season you guys! 

Read if you love:

❄️Clean Christian Romance

❄️Great Faith Content in Books

❄️Friends to Lovers Trope

❄️Opposites Attract Trope

❄️A Mistletoe Kiss

❄️Found Family

❄️Forgiveness Thread

❄️Horses and Cowboys

❄️He Falls First Trope

❄️She Takes Care of Him Trope

❄️Christmas Setting but also includes Thanksgiving 

❄️Cinnamon Roll MMC

❄️Nurse FMC

❄️Cozy Romance Books

I absolutely loved this! Healing the Cowboy is part of the Christmas Ridge Series but can be read as a standalone. We follow Nora St. James who returns home to find her father's gambling problem has resulted in a detrimental future to the family ranch. With the weight of family responsibilities on her shoulders, she is set firm on keeping life together, leaving little room for romance. Enter in Clint Taylor, her charming best friend who works on his family's farm and is determined to win her heart. We start the book with him being ready to confess his feelings for her but things happen and those feelings don't get told just yet. Clint gets injured and Nora, as a nurse, takes care of him and we see their dynamic build, showcasing the tension between friendship and romance shift, as Nora grapples with her feelings while tending to his injury. 

The setting of Redemption Ridge provides a cozy, festive backdrop in Colorado - y'all know that's bound to be a BEAUTIFUL setting at Christmas time! 

As always, Mandi does a great job showing us what Nora is going through and her journey toward opening her heart. The faith content - perfect, as always. I LOVED Clint and seeing how much he loved her and wanted to share his feelings with her was chef's kiss! This is exactly the type of Christmas book I love to read during the holidays. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Mandi Blake for sending me a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Goodreads Review:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6737988339
Amazon:  https://amzn.to/3NLK5Ui
Mandi's Shop (Recommended): https://mandiblakeauthor.com/products/healing-the-cowboy-signed-paperback

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

Forever After All by Mandi Blake

Forever After All by Mandi Blake - 5 Stars

Book 6 in the Wolf Creek Ranch Series

What a great wrap up to the Wolf Creek Ranch series! Forever After All is another beautifully crafted romance by Mandi that explores the shadows of the past of our main characters Jess Patton and Lincoln North. Jess is refreshingly straightforward, adding depth to the story. She finds herself rescued by Linc from disastrous blind dates and sparks fly, leading her to question her perceptions of their friendship together. Linc on the other hand is haunted by his past and grapples with feelings of unworthiness, believing that someone as incredible as Jess is out of his reach. But oh boy, does the LORD have plans in store for Linc and Jess. The Lord is ever present in this book. We see so many good moments of faith, doubt and relatable struggles. Mandi ties it together wonderfully in the end, as usual :)

Jess starts to see Linc in a new light, leading us into a slow burn romance between the two, as they are thrown together - stranded. Is this a chance for them to really get to know each other and fall in love, or does a threat from his past steal their happy ending?

I loved these characters, this one really felt relatable for me. As I went through a season of life where I never felt good enough for those around me due to past mistakes ---YET THE LORD PERSUED ME and led me to realize the PLANS He had for me, just as He does in this book for Linc. Seeing Linc come to these realizations was powerful.

Also, Jess was great because she doesn't play any games -- she lets her feelings be known. I cackled at the dates she was going on at the beginning of this story - hilarious! I loved seeing the side characters too we grew to love throughout the series with their children and everyday lives together.

Forever After All is not just a love story, this was a testament to the power of healing and the importance of facing one's inner struggles. I think anyone who has ever struggled similarly will relate to this story. Thank you Mandi for stories like these, they mean so much.

Tropes:

-forced proximity
-one cabin
-horses
-he keeps her safe
-never been kissed FMC

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6569793465
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Urp4Cc
Mandi's Store: https://mandiblakeauthor.com/products/forever-after-all-signed-paperback
Series Link on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4e0eWY0

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

Love in the Wild by Mandi Blake

 

Love in the Wild by Mandi Blake - 5 Stars
(Book 3 in the "Love in Blackwater" Series)

💕 HAPPY RELEASE DAY!💕 

"Believing in God doesn’t mean life is always a bed of roses and we get what we want. It means trusting and having faith that we’ll always have the strength to handle the tough times because He is on our side.”

Mandi does it AGAIN with another beautiful Christian romance book! Highly recommend! I am loving the Love in Blackwater series so much. All of Mandi's books are my comfort reads - and this did NOT disappoint! SO GOOD. After book 2, I was HIGHLY anticipating Gage's story and wow, what a "WILD" ride! Mandi truly is a favorite author and I will continue to read through her backlist!

Read if you like:
💕 Christian Romance

💕 Feuding Families
💕 Grumpy x Sunshine

💕 Epic Friendships

💕 Suspense Elements

💕 Beautiful Faith Content

💕 Small Town

💕 Dual POV

We follow Gage and Hadley's romance and before I read this one, I just so happened to be on book 5 in the "Wolf Creek Ranch" series so I went ahead and read it, called The Other Side. In "The Other Side" you learn all about the Patton and Howard family feud with Thea and Brett's romance story. I am glad I read through that one because it gave me so much background on this family and introduced us to our characters. We see Gage and Hadley in that book. Cut to Love in the Wild, which takes place during the same course of events as "The Other Side", we see the points of view more of Gage and Hadley of what was going on during "The Other Side". I loved seeing this because you really get the deep dive into Gage's backstory and seeing them get to know one another. 

Gage is one of my favorite characters so far in this series because he has went through a lot in his family life and he wants to change. Hadley is a a ray of sunshine and her coming into his life helps him realize the Lord loves him and forgives him for anything in his past. She sees the good in Gage and I loved that. They had to fake a relationship for a bit due to the circumstances of the family feud and they find themselves finding real love together.

These characters in this series hold a special place in my heart because you true see the realness of them shine through. We have a beautiful faith message showing that no one is perfect, but the Lord is there with His forgiveness, mercy and grace no matter the events of your past. So many need this message today and I love that Mandi does not shy away from sharing the truth of the Gospel in Jesus in her books.

Overall, I loved Gage and Hadley's romance, where things landed with the family, the friendships shown and how the faith and salvation moment was displayed. Highly recommend as a great Christian romance story!

Thank you to Mandi for providing me with a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6712032592
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YPFTtE
Link to The Other Side if you want to read that first: https://amzn.to/4cB069r
Mandi's Website with Signed Paperbacks - RECOMMNENDED: https://mandiblakeauthor.com/

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

The Other Side by Mandi Blake

 

The Other Side by Mandi Blake - 4 Stars 
(Book 5 in the Wolf Creek Ranch Series)

Mandi's most dramatic one yet! WOW - ya'll this one is filled with the FAMILY TEA! What a wild ride! I am so glad I read this one because Thea and Brett are a new favorite couple and it's prepared me to read Gage and Hadley's story in Love in the Wild (Love in Blackwater series #3). We learn all about the Patton - Howard family feud in this book. 

Thea skipped town 5 years ago after a tragic accident. She left behind Brett, the man she loved. Brett never expected to see her again but he finds her injured on a snowy night and they start reconnecting as Brett takes care of her and they try to figure out who harmed Thea. 

I really enjoyed this one - we got so much back story on different characters to come in future books and Thea and Brett's family feud. I loved the natural faith thread Mandi weaves in her stories, this one was beautiful. This story had so much tension between the families - murder accusations, Thea's mother sick with cancer, some crazy family members that remind you of the MOB -- this was a wild ride! 

This had some romantic suspense vibes going for it, which I LOVED. 

Excited to finish this series with book 6 soon and read Gage and Hadley's story in Love in the Wild!

Goodreads Review:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6569793396

Amazon Series Link: https://amzn.to/4cl6lhI
Mandi Blake's Website Store (Recommended!): https://mandiblakeauthor.com/collections/wolf-creek-ranch-signed-paperbacks

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

Better Together by Mandi Blake

 

Better Together by Mandi Blake 

Book 4 in the Wolf Creek Ranch Series

4.5 Stars
(Can be read as a Standalone but you best experience this by reading in order in my opinion)

Another great Christian romance by Mandi Blake! Loved book 4 and looking forward to continuing in the series! In this one, we have a sweet, clean, friends to more romance with a marriage of convenience trope that I LOVED. 

Read if you like:
- Christian Contemporary Romance
- Cowboys and Small Town Ranch Settings
- Books with Faith Content Showing Redemption and Forgiveness
- Books with Family Elements 
- Marriage of Convenience Trope
- Friends to More Trope

Colt and Remi are best friends in this story when something happens that is a tragedy to their family. They get married to have a better chance at gaining custody of his niece and nephew due to the circumstances. Colt has been in love with Remi for a long time but Remi has never loved herself enough due to her past experiences and mistakes to be able to care for him back. An emotional roller-coaster ensues from here as they learn how to be a married couple and parents to his niece and nephew.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, excited to see characters show up from different books of Mandi's here and there too! I loved the kids and seeing Remi and Colt embrace their new lives together. Colt was such a great guy, as usual in Mandi's books! :) I loved their chemistry and seeing them interact with the kids was precious. It really added a layer of depth to the story.

The ending had a little bit of conflict with Remi and Colt I didn't love but other than that, it was another SOLID read from Mandi and after that bonus epilogue, I NEED the next book!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6569792971
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4eVHCmN

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